Lane splitting

[Darth Do'Urden]

...or we could just wait in traffic just like everybody else and not think we're more special.

There are pros and cons to whatever vehicle one chooses to use. Cages have the benefit of more security, shelter from the elements, conditioned air, cup holders, cruise control, etc. But the cons are that they are bigger, bulkier, less agile, destined to wait like friggin' Brits in the vehicular "queue" that is bumper-to-bumper traffic, and significantly less fun.

We who embrace the bike have the cons of exposure--both weather as well as safety--no conditioned air, no cup holders or cruise control (screw those touring types =P), etc. Yet we have the benefits of smaller size, agility, speed, fun...and SHOULD have the advantage of getting through traffic a little quicker than everyone else. Commandant Obama has such a hardon for improving fuel efficiency and saving the planet, he ought to make federal accommodations for those of us who are (inadvertently or otherwise) helping in that effort. So we get to use the carpool lanes (during certain hours...what a joke)...big deal. Most of the times I've been on Santa Fe I haven't needed to use it, and sometimes it even proved to be slower. Lane-splitting and/or sharing is debatable, but filtering forward should certainly be legal, as it helps to protect the rider from what could be potentially fatal consequences.

This is far from some sort of "elitist" attitude, which you seem to indicate...and attitude that we've all come to expect from non-bikers. But coming from a fellow biker, it just seems ludicrous. Why should we have to wait in line like everyone else when we're a fraction of the size, especially when you consider that by allowing bikes to safely lane-share/split at slow speeds in heavy traffic, and to filter forward goes towards alleviating traffic congestion for EVERYONE.

Same with parking lots. I don't think I should be able to park on a wide sidewalk close to the store out of some inflated sense of entitlement. I think we should be able to in order to not take a spot that a full-size vehicle could otherwise use.

The problem with lane-splitting/sharing is that there are asshats that will do it at 75mph. It's these types that make such a bad name for the rest of us that lawmakers won't allow it, even at slower/safer speeds.

[Kevin]

...or we could just wait in traffic just like everybody else and not think we're more special.

We're....not.........special???

[MetaLord 9]

Not arguing about what should be legal, there are good points there for sure.

Just saying that it's not legal, so until it is, people who do it are acting like they're more important than everyone else and it's ok if they break the law because they're smaller.

I have the same gripe about bicyclists. They want they're own special permission to act like cars in the canyons so you can't pass them and they're allowed to take up all of the road, but when it comes to a stop light, stop sign, or other traffic device, they're pedestrians who can ride up to the front of the line and run stop signs, etc. If you want to be treated like a motor vehicle, you're subject to the rules of operating a motor vehicle. If you don't like that, stay outta the way of cars, trucks, & motorcycles.

[mdub]

colorado does have those sub-humans being behind the wheel. another fact is that 1 out 3 drivers only carry insurance here in our lovely state. Yes i dont understand why a driver would want to place his car onto the shoulder to stop a motorcyclist from continuing his journey.. that happened to me before and it baffles me the thought of the idiot that did it. People are just f'ed up....

[MetaLord 9]

^^Could be worse. In Louisiana, -3 out of 5 people don't carry insurance. That's right. Do THAT math.

[edj]

Try Athens Greece... high speed lane splitting in some of the worlds heaviest traffic. The difference is the cars don't resent bikers (they probably ride too) and actually leave room for the bikes to get by and NOTICE motorcycles. It is a nice system.

The hardest thing following my greek friends was keeping from clogging the whole system because it was SCARY going nearly 100mph through dense 40mph traffic. Yet I was slow so needing to keep an eye behind so that other bikes could PASS me. My friend's bike I was riding had no mirrors so they wouldn't get broken off. A regular commute for an average greek motorcyclist would have him imprisoned in USA.

Europe does seem to treat motorcycles as a different class of vehicle able to get away with ... (anything?)

[Kevin]

I guess if you have to start trying it, starting at a red light wouldn't be too bad of an idea...

Start by doing some "filtering", then you'll begin to understand the usage and safe speed of lane splitting. ...

You're right, filtering is much less intimidating! Good advice, thank you!

[Mother Goose]

^^Could be worse. In Louisiana, -3 out of 5 people don't carry insurance. That's right. Do THAT math.

It makes sense if you don't think about it.

[Davy4575]

Did I read that correctly (negative 3 out of 5). Well, it does make sense. They say that if you get 32 women in a room down there, youll get a full set of teeth between em all.

[Spiderman]

Maybe an attentive mod could merge all these threads

What's an attentive mod?

