Posted on 03/31/2010 7:29:11 AM PDT by Dick Holmes
One barrier to widespread adoption of motorcycles as transportation in the USA is that of practical advantage. In most places, two-wheeled transport offers few advantages over the four-wheeled kind. That's partly because unlike almost every other country on Earth, the practice of "lane-splitting"-riding in between lanes of stopped or slow-moving vehicle traffic-is outlawed in what is allegedly the Home of the Free. That means that in every state but California, not only do motorcyclists have to endure the privations of motorcycle travel, they also have to bump along at the maddeningly slow pace of traffic-snarled trucks and automobiles, even though there is little evidence that the practice of lane-splitting (if done in a safe and reasonable fashion) is particularly dangerous.
So kudos to the Arizona legislature for honoring the Goldwater legacy of personal liberty tempered by individual responsibility with Arizona House Bill 2475. Introduced by Harley-Davidson-riding Representative Jerry Weiers (say "wires," R-District 12), the bill will legalize, for a one-year probationary period beginning January 1, 2011, lane-splitting in stopped traffic. It will only apply in counties with populations greater than 2 million (according to 2006 population estimates, this is just Maricopa county, with the Phoenix-Glendale-Scottsdale megalopolis). The bill sailed through the Transportation committee (which Weiers chairs) and the House Rules committee, and has been read to the State Senate as well. It's looking like there is little opposition to the bill so far, which makes sense: those who lean to the left should like the message of encouraging the lower environmental impact of motorcycle transportation, and those on the right should appreciate the individual-rights angle.
(Excerpt) Read more at motorcycledaily.com ...
Nope ... if you change lanes ... make sure a bike is not coming up on you. It’s the law that we bikers have to have our headlight on. We are pretty easy to spot IF you take the time to look. Remember we are NOT talking about the idiot who splits lanes in 60 MPH traffic. Rather we are speaking about splitting lanes in dead stop or near dead stop traffic. In Calif EXPECT a bike to be there. As long as you perform a normal lane change there will be no problem as I will see you too. I do NOT expect you to “glimpse me in time rather I will spot YOU in time. And no it is NOT a dangerous and unrealistic mindset.
LOL!
I'll second that
My CHP nephew catches someone doing this ... they go STRAIGHT to jail ... it's felonious assault in Calif
Exactly.
I wish that attitude was limited to you, but unfortunately, it's common.
The best argument against the practice is drivers like you.
Also true of many water cooled bikes, especially on hot days.
Are you actually saying there are near daily M.C. accidents while lane splitting in Cali...??
Lucky for you you ride one, then...
I was in Taiwan once and they have a large painted area at each stop light. At first I thought “why the huge cross walk!?”
But, the cars all stop at the paint mark. And as the light is red all of the scooters and motorcycles weave through the stopped cars and get to the front and wait in the painted area. I imagine once everyone gets used to it the accidents go down.
The results are sometimes the on-coming bike just simply did not register in their mind, when they glanced for oncoming, to changing lanes or a quick look for cross traffic. It was there, they just didn't see it because they were looking for a car or truck.
Performance follows attitude. I replied to another poster on this thread who 'opined' that if you do so-and-so on a motorcycle around me (laws be d@mned) then you are responsible for the results.
MC riding is a choice. So is driving brain dead. I've pondered riding with a tire checker (truck) or a hammer in one of my cubbies for those times when a 4 wheeler does something stupid/illegal, then suggests if I don't like it, I shouldn't be riding a MC...one little old lady said I shouldn't be riding on the street. I guarantee you I'm at risk around her.
I think all of us long time riders have several of those stories. I've had 4 wheelers look me in the eye, then take my lane.
It's one thing to recognize that we run a risk. It's another for 4 wheelers to say that THEREFORE, we assume the risk from their incompetence/stupidity.
“Yeah, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is so agenda driven.”
Oh, they are agenda driver. You’d be hard pressed to find a bigger bunch of safety freaks than them, so when they come out in favor of something apparently hazardous like lane splitting, I’d tend to believe their statistics.
“Lucky for you you ride one, then...”
LOL. I’d sooner ride a Harley than not ride at all. I could even enjoy riding some of them, although cruisers really aren’t my bag. I’m a function over form guy - I’m not really interested in riding a race replica on the street, either - no reason to be hunched over like I was going to be doing 160 mph when I only rarely go much more than half that.
You might not notice as much, the ones who split lanes less, and do so at lower overall speeds, since they won't be passing you as frequently.
Watching driver's head motions helps. I don't push it (much) and try to always leave myself an out. Running with a headlight on during the day helps make the auto drivers more aware of one's presence. One can move the bike around a little side to side, to get noticed faster. A lot of folks are kindly enough to drift over to one side of a lane to make it easier and safer.
Wider trucks, with large side mirrors block the way many times. When that happens I wait for an off-set, or staggered position, as opposed to two vehicles being directly side-by-side. I sort of look for that condition more often than not, regardless.
One other thing I have to look out for --- is other, higher speed lane splitters! Focusing on two or more vehicles in front, others to the side and slightly behind, while also watching the traffic in the two lanes ahead of the vehicles I'm trailing and as much as any adjacent lanes as possible, has frequently left me sort-of plugging the split.
Other riders should thank me at times, for slowing their rice-rocket high speed track bike fat leather padded asses down.
There is a reason for that thick leather in the seat of good riding gear. Any kind of pavement will shred right through blue-jeans, wa-aay before one's body stops sliding, in the event one has to lay it down, which is something I'm rather terrified of doing ON A FREEWAY.
If traffic is at a dead stop, I have no problem with you moving through traffic in between vehicles. If the traffic is moving at 10 to 30 and you come through at 15 mph faster, the chances of me seeing you are very small.
You don’t stick up above traffic. From my rear view mirror you exist behind the car behind me beside the car behind them.
In a lane change at that speed I have to keep my eye on the car in front of me, the car behind me, the car to his right, the care two lanes to my right, and you. And if I’m not lined up just right, I don’t see you in my right wind wing either. You’re beside the car behind the guy behind me.
Here’s the scenario that has caused trouble for me before.
I’m traveling about 20 mph, and coming up on my right is a bike going 35. With the difference of 15 mph, you’re closing on me at 22 feet per second. I look back to see if the car behind me and the car on to his right are clear, and the guy behind me isn’t looking like he’s going to make a move around me, and so I’m clear. At this moment you’re 35 feet behind me.
I look back in front and start easing out, making sure the car in front of me or the car to his right are are not stopping rapidly, the car two lanes to my right isn’t making a move for the hole in traffic, and in that moment, you have traveled 22 feet and are ten to fifteen feet from hitting my as I pull over. By the time I see you, you’re right on top of me.
To avoid this, I have to keep my eye on my right wind wing mirror, completely ignoring the vehicles in front of me and to my side. And so, for every one of you that comes buy, I’ve had to jeopardize my safety tens if not hundreds of times to make a normal lane change.
If the traffic stops in front of me, and I make contact with either vehicle, I’m the guilty party. If the vehicle to my right decides they want the same lane, and I’m concentrating on any motorcycle that might be coming up, I reduce significantly my ability to spot him and abort, or even prevent hitting them. On top of that, if you come up out of nowhere, I’m the gulty guy if we make contact. And so it is, as I sit there in the guy’s trunk in front of me, you go right on by with not a care in the world.
I think it’s only natural for you to think I should see you. I would like to think I always will. I know that’s just wishful thinking on both our parts.
I implied after it’s made legal, like in AZ.
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.