That age old debate: Lane Splitting
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Most places where is is legal you have to stay something under 5 mph over the traffic you are filtering. It is said to be safer when done proper. I would never ride like that guy. I am sure if he keeps it up he will need new legs soon.
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I do this a lot, but never with this much speed difference. I usually try to stick under a difference of 30km/h.
Recommandations are to maintain a difference under 20km/h and a max speed of 50.
To be honnest i do it up to speeds way over and i feel safer doing it with traffic at 70/90 km/h than with traffic between 0 and 20 km/h as car are less prone to lane changing without any check and with a quick move.
When car are stopped on the parisian ring you have a lane 2 meters wide who really make you feel that you're attacking the death star.
In France lane splitting isn't legaly defined but overly used in dense area so car driver generally expect you to do it and could make you feel unsafe if you stay in the line.
The governement is working on a way to make it legal under specific conditions.
Recommandations are to maintain a difference under 20km/h and a max speed of 50.
To be honnest i do it up to speeds way over and i feel safer doing it with traffic at 70/90 km/h than with traffic between 0 and 20 km/h as car are less prone to lane changing without any check and with a quick move.
When car are stopped on the parisian ring you have a lane 2 meters wide who really make you feel that you're attacking the death star.
In France lane splitting isn't legaly defined but overly used in dense area so car driver generally expect you to do it and could make you feel unsafe if you stay in the line.
The governement is working on a way to make it legal under specific conditions.
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965 Posts
Been legal in California since I've been riding and in over 40 years I have gone on the shoulder (not splitting ) once to get around an accident but otherwise have never lane split. I always found it odd that people continually complain about cagers but then they're comfortable enough to drive between two at speed.
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Filtering fast is more luck than judgement. I only do it SLOWLY if the traffic is moving slowly or stationary and always give myself time to react to a car suddenly changing lanes or pulling into my path. If you go slower it gives the drivers more of a chance to see you and usually most do move over, only the odd ones seem to have an issue with bikes passing them - but you can usually avoid those 
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Here's a surprising fact... Until VERY recently, there has never been a law enacted in California making lane-splitting LEGAL. It's just that the police have allowed it over the years, and it became an institution.
This past May, that all changed, as a formal law was enacted...
Motorcycle lane-splitting bill passed by California Assembly
This past May, that all changed, as a formal law was enacted...
Motorcycle lane-splitting bill passed by California Assembly
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396 Posts
Actually, the bill was withdrawn: Motorcycle lane-splitting bill is withdrawn
Furthermore, it's not that the "police have allowed" it, so much as it's actually not illegal. Every other state has a law against it, making it illegal in those places. CA does not have such a law, so by definition it's already legal to do. If something isn't illegal, then it's legal. We don't need a law to say it's legal.
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Interesting... I miss the "left" coast, lived there in the 1980's but haven't been back in a while.
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Last year I rented a bike in Barcelona and it was amazing. Filtering to the font at every light, parking anywhere and everywhere, and so much lane splitting the greatest danger is pulling out in front of a lane splitter coming up fast behind you. I can see more traffic accidents in a day in Austin than the entire week I was in Barcelona.
One of the main reasons is they allow up to 150cc, not just 50, without an endorsement and car ownership and maintenance is more expensive in the states, so a lot more people ride. It is wild to pull up to a main intersection and see 10 to 20 bikes filter to the front.
One of the main reasons is they allow up to 150cc, not just 50, without an endorsement and car ownership and maintenance is more expensive in the states, so a lot more people ride. It is wild to pull up to a main intersection and see 10 to 20 bikes filter to the front.
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589 Posts
Filtering is the norm in the UK, and a lot of drivers will move over for you. If it's a big motorway jam, I normally stick my hi beam and hazards on, and keep my eyes peeled. If a faster guys comes up behind you, it's courtesy to move over and let them pass.
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This is the law where I'm at...
I suppose the second half of that is just implying that you have to follow general passing guidelines of any vehicle.
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UK it's legal amazing how many people think it's illegal still, mainly cagers it has to be said lol. On Mway it's expected between lane 2-3 or the two outside if higher number of lanes but rare.
You can in lower lanes but personally it's dicing with your mortality! We still get idiots trying close the gap, but several mirrors have been broken as I've passed over the years , and its fun terrifying the boy racers who try it to impress the girls , ok I can be a lout sometimes! Sorry your honour! :angel9:
You can in lower lanes but personally it's dicing with your mortality! We still get idiots trying close the gap, but several mirrors have been broken as I've passed over the years , and its fun terrifying the boy racers who try it to impress the girls , ok I can be a lout sometimes! Sorry your honour! :angel9:
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27 Posts
Here in California we can split lanes, thank God, with some sensible restrictions. There was an article in the August issue in the informative, funny, weird and sometimes profane free City Bike paper on what not to do when you split lanes. Some riders are starting to put on the hazard lights when splitting lanes in the San Francisco area. Using the hazard lights are prohibited unless used to warn of a hazard, accident, etc. City Bike ended the article with "One more time, with extra emphasis: "urn off your goddammed hazard lights when splitting". They do not mince words. :acne:
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285 Posts
I remember the first time I lane splat, I was seriously freaking out. It was in LA traffic and if I'd stayed behind the cars the whole way I'd have overheated my little air cooled Honda bike. Seriously though, most people who lane split rarely go more than about 15-20 mph over what the current traffic is. Yes you get occasional sport bikes that zoom past you while stopped, but most riders who do are careful about it since they know who'd win between any car-vs-motorcycle problem.
That cars move over in the UK was mentioned previously. Not here in the US (or California at least)! Cagers hate how motorcycles lane split, citing that it's dangerous and reckless and a death wish. I've actually almost been rear-ended by a car however, and had to gun it in between the two vehicles in front of me before this little rice rocket finally stopped right where my bike had been a second earlier.
You betcha I'm gonna stay where I can be safest!
(Funny side note: up until fairly recently, it was also legal/not illegal to open carry an unloaded firearm in much of California without needing a carry permit. Usually bigger cities had ordinances against that but it wasn't illegal statewide until I think just a few years ago. So we have a history of using this whole legal/not illegal thing in our lawbooks.)
That cars move over in the UK was mentioned previously. Not here in the US (or California at least)! Cagers hate how motorcycles lane split, citing that it's dangerous and reckless and a death wish. I've actually almost been rear-ended by a car however, and had to gun it in between the two vehicles in front of me before this little rice rocket finally stopped right where my bike had been a second earlier.
You betcha I'm gonna stay where I can be safest!
(Funny side note: up until fairly recently, it was also legal/not illegal to open carry an unloaded firearm in much of California without needing a carry permit. Usually bigger cities had ordinances against that but it wasn't illegal statewide until I think just a few years ago. So we have a history of using this whole legal/not illegal thing in our lawbooks.)
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She said "splat" - I will have to remember this...
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