I've taken the shoulder a couple times before, but for some reason, that almost seems more blatant - you're right out there in the open free to be pulled over! And as mentioned, there's always the debris.
So for those who have done it, or do it regularly, or are from Cali where it's common, how best to go about it the first time? I've sat in stopped traffic, nearly on the center line, looking wistfully down between the miles of lined up cars, my heart pounding, my grip on the clutch loosening... and then I chicken out and continue to wait. I suppose just go for it, slowly at first, huh?
I mean, are you looking in people's mirrors to be sure they see you, watching for signs of a cutoff like a car's front wheel turning in, watching brake lights, how far ahead are you looking, how fast do you go, (around here, not very fast, I would think) does traffic have to be at near standstill before it's appropriate, do you stay in a low gear to make more noise and better control? Some tips from the pros would be helpful.
Like anything else riding, if I'm going to split lanes, I want to be safe while doing so and have some idea of what to expect.
And yes, I too think it should be legal