[OUTLAWD]

why merge when you could simply delete?

[Zach929rr]

lockbandelete

[Sean]

We have mods?

[Kevin]

De-virgin-ized!

Sitting it traffic at rush hour today at Belleview & I-25, going east just before the I-25 underpass, in the left (two) turn lanes to go north on I-25. You all know that mess of an intersaction at rush hour, right? So the light turns red and I'm hanging out into the intersection behind two other cars. So I pull myself up next to the car in front of me, just to get my ass (literally!) out of the intersection. I was feeling pretty comfy sitting between those two cars at the end of the line. Looking down that wide open space at the red light and figured why not? It looked like another little wide open lane, just for me. So I filtered my way up to the red, it turned green, I went ahead of everyone, no problems. That felt pretty good!

Up onto 225, traffic's backed up about further then I'd ever seen before - all the way back to I-25 and as far as the eye can see - all the way up over the hill to Parker Rd., no end in sight. So I take the Yosemite exit and head up to Hampden. Trying to get to Illiff & I-25, running late for an appointment, and it's starting to rain.

I get up to Hampden, and traffic's at a standstill. I rode in the left turn lane for one long stretch and slipped in at a green light, traffic still barely moving. Looking ahead again to the next red light through standstill traffic, (probably 300ft - one of those looong blocks out that way - it was a really long way, so it qualifies as splitting, not filtering!) I decided to split all the way up to the red. The lanes were narrow, and I thought I was going to clip mirrors with a couple cars, (damn bar end mirrors!) but i made it through without incident and slipped in when it turned green.

Pissed the guy off who I slipped in front of, and he layed on the horn for an unneccesarily long amount of time. I just ignored him, thinking, "Settle down, cupcake, you'll live. When you get out of that cager and onto a bike, you can do it too." Waddayaknow, life went on.

I stayed in traffic the rest of the way, because I figured I had pushed my luck enough, it was a pretty tight fit the last time, Hampden only tightens up more going around that curve into Havana, and the lines of cars get all out of whack around a curve 'cause nobody here knows how wide their cars are or how to stay in the center of a lane.

I moved slowly, looking out for anything amiss, making sure I had enough room to get by, and was polite about it - not being a squid off the green light or anything like that, and making sure I wasn't doing anything to alarm anyone. It worked out fine. I didn't give a reaction to the guy laying on the horn - after all, I'm the one in the wrong - breaking the law, attitude in check, no need to get self-rightous about anything.

I made it to my appointment on time, which wouldn't have happened had I not grown a pair. Now that I've done it, even just this little, I can see how easy it would be to unexpectedly find yourself with not enough room to feel comfortable and end up stuck in the middle there, looking (and feeling) like an idiot, not being able to slip back in. I'll save lane splitting for when traffic is open enough and it's appropriate and necessary to get through a gridlock. Filtering, I'll do more often though, that was cool!

Thanks, all, for the advice. My bigget take-away? Do it responsibly and appropriately.

[WolFeYeZ]

Congrats, you got yer balls :P Now don't do it ever because it just pisses people off in the general direction of bikers X.x

[Swift]

Glad you're learning. You'll find most colorado drivers either don't care or won't notice till you're in front of them and then they'll shrug it off. There are a few idiots out there that feel the need to convey their feelings about lane splitting and filtering in a manner that makes them look like full on retards but if you kill them with kindness or simply ignore them, as you said, life goes on.

Just be cautious of idiots that want to run you over after traffic has cleared. In a situation as such, either make them a small dot or let them go by. Bikes and cars don't mix.

[Kevin]

Just be cautious of idiots that want to run you over after traffic has cleared. In a situation as such, either make them a small dot or let them go by. Bikes and cars don't mix.

Yeah, he was about 6 inches off my rear tire while he was on the horn. For a moment, I considered hitting the brakes and leaving a nice tire skid mark on his pretty white bumper, but traffic was still really heavy and technically, I was in the wrong, so I figured it best to just let it go.

[FZRguy]

Works good til you find that one driver that runs you over on purpose.

[Mother Goose]

Why won't this die?

[Kevin]

Why won't this die?

Because way deep down inside, we all want to do it.

[Zach929rr]

Because way deep down inside, we all want to do it.

you should go check out turn one at pueblo.

[Kevin]

you should go check out turn one at pueblo.

I've always wanted to get to the track. Why turn one?

[OUTLAWD]

its a prime spot for lane sharing...among other things

[Swift]

I'll pass thanks.

...No wait. That didn't come out right. lol