Posted on 09/28/2009 7:54:26 AM PDT by SmithL
HAYWARD — So-called "lane-splitting" on a motorcycle is perfectly legal, but Officer Cristina Tagle of the California Highway Patrol asks, "Is it really worth it?"
Bikers have an obvious advantage when it comes to the daily commute, but Tagle said splitting lanes — riding alongside other vehicles, between lanes — carries significant risk, as exemplified by three deaths this year in the Hayward-San Leandro area.
"California does not have a law that prohibits (lane-splitting)," CHP Sgt. Kevin Briggs said. "But you're still subject to all the laws in the Vehicle Code. Everything still applies."
That means if traffic is moving at 65 mph, a motorcyclist splitting lanes can be cited for speeding. "But catching them is a different matter," Briggs said.
Lane-splitters also can be cited for "unsafe speed," which Briggs said is "a judgment call."
Briggs, a motorcycle officer for 10 years, said he has encountered all manner of danger while on the job.
"You have people that don't use a blinker that pull out right in front of you, people that are angry and will block your way, people opening doors," he said. To avoid the dangers, "You have to use sound judgment."
Fernando Camilli, 35, is a motorcycle enthusiast who knows the risks. Camilli is president of the Hayward chapter of the Bay Area Delinquents — the motorcycle club that Troub previously led.
Camilli was friends with Troub. He said I-238, where Troub was killed, is a particularly notorious spot because of narrow lanes and the large number of trucks that leave little space between lanes for a motorcycle.
"When I drive through there, I think, Jeremie, man, why here?" Camilli said.
Camilli has been in two motorcycle accidents in the last four years, suffering road rash, bruises and a concussion. But splitting lanes on his Yamaha R6 is not something he is going to give up.
"We split lanes every day, commute time, night time," he said. "In 60,000 miles on a sport bike, I just don't think there's a class they could give that could teach an awareness while you're lane-splitting. You can't re-create that environment. It is something you learn from experience."
He said inexperienced motorcyclists can make unsafe decisions, but even for experienced riders, the danger is always there from drivers who are not paying attention.
"Everybody knows the risks. We know it every day, the minute we stick that leg over the bike. Everybody knows the consequences. You never hope it's going to be your time, but it can be any time."
Even so, he hopes no laws are passed to prohibit lane-splitting, as has been done in other states.
In these days of crowded freeways and heightened environmental awareness, Camilli asks that drivers see motorcycles not as a dangerous nuisance, but as a green, fuel-efficient alternative to cars.
Camilli says Troub's death affected him deeply, but he did not consider giving up his bike.
"It's a freedom," he said. "It's a lifestyle. It's a way of life that I've been accustomed to."
3 deaths in one year? Aren’t there bigger problems?
Studies by the CHP have shown that splitting lanes is safer than sitting in traffic
In Illinois a motorcycle can only split a lane with another motorcycle. It cannot ride alongside of any other kind of vehicle, nor may it pass any other kind of vehicle in the same lane. I’m quite surprised that it’s apparently legal elsewhere.
Legal or not, “lane splitting” on a motorcycle is utterly stupid IMHO. You have essentially reduced your margin of safety to zero.
That being said, I would oppose any laws against this dumb maneuver. Let these people have their freedom to risk their lives in any way they wish, just don’t expect me to pay the financial costs of their actions. But that’s just the libertarian in me coming out.
At highway speeds, I'd say getting between two cars is foolish at best. If someone swerves, you have no escape route.
In other words, in all cases, the rider was doing something unwise, or otherwise not being careful (riding too fast, splitting in an area where lanes are narrow, etc). And the dangers, apart from not riding carefully, are primarily aggressive car drivers (opening doors or deliberately riding the line to block lane splitters). If done properly (traffic below 35mph, wide lanes) and the rider exercises due care, lane splitting is no more dangerous than riding anywhere else. The subtext on this reads more like a cage-driver being jealous of the lane-splitting bikers, and trying to turn the public against the practice by highlighting accidents that could have happened in any situation, but happened to occur in conjunction with lane-splitting (like going after video games because some disaffected teen who offed a bunch of people also happened to play games).
These guys are mere amateurs, as anyone who has driven through Paris at rush-hour can attest. Maybe the problem is there aren’t enough burning cars to light your way! ;-)
That is EXACTLY right
I lived and rode in Cali, and The only way I ever did it was when traffic was at a stand still, and then I never went over 10 or 15 miles per hour while doing it, because like this article points out. You never know what folks in cars are going to do.
You decide to split lanes between a big rig and a car who are both doing 55MPH or more, and wind up turned into road paste, you pretty much set yourself up for it.
ping
Interesting article - I rode daily from Gainesville to Ft Worth and back, including through the I35W backup at I820.
I used the shoulder in lieu of lane-splitting. Even then
the ba$tard$ tried to run me off the road, make me crash,
give the feenger, yell obscenities. One even chased me
to the gate of the facility where I worked. That was scary.
It just doesn’t seem to me like a smart thing to do given human nature. It only takes one m/c-hater a second to cripple you for life.
If they were actually interested in driving a "a green, fuel-efficient alternative to cars" they'd consider driving a much safer trike vehicle.
But then...they couldn't engage in their beloved lane-splitting. So, to me, it seems the green thing is a fallacious argument.
Check out the bottom of my profile ... very few mess with me on my bike
You decide to split lanes between a big rig and a car who are both doing 55MPH or more, and wind up turned into road paste, you pretty much set yourself up for it.
Ditto that. I've ridden (and split lanes) on 238, and it is scary, but I only did it when the cars weren't moving. Same goes for city traffic - I used to go to the front of the line and holeshot the cars when the light turned green. It made for much faster transit on surface streets.
If it hurts when you do that, don’t do that.
riding alongside other vehicles, between lanes..
Are they insane?
=Disaster b.c. when I am in a lane on the interstate or state HWY I do not expect for another vehicle to come up beside me (In my own lane!). THIS is dangerous: To all you motorcycle riders: Is your life really worth 5 extra minutes..!
The problem with that rationale is that if I hit a motorcyclist, then I have the awful trauma of either hurting or killing someone, whether or not they were right or wrong. Also, in my state of Louisiana, and I don’t know if other states do the same, even if the other party was wrong, they still sue the other party, and the insurance companies here will settle out of court rather than run up costs of going to court, and the person in the wrong still gets a payoff.
“Check out the bottom of my profile ... very few mess with me on my bike”
That’s a nice bike but I don’t advise playing bumper-cars with anything much bigger than yourself.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.