Thoughts on "lane splitting"

[cobravenom452]

I have been doing some research and found that most of the world allows lane splitting for motorcyclist. It has been proven to be a safe economical way for motorcyclist to get around, plus takes the chance of being rear-ended out of the equation. The only problem is that in America it is only legal in California. So what is to stop the other 49 states to pass legislation to allow this? So if I were to call my congressman and see about passing such a law, will you do the same? Any thoughts on this topic?

[Scruit]

I'd only do it at traffic jam speeds. I also like the UK approach to allow motorcyclists to skip a line of traffic and get front row at red lights. There's two lines at a red light - one for bikes at the light, one of cars about 10' back. Bikes can lane-split and wait in this space so they get ahead quickly.

[mgbgt89]

People get PISSED when you do it in akron.

DAMHIK...

It without a doubt saved my life on RT8 one day. I was in the fast lane following a woman in a corolla, and had a blazer up my ass. She turned her right signal on, and a tanker truck was blocking the middle lane. She realized she was going to miss her exit 3 lanes over, slammed on the brakes, and without even thinking i pinned it and ducked between her and the tanker truck. I glanced in my mirror as i was between them and saw smoke rolling off the front tires of the blazer. I continued on down the road, I'm not sure if he hit her or not, but there for sure wasn't room for me in between.

I don't give a shit if it's illegal or not, In traffic i'm always prepared to split at any time.

[QuikAccord]

Sadly Americans are assholes. You'll have a guy in a cage decide to cross the line to cut you off from passing him because he thinks "it's not fair you get to cut in line".

[Bad324]

i rarely would do it because people cant drive nor pay attention when you're actually in a lane let alone BETWEEN lanes

[Kmanlyst]

I have read forum after forum on this subject, personally I would like to see other states pick this up and pass it. I think the safest place for us is up at the light less likely to be rear ended, and its not like we would slow traffic most of us are pulled away by the time the cars start to roll. I have done it a few times last season to keep moving because it was so damn hot and the engine didn't help that.

[JohnG]

I did it when I lived in California but never felt comfortable unless it was rush hour and traffic was moving slow. Doubt you could do it here because people just don't look for motorcycles like they do in states where you can ride year round. Plus, Ohio drivers suck and it gets worse every day.

[Helmutt]

I ride defensively most anytime I ride in traffic -- There's no limit to the stupidity of Ohio drivers. Lane splitting in this state will most likely earn you an ambulance ride to the local hospital, but I've done it a time or two when situations call for it. Basically, if you don't get caught doing it.....then it never happened

[8Rider6]

Sadly Americans are assholes. You'll have a guy in a cage decide to cross the line to cut you off from passing him because he thinks "it's not fair you get to cut in line".

This... It's like people get pissed you're using a vehicle that's small enough to fit places theirs can't and they get mad about it... Stupid. I'd be all for lane splitting, but I don't think I'd do it except around the city under 25mph, and I believe in Cal. and maybe around the world it's supposedly only legal to do under 25mph (this would exclude emergency situations like described above, however).

[magley64]

I do it, I'm not afraid of it. If it were legal I'd do it more often.

[RVTPilot]

People get PISSED when you do it in akron.

DAMHIK...

It without a doubt saved my life on RT8 one day. I was in the fast lane following a woman in a corolla, and had a blazer up my ass. She turned her right signal on, and a tanker truck was blocking the middle lane. She realized she was going to miss her exit 3 lanes over, slammed on the brakes, and without even thinking i pinned it and ducked between her and the tanker truck. I glanced in my mirror as i was between them and saw smoke rolling off the front tires of the blazer. I continued on down the road, I'm not sure if he hit her or not, but there for sure wasn't room for me in between.

I don't give a shit if it's illegal or not, In traffic i'm always prepared to split at any time.

People get pissed most places you do it in Ohio, because it is illegal and they aren't expecting you to be there. I get pissed when guys do it here not because I don't think they should be able to, because until it's legal it's like anything else you do illegal on a bike. It perpetuates a negative perception of bikers that cagers unfamiliar with riding (which would be most of them) that just makes thing that much worse.

