Starting An Ohio Petition To Legalize Lane-splitting - Need Your Help!

[jbot]

no way, is that how voting works? tell me more.

[Medina]

GoldWing forums? Well, there you have it. Those guys are more uptight than Ducati owners. I say "owners", because we all know people don't actually ride those expensive shitboxes on the road. They're far too problematic to be trusted outside of the neighborhood bike night.

As far as Wingers are concerned....don't be jelly because your bike is as wide as a Freightliner. Filtering, at a safe, courteous speed, keeps me out of danger far more than just rolling with traffic, waiting for someone to shoot over and run me down.

aw, you went all emo and shit.  The year you were born, I had my first brand new off the floor KZ400

[magley64]

aw, you went all emo and shit.  The year you were born, I had my first brand new off the floor KZ400

My favorite... the "I'm older so I must be right" argument...

 

Please regail us with more tales of how so very long ago your parents copulated....

Edited August 7, 2013 by magley64

[DerekClouser]

My 'no' vote will cancel someone's yes vote.

 

And you've contributed zero to this discussion. Maybe a reason why would be more productive.

[John]

 

links showing that 30% would be swell, links showing me the rest of the world? (I couldn't find it)

 

 

 

 

it's from the US DOT FARS database. http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx

 

For MC:

 

California: 6.0 rear-end fatalities/billion miles ridden on the highway

Florida: 9.0 rear-end fatalities/billion miles ridden on the highway

Texas: 9.4 rear-end fatalities/billion miles ridden on the highway

 

compare that to percent of fatalities resulting from vehicles rear ending passenger cars

 

California: 11.0%

Florida: 9.7%

Texas: 11.6%

 

and fatalities for FRONT impacts:

 

California: 49.4 fatalities/billion miles ridden

Florida: 48.7 fatalities/billion miles ridden

Texas: 51.5 fatalities/billion miles ridden

 

so california drivers are rear ending cars and killing occupants at similar levels to other states... but are not rear ending motorcyclists nearly as much.

 

riders are fatally crashing into things in front of them at similar levels to other states, but they are not getting rear ended at similar levels. 

 

are riders in cali more visible than other states? are the roads safer? it raises lots of questions. this could suggest that lane sharing has a POSITIVE impact on preventing rear end fatalities, but not really a measurable effect on TOTAL fatalities. 

 

edit: not hurt report... US DOT FARS. my bad yo.

Edited August 7, 2013 by John

[HeavyDuty]

When you need to Just Do It been doing it for 40 years never been hassled about it. Just don't be a dumb ASS

[ohiomike]

And you've contributed zero to this discussion. Maybe a reason why would be more productive.

This discussion is nothing more than a repeat of earlier discussions over the same thing...lane splitting.  Should we or shouldn't we.

 

We have plenty of laws now that are not being enforced.  We do not need another such law.  We have enough to deal with on the road considering the numbers of 4 wheelers out there already disregarding bikes on the road.  Adding to that allowing bikes to split lanes only increases the already bad odds of being involved in some sort of interaction with one of those 4 wheelers.  Sitting in traffic waiting is just part of driving whether in a 2 or 4 wheeled vehicle.  No one likes it, but with the increased volume of vehicles on the roads its a way of life.  With that additional volume comes an additional need to be more careful on a bike rather than less so.  I believe its not necessary and is thus a waste of time and money to even go through the motions to try and bring about that kind of change.

[Blitz]

No it is not specifically illegal. They get you on improper lane usage....stuff like that. In California it is not specifically legal either. It all started years ago when the chief of CHP said publicly that there was nothing wrong with it and his officers would no longer hassle people for it.

It was a law that was previously ignored in California, but they recently legalized it citing studies of traffic and rider safety.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/california-scraps-anti-lane-splitting-law/

[Blitz]

are you under 20?  The reason I'm asking is cause it sounds like you want facts to fit your wants. 

 

you guys slay me with the whole "its safer to filter" mentality. 

 

How is it safer? How does decreasing your distance between cagers who dont see you in the first place increase your safety?

How does increasing your speed compared to those same blind cagers increase safety?

I dont get your logic, you said Think about the idiots on phones, texting, fiddling with the radio, cleaning up the debris from their lunch and wiping the kid's mouth, so you want to decrease your distance and reaction times?

All I am asking for is definitive proof, not a gut feeling. Haven't seen it- What I have seen is an emotional increase in this topic. 

I see lots of references about Cali, show me some stats from the Mecca of filtering and I'll believe 

 

Read the OP.  4 accidents out of 921 total when rider involved in lane splitting.  26 when rider was stopped and hit from behind.  And those stats are from Europe.....the Mecca of filtering.

[magley64]

We have enough to deal with on the road considering the numbers of 4 wheelers out there already disregarding bikes on the road. Adding to that allowing bikes to split lanes only increases the already bad odds of being involved in some sort of interaction with one of those 4 wheelers.

I don't understand your objection, or the objection of others who are opposed, unless your concern is that you will be struck by a motorcycle engaged in this activity...

If it is allowed, and you choose not to (either in specific scenarios or on the whole) there will be absolutely no change for you. You continue to ride exactly as you do now, except on some slightly more frequent occasion you will see a motorcycle pass by you between lanes.

Currently it is not allowed, and those of us who do/ want to either cannot or if we choose to anyway, run the risk of unneeded citations.

Edited August 7, 2013 by magley64

[Cdubyah]

I understand the need/want to filter through traffic. However, living in Ohio with all the other mouth breathers it worries me.

When the seasons change in Ohio people drive like shit. Rain, snow, fucking leaves. ERMERGERD!!!!

I think the concept is golden. Becuase I don't want to get crushed between cars. But when you start zipping between cars, inevitably some dickhole will try to cut you off. We live in Ohio, home of the asshole.

 

I'm torn on this topic. I don't ever run into highway traffic that crawls. Granted I work 2nd shift, so I don't see alot of traffic. The other problem I see is that you would have is Captain Awesome riding beewteen traffic @80mph giving zero fucks about what he is doing. That gives us all a bad name, and would get the law reversed because it scared an 80y/o white female enough her false teeth came out.

 

Just my $.02

[DerekClouser]

I understand the need/want to filter through traffic. However, living in Ohio with all the other mouth breathers it worries me.

When the seasons change in Ohio people drive like shit. Rain, snow, fucking leaves. ERMERGERD!!!!

I think the concept is golden. Becuase I don't want to get crushed between cars. But when you start zipping between cars, inevitably some dickhole will try to cut you off. We live in Ohio, home of the asshole.

 

I'm torn on this topic. I don't ever run into highway traffic that crawls. Granted I work 2nd shift, so I don't see alot of traffic. The other problem I see is that you would have is Captain Awesome riding beewteen traffic @80mph giving zero fucks about what he is doing. That gives us all a bad name, and would get the law reversed because it scared an 80y/o white female enough her false teeth came out.

 

Just my $.02

 

Then the law needs to have restrictions on speed when filtering. I believe California is 10mph faster than speed of traffic. So if traffic is stopped or barely moving then 10-15 mph is the speed of filtering. If someone is screaming at 80mph through stopped traffic, then they'd be breaking the law and should be stopped accordingly.  If you are filtering to the front at a light, then using safe speeds to do so would be a requirement as well.

 

Initially, sure, drivers would have to get used to it, but just as in Europe, people start to pay attention because they are used to the fact that bikes travel the space between the lanes. 

 