A
Amaris
Guest
In other words, Flux, you're making a fantastic case against yourself.
Lane-splitting
- Thread starter Tiberius Jim
- Start date
I've heard stuff like that over the years. A lot of people in the family ride or rode when they were younger.
"Motorcycles are cool, till you get the first hospital bill"
"Everyone thinks they're bad ass when they start riding, till the first time they lay it down in traffic."
And, really, I've no real problem with you personally, Flux. Generally I like most of the posts of yours I see or they're often ones I don't give much second thought.
And I've nothing against motorcycles and have even thought about learning to ride and get one myself. But it's not an expense I really want to undertake nor do I really want to risk it on what I feel is a fairly dangerous mode of transportation as well as the money/cost issue.
I just don't think motorcyclists should be given "special powers" to pretty much ignore road laws. (It being "legal" in Cali aside.) I mean the lanes are as wide as they are and designed to accommodate one vehicle in its width at a time for a reason. Jamming another vehicle in there just seems to be asking for trouble.
Yeah, we hear statistics on the number of motorcycle injuries being better (lesser) in California but the wing-mirror and dented fender industry has to be booming.
And I've nothing against motorcycles and have even thought about learning to ride and get one myself. But it's not an expense I really want to undertake nor do I really want to risk it on what I feel is a fairly dangerous mode of transportation as well as the money/cost issue.
I just don't think motorcyclists should be given "special powers" to pretty much ignore road laws. (It being "legal" in Cali aside.) I mean the lanes are as wide as they are and designed to accommodate one vehicle in its width at a time for a reason. Jamming another vehicle in there just seems to be asking for trouble.
Yeah, we hear statistics on the number of motorcycle injuries being better (lesser) in California but the wing-mirror and dented fender industry has to be booming.
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
Well, I've already laid mine down due to a stupid mistake on my part and got my first ER bill (wasn't seriously hurt, basically just a bruised knee) and I still think motorcycles are cool, so...
It has nothing to do with special powers, it has to do with us being on a smaller vehicle that allows us to fit in certain areas. A 4x4 truck has the ability to go off road in places a car cannot go. Is it a special power that lets them go off road and use, say, a shortcut through an unpaved road to get somewhere before you do taking the highway? No, it's just that their vehicle is designed in such a way that allows them to take an alternate path from you. I understand that it's not an exact comparison since such an alternate route would take them away from other vehicles but if we're simply talking about the abilities of a vehicle then it's similar.
I have pulled up to red lights many times, sitting in front of cars with their windows down and have never had anyone say anything about me getting up in front of them. For the most part everyone seems to understand that it's just something motorcyclist can do and it doesn't affect them one way or the other in the end.
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
Except that this is your experience only. As I mentioned (as did Locutus) previously, having a loud motorcycle roaring by while traffic has slowed is disconcerting, at best to drivers who are in the lane and advancing with traffic and startling and distracting at worst.
Not every motorcycle driver is as responsible or careful as you allege you are, Flux. And therein lies the problem with why lane-splitting is such a bad idea.
And again Flux shifts the goal post, there is no special ability involved, though. It's nothing unique to motorcycles one can try to shove a vehicle between two others of any type. Police, ambulances, and fire trucks have to do it every day. They need to get through; there is no compelling reason for some average Joe dunderhead to be part of the parade between lanes. Also, none of that has anything to do with the initial post claiming that the first video showed how to do this prudently and he follows suit. That was taken apart and Flux has vainly tried to escape. Later adding a video of three idiots, one of whom thought bragging about traffic violations made something to add credential to any idea of personal expertise is simply a display of cognitive dissonance. Trekker's right, he's putting a third vehicle into an area built for two lanes of vehicles without regard for the safety of anyone else. The comparison to off roading is a complete non-sequitur as it has nothing to do with driving in traffic.
Not every automobile driver is as safe as I am either. There are people who speed, don't use turn signals, run red lights, etc. just as there are people who lane-split incorrectly. So, because someone who does the same thing as I happens to do it incorrectly and in an unsafe manner, I should stop too? In that case I'll sell my bike and my car and walk 22 miles to work...that is, unless there are people who walk unsafely too. In that case I'm just screwed.
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
Point: Missed.
Are you surprised?
Just because they haven't said anything doesn't mean they aren't thinking something like 'there goes another reckless motorcycle rider cutting in."
No, because the practice itself is unsafe and results in a relatively high number of collisions between riders and cars and vice versa, all motorcycle riders should give it up, with the exception (IMO) of possibly moving through traffic that is at a standstill on the freeway/intersection or traffic that is very slow stop & go, or riding with the flow of traffic (without passing anyone) but in the gap between lanes to prevent rear-end collisions.
Have you reconsidered your stance on this at all from all the negative responses to your question? Or at least reconsidered how you do it?
Depends on the vehicles size and weight...
And especially the width of the handlebars...
a couple of my uncles and cousins have been riding for years and when i asked them about lane-splitting, since it's sorta legal here in Holland, they all told me it was discouraged by their respective driving instructors...
Never saw it in practice either...
I've seen people lane-split in New Jersey and all I can say is, you either gotta be crazy or have a death wish to do that here. People here love to change lanes without signaling, gun it for whatever openings they can get, and even drive on the shoulder to get ahead of traffic. In a mass of cars, the one thing nobody's gonna see is a motorcycle barreling up between them.
Of course, I don't see a lot of motorcycles here to begin with, even though I live down the street from an absurdly large motorcycle mall.
Of course, I don't see a lot of motorcycles here to begin with, even though I live down the street from an absurdly large motorcycle mall.
That strange sense of entitlement is what I really don't get. "I have a smaller vehicle, I must be allowed to do what others aren't allowed to do." No.
That's why I always draft beneath trucks when I'm commuting. I'm easing traffic congestion for other drivers, and the fuel savings are magnificent. Just doing my part to help the environment and other motorists.
Of course, bikers sometimes try to squeeze between me and the truck, and this happens:
I thought motorbikes always went that fast anyway
That's why I always draft beneath trucks when I'm commuting. I'm easing traffic congestion for other drivers, and the fuel savings are magnificent. Just doing my part to help the environment and other motorists.
Awesome, I was going to watch that one tonight!
