Topic: lane spliting

[cb350twin]

Whats every ones thoughts on this I don't lane split but sometimes i,m almost tempted too.

[SteveD CB500F]

I do it all the time in the UK. It's the only way to get around during the rush hour.

It's not illegal here but you do have to be VERY careful.

I don't travel at more than 30mph and never split traffic that is moving.

Some of our roads (non-motorway) are too narrow to split so I just have to sit there with the cages and wait until we get to a wider bit.

[GeoffT]

I never lane split (I think we call it filtering in the UK) unless there is nothing coming the other way as we have only two lane roads in Orkney. 

But like Steve would always use filtering when riding on mainland UK. Can't understand what the problem is in those US states where it is not allowed. Like steve says, you just have to be carefull, like be aware of those numpties who want to turn right but not indicate etc.

[SteveD CB500F]

And watch out for:

• Crotch Rockets coming up behind you
• Crotch Rockets coming the other way!

[GeoffT]

Dead right Steve. We all know that the broken white line in the middle is the bike lane. Just remember its two way. 

[ProTeal55]

If a cop see's you lane splitting aroud here (Chicagoland area) , it is a instant $500
ticket , and your bike gets impounded on the spot. A few years back some "little old lady" got clipped & killed by some crotchrocket that was lane splitting, thus the strict laws..

[computronic2040]

I'm wondering how it works in the bay area. Do they place temporary restrictions on it?

[cbjunkie]

going down to see steve d and jim shea the other day i experienced my first lane-splitting on the back of my dad's bike - i have to say that of all the crazy rules and regulations the Brits have over here that seem to be overly restrictive the allowance permitting lane-splitting makes up for a LOT of other frustrations... there's nothing better than zipping around the waiting cars at a roundabout and inserting yourself right in the front of the line.

nothing. 

junkie out...

[Paul]

Lane splitting / filtering is common practice over here, IF it means getting ahead of a traffic buildup, I've often filtered right up to a check point, had a chat and on my way..
Other than that ...it's called overtaking 
Why in God's name would one be content to sit behind a pile of exhaust pipes...you just need to watch out for the oddball cager who feels that if he has to stay ...so does everyone else ..that includes spit, fag butts (oops, Cigarette ends....never mind, it's a language thing, not gay people moning out windows...would've been easier to delete this  ) and guys who like playing trains on the dividers. th thum, th thum..
Have a look at the vid I posted "filtering"....now there is a limit.

[amattel]

When I first moved to california I thought I would never lane spilt, but, everyone out here does it.  IT is so commonplace at every intersection and all freeways to have bikes making their way between cars.

When I first tried it it was hard to override my conditioning...  I would start to split and my mind would say NO! and I would end up between cages again...

After a few months I finally got used to it, but I don't always do it...  at every opportunity I decide whether to chill and relax ro to slip past the cages...

Adam

[dusterdude]

i generally do it when im in a traffic jam,im not sitting there letting my air cooled engine overheat.

[Geeto67]

In NYC, cops generally don't care although it is illegal. I think they don't mind because in manhattan traffic sometimes it is the only way to get around and you are not taking up space like a car.

On LI, it is generally frowned upon but then again there is rarely a need for it since traffic is never that bad (with the exception of the highways during rush hour). Cops tend to be more eager to enforce it if they can catch you, but they tend to be biased to crotch rockets and vintage bike guys don't get hassled much.

On a more serious note are NYC drivers. There are more than a few who think lane splitting is "cheating traffic" and also feel it is their civic duty to stop you. They will do everything from yell obscenties to use their car to block you (including opening the door). In the last six weeks I have had about 30 encounters with these kind of drivers. Some have ended with me finding another way around, but one the guy was so adamant That when I finally got by I took his side view mirror with me (on purpose, this jackass would swerve at me in a very quick jerky like motion no mater what side and when we came to a stop he and his passenger would open their doors and yell at me). About half the taxis in NYC don't like lane splitters and will try to stop them as well.

[eldar]

I would lane split but after reading some of this, I am not so sure anymore! Just one more reason to NOT live in nyc.

[GeoffT]

I was talking to a bike traffic cop about this last week and he was all for it but stressed the need for caution. Another interesting thing he told me was that he had recently traveled through france with a friend and he was amazed that all the car drivers who saw their bikes in the rear view mirror moved to the side to help them filter.

[cbjunkie]

i have heard the same from a brit brother this very week while at the Ace cafe - he told us that in France car drivers are not only respectful, but deferential to bikes!

i guess surrender is just in the blood... 

[eldar]

                                    FOR SALE!

                        Antique French WWII Rifle

                        Never Fired, Dropped Twice!

[angeldeville]

Another interesting thing he told me was that he had recently traveled through france with a friend and he was amazed that all the car drivers who saw their bikes in the rear view mirror moved to the side to help them filter.

I think that only happens if you are on a German bike....

[ofreen]

Another interesting thing he told me was that he had recently traveled through france with a friend and he was amazed that all the car drivers who saw their bikes in the rear view mirror moved to the side to help them filter.

