Traffic splitting

[Mfidget]

Folks,

I am riding my '03 Intruder 800 (VS800-GL) to work every day and I love it! Round trip is about 60 miles, mostly on the freeway. In some spots, I have to deal with traffic, but since I'm in California, I get to split lanes. I am always very careful.

In general, drivers here are very considerate of motorcycles. However, once in a while, someone will lurch toward the line. In the 4 months I've been riding, I've smacked two mirrors. Not much option, it seemed to me, to stop and apologize, with crawling traffic all around. Felt really bad, though.

Anyone have any opinions on A) lane-splitting in general, and B) etiquette after a mirror-smacking?

Thanks!

----Mike

[md2lgyk]

I witnessed this lane-splitting thing for the first time last summer when I visited my father in California. Unbelievable. I've been riding for more than 30 years and, legal or not, I'd never do it. It must not be legal here on the East Coast because you never see it.

[Paladin]

Looking at the California Vehicle Code ( http://www.leginfo.ca.gov ) I found:

21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.

21750. The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle or a bicycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left at a safe distance without interfering with the safe operation of the overtaken vehicle or bicycle, subject to the limitations and exceptions hereinafter stated.

I could not find any exemption for motorcylces. AFAIK, lane splitting is illegal in California, but not inforced. The kicker is "shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety." If cited and standing before a Judge the Judge will judge who is a better authority at what is 'reasonable safety' -- which is almost always the citing officer. Smacking a mirror is *obviously* a violation of 21750 as you are interfering with the other vehicle's safe operation.

Mfidget (or anyone else) -- if you can point me to an authoritive source that says lane splitting is legal I would muchly appreciate it.

Personally, I ride my motorcycle with a automobile size space cushion around it.

In 40+ years of driving I've seen more than a couple of cases of vehicles moving over to block or knock lane-splitting motorcyclists. I will not lane split unless it is impossible for the other vehicle to move into my path of travel -- i.e. they are stopped.

Hitting another vehicle, even as much as just a mirror, and driving off is a *real good* way to initiate road-rage. Every mirror you smack is potentially one more driver who will intentionally swerve into you the next time he sees you. Or any other motorcyclist.

[md2lgyk]

Well, it's not a legal cite, but here's an answer from the CHP:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

[Mfidget]

Well, my understanding is that California, being a codified state, basically reserves to the individual that which is not specifically legislated as unlawful. Therefore, since there aren't any laws that say two vehicles can't occupy the same lane at the same time, it's perfectly legal. The answer from the CHP seems to confirm this, as does my 9 (so far) times passing local and state cops without comment.

Is lane splitting dangerous? Sure seems so to me, if done recklessly. As I'm usually one of 4 or more motorcyclists all doing it at the same time (within my immediate vision) it's certainly not uncommon. I haven't seen anyone doing it above 30 MPH, and when other traffic is at or almost at a standstill. And I haven't seen anyone intentionally try to run into any motorcyclist, though I have seen drivers move into the line if they see a motorcyclist coming up -- more as a self-righteous barrier than an intentional hazard. Most drivers either stay in their current track or move to the opposite side of the lane (unnecessary, but very considerate.)

On the mirror-smacking, which was my original question, what seems best? I don't want to add to any anit-motocyclists' animosity, which is why I'd like to find a nice compensation, short of insurance claims, when this happens. It seems unavoidable that it will happen once in a while.

What is the consensus that will not add to the numbers of anti-motocyclists?

----Mfidget

[inspiron]

Hough discusses this in his book Proficient Motorcycling ... basically the question he asks is: What is more dangerous - lane splitting at a resonable speed, or sitting behind a line of cars and having the risk of being rear-ended because the driver behind you didn't see you or misjudged the distance? His stated opinion is that your probably safer between two slow moving cars than behind one.

Since I live outside the US, we don't have this issue here. Lane splitting is not allowed, since passing any vehicle on the right is a serious offence and will probably cost you your license, and there is usually no emergency lane on the left side of the road - just the divider. The only people who do lane splitting are the French - they seem to take traffic laws a bit less seriously than the Germans and Swiss, and are usually a bit more "squiddy"

[Paladin]

Originally Posted by md2lgyk

Well, it's not a legal cite, but here's an answer from the CHP:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

Thanks -- asked for authoritive, not legal -- and I consider the CHP to be authoritive on the rules of the road.

But they do qualify the permissible with "must be done in a safe and prudent manner." If you are bumping vehicles' mirrors I doubt that it would be considered safe or prudent.

[Mfidget]

But they do qualify the permissible with "must be done in a safe and prudent manner." If you are bumping vehicles' mirrors I doubt that it would be considered safe or prudent.

Good point, Paladin. I guess I better slow down or stop doing it until I get better.

----Mfidget

[TL chris]

Or learn to control your bike better?

[Mfidget]

Thanks for the useful comment. I believe I had just said that.

[Paladin]

You did. I was more concerned about you bumping a tad closer just as someone moves toward you and your getting knocked down. While the odds of this happening is negligible, the harm done *if* it does happen is, IMO, not worth the few seconds you are saving. Basically the same reasoning as for the wearing of leather and a helmet. You save enough time just being on two wheels, you don't need to shave off those last few seconds.

Decades ago, in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Greece, we had a driver safety film of two guys on a 45-minute run through Boston. One obeyed all the traffic laws, the other didn't. The speedster saved about 2 minutes, with many exposures to possible accidents. Being a Technician, I HAD to test this. I drove from the base gates to the Squadron in my VW, for once actually obeying the laws, stopping at stop signs, keeping to the speed limit. Again, but this time rolling stop signs at 15+ mph and going as fast as I could. In a ten minute run I saved less than a minute.

You can check this out yourself. Time your commute at breakneck speeds, and again at a more reasonable pace with more precaution when passing. See how much time you actually save and ask yourself if that time is worth risking your life for.

IMO, being up on two wheels IS worth the minor increased risk of injury as compared with being in my 3500# tank. Time? I'm always late anyhow so who cares? If I wanted to be on time I would simply leave a few minutes earlier. I ride to relax. Kick back. Cruise.........

[Mfidget]

All good stuff, Paladin. Thanks for the perspective -- it helps a lot.

I definitely have some things to think about now!