That said, I wouldn't be against it being legal here, I just wouldn't trust folks in a cage. It's not been legal so long even when it would become legal it would take who knows how many busted up bikers before folks begin to be considerate of the changes in law. I do like the idea of being able to migrate to the front of traffic at a light, or to split sitting at the light. I have had more than a couple friends ass packed sitting at a light a couple cars deep from the light and were seriously fucked up. There would be a modicum of protection sitting between vehicles more likely to be seen by some. And the ability to get away from a light ahead of cagers would be a definite advantage.

[jschaf]

I do it when traffic slows to 15mph or less. I never have to worry about drivers looking out for me because I look out for them.

[TRMN8TR]

Wish it were the law. I sat in a traffic jam on a freeway in South Carolina for over an hour. My exit was like 3 miles away, would've been great to zip on through and get where I was going.

[Scruit]

I'll use the bike's size to get through gaps that my car won't fit, but don't lane split. The worst I ever did was ride the fog line at 5mph for 100 yards to reach my turnoff when traffic was backed-up because of a problem a mile ahead.

I'm all for anything that promotes and encourages motorcycle ridership - the more bikes out there, the more cagers will (hopefully) expect / see us.

Oh, and did you see the bridge I just bought?

Edited April 8, 2013 by Scruit

[sporttour]

Back in the 80's, Ohio was on the verge of promoting traffic filtering - allowing motorcycles to move to the front of the line at traffic lights. I remember doing this multiple times while being watched with approval from OSHP. The State seems to no longer condone this. Traffic filtering makes sense as it relieves congestion and allows for increased traffic flow. There are minimal safety issues as filtering is only to occur when traffic is stopped.

[Tonik]

"The only problem is that in America it is only legal in California."

Technically it is not legal in California. You will find no law in CA that says you can lane split. All you will find is a Chief of the State Police who years ago said his officers would no longer write any tickets regarding lane splitting. Shortly afterwards all the local po po's said/did the same.

Technically there is no law in Ohio that says you cannot lane split. What you will get is a reckless or improper lane usage ticket and judges of course back the cops on that.

Remember, we live in a country that basically says everything is legal unless there is a law against it.

A moot point I guess since the cops write you here for lane usage and the judges make it stick but I felt compelled to point it out anyway.

[cobravenom452]

What I was referring to was just filtering like stated above, something like 25 mph or less.

[Scruit]

If you do it then it's up to you to make it work. Assume people will hate it and block you. Don't be surprised when people suddenly start to find excuses to open their doors in stop&go traffic.

Of course you'd take the blame in pretty much any collision. And get tickets.

If it was legalized then people would expect it and it would be safer.

A companion law would make a driver presumptively liable for any collision between his door and a splitting motorcycle. Also drivers should be required to leave space for splitting down the white line in traffic jams.

[myhondas]

People get pissed most places you do it in Ohio, because it is illegal and they aren't expecting you to be there. I get pissed when guys do it here not because I don't think they should be able to, because until it's legal it's like anything else you do illegal on a bike. It perpetuates a negative perception of bikers that cagers unfamiliar with riding (which would be most of them) that just makes thing that much worse.

That said, I wouldn't be against it being legal here, I just wouldn't trust folks in a cage. It's not been legal so long even when it would become legal it would take who knows how many busted up bikers before folks begin to be considerate of the changes in law. I do like the idea of being able to migrate to the front of traffic at a light, or to split sitting at the light. I have had more than a couple friends ass packed sitting at a light a couple cars deep from the light and were seriously fucked up. There would be a modicum of protection sitting between vehicles more likely to be seen by some. And the ability to get away from a light ahead of cagers would be a definite advantage.

I'm just chiming in here because of your first sentence which is not correct at all. Please show me where the ORC addresses it and states that is is prohibited. In fact, it is NOT directely addressed in the ORC....which doesn't make it legal or illegal. If you do it and have an incident, it will be up the the LEO and/or the court to decide.