I think that only happens if you are on a German bike....

Good one.

[canyon750]

I commute here in California.  If I didn't lane split I would never get to work on time!  Just this morning crossing the bridge into San Francisco, traffic was at a standstill.  The traffic reporters were saying it was taking 1 hour to drive the 11 miles into the City.  I made it in 25 mintues.  I have my own rule:  I never split traffic over 35 miles an hour.  CA is about the only state in the US that police turn the other way to lane splitters as a rule.  It's not illegal as long as you ride with some sense. 

Have you noticed that its the people with the smallest cars that try and block you from splitting lanes?   I had a Miata try and keep me from splitting.  When i rode by I just leaned towards HER  window and shook my head at her.  I think she noticed since I was only 8 inches away from her face!

[SteveD CB500F]

We've just had this same conversation on the UK VFR Forum (albeit we talk about the M25 and not SF - same issue though)

I never lane split if the traffic is going at more than 30mph - most bikes do (I've seen them doing it at 80-90...)

Here in the UK many drivers will move over to let you through as many of the roads are too narrow to split when there is traffic coming the other way.

A loud exhaust helps (I have a Micron race can on the Viffer), as does a modern headlamp (twin 60W H4 as standard)

[Zip]

On a more serious note are NYC drivers. There are more than a few who think lane splitting is "cheating traffic" and also feel it is their civic duty to stop you. They will do everything from yell obscenties to use their car to block you (including opening the door). In the last six weeks I have had about 30 encounters with these kind of drivers. Some have ended with me finding another way around, but one the guy was so adamant That when I finally got by I took his side view mirror with me (on purpose, this jackass would swerve at me in a very quick jerky like motion no mater what side and when we came to a stop he and his passenger would open their doors and yell at me).

Hey, Geeto, guys,

I've been riding in and around NYC and LI for over 20 years, myself, and have experienced everything Geet has.  Not only have I taken off a mirror, but I've also kicked a guy's door in when he almost pushed me out of my lane when he came down a westbound entrance ramp on the Belt Pkwy near Kennedy Airport.  I have since learned to deal with my anger-management issues.   

I usually only lane split when traffic is dead-stopped on the highway, or on surface streets only to get up to the front of a line of cars at a traffic light.  Once traffic starts moving I fall back into line.

Zip

[Buber]

well, I don't get all the flies in my teeth for free, as well, I'm not going to shiver in Oct for free. I do it all the time, mainly before the lights. In Poland it's (I think) forbidden, but if you do it with some sense, nobody will stop you.
On a traveler's note - I noticed in Bangkok, that if a car will pull up on the lights, it will leave front "car spot" empty, and all bikes and mopeds will come from behind and start from this place. That does make A LOT of sense, but only in places where significant number of population moves on 2 wheels....

Anyway - i take it for granted - this is my right as a biker to suffer from the elements, but to gain in the traffic...

Regards!

[kuyarico]

Whats every ones thoughts on this I don't lane split but sometimes i,m almost tempted too.

For some people, it's a way of life... Check this video out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVVBjrTu0w

(Would have put this in movies, but the topic is in here)

[loonymoon]

I have a horrible commute everyday into work. M25 and A1... Sterling to Apex - anyone who lives near enough to London will have heard it on the Radio everyday.... Sterling and Apex are roundabouts on the A1 about a mile or two apart and the traffic is always crawling between the two. In the car it takes about 20 minutes or so to get between them. This is the reason I bought a scooter.... so I could filter. It really is the only way to move sometimes!

To be honest the scooter i have isn't great for this as it's a big "mutha". A yamaha majesty 250, quite wide and the A1 lanes are NARROW, making filtering just that little bit more scary. Most drivers are courteous, and I usually pass through slowly although sometimes you do have to give it a bit of acceleration to make damned sure you clear the gap before the cars start moving again. It stresses me out quite a lot, and I'm slower than a lot of other bike riders, so I let them pass me if I can.  However it cuts at least 10 minutes off the journey time and I'm not just another cage making the queue longer!!.

Filtering on the M25 isn't so scary as the lanes are much wider, I also only filter if the traffic is doing 20mph or less and I pass at 20mph or less faster than the cars are doing (I found a good website which gave some pointers for "safe" filtering. I would never filter at speeds higher than this although I regularly see crotch rockets and sometimes RAT bikes "filtering" at 80mph plus in traffic moving at 70mph... nutters.

Oneday I was sailing along a gridlocked M25 which was parting like the red-sea in front of me.. "weird" I thought "there's usually space but not normally this much" As i got a mile or two through the traffic I found out why - a BIG massive new Goldwing was filtering through the traffic... and you could see the scared faces on the car drivers when they saw THAT in their mirror!! Mr Goldwing let me pass though as he really did need a lot more space than me - suddenly my Majesty didn't seem so large any more!

[angeldeville]

moved from CA to NM.... LIFE SUCKS WITHOUT LANE SPLITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!