[cobravenom452]

Of course, if you read the OP it stated possibly writing a letter to our congressman. To possibly see off e could get a law passed.

[HeavyDuty]

Doing it at any other time then in a traffic jam (stopped traffic) is nature’s way of weeding out the stupid

It without a doubt saved my life on RT8 one day. I was in the fast lane following a woman in a corolla, and had a blazer up my ass. She turned her right signal on, and a tanker truck was blocking the middle lane. She realized she was going to miss her exit 3 lanes over, slammed on the brakes, and without even thinking i pinned it and ducked between her and the tanker truck. I glanced in my mirror as i was between them and saw smoke rolling off the front tires of the blazer. I continued on down the road, I'm not sure if he hit her or not, but there for sure wasn't room for me in between.

That is defensive driving not lane splitting Nice Move

Edited April 8, 2013 by HeavyDuty

[cobravenom452]

I just finished writing my congressman about the possibility of passing a law allowing lane splitting. The reason I brought this up was the increased number of people I have talked to that have either been rear ended on a motorcycle or have known someone who was rear ended by a motorcycle. A sad fact is that some of these people didn't live through the accident. I always stare at my mirrors after stopping at an off-ramp wondering if the 2-3 ton vehicle coming up behind me is paying attention, and not texting or messing with their radio. If we could get lane splitting to be legalized in Ohio I believe that these fatalities could be avoided. I'm not saying that we should fly by other cars at a high rate of speed. I'm talking about having the ability to filter to the front of at light where traffic is 25 MPH or slower.

[HeavyDuty]

Never stop directly behind anything always stay to the right or left of it and watch your mirrors and if needed move up next to the vehicle in front of you. Always leave yourself a way out. You will never get a ticket for that. Even in California if you hit another vehicle while lane splitting you will get sited. Bikes are small and disappear in to blind spots easily.

[NinjaNick]

Oh, you guys who joined after 2008 you missed big online drama between here and assfault junkies. They posted a video of high speed lane splitting between semis, cars, and sometimes while on one wheel. Then got arrested at the end of video. It was epic! Cause huge fights online too.

Maybe someone will post that nostalgic video.

[cobravenom452]

Never stop directly behind anything always stay to the right or left of it and watch your mirrors and if needed move up next to the vehicle in front of you. Always leave yourself a way out.

I'm not talking about the lack of defensive riding. But accidents do happen everyday. Yes, cover your brakes (both brakes), clutch, and watch your mirrors. Be defensive, but you don't seem to understand the benefits over the risk. If you want to eliminate all risk then go drive something with 4 wheels.

Here is some research done about lane splitting that shows that lane splitting is actually safer than going with the flow off traffic.

ISSUE STATEMENT

Motorcyclists, who have significant room to maneuver while riding within a traffic lane, can use this margin to position themselves for maximum visibility to other motorists while maintaining safety and control of the traffic situation.

WHERE WE ARE

The relatively narrow width of a motorcycle on the road allows its rider to employ many strategies not available to drivers of other vehicles.

• Motorcyclists can choose their position within their lane to avoid road surface hazards, other vehicles, pedestrians or other mobile hazards, intrusions, or potential intrusions into their right-of-way.

• Motorcyclists may seek positions where they are in view of other drivers and pedestrians.

• Motorcyclists may select a position that maximizes their view of the road and traffic ahead.

All states permit motorcycles to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes with a single rider on the motorcycle. Limited studies evaluating this practice have shown no traffic or safety problems (Jernigan, 1995).

A motorcycle’s narrow width can allow it to pass between lanes of stopped or slow-moving cars on roadways where the lanes are wide enough to offer an adequate gap. This option can provide an escape route for motorcyclists who would otherwise be trapped or struck from behind. There is evidence (Hurt, 1981) that traveling between lanes of stopped or slow-moving cars (i.e., lane splitting) on multiple-lane roads (such as interstate highways) slightly reduces crash frequency compared with staying within the lane and moving with other traffic.

SOURCE:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/00-nht-212-motorcycle/motorcycle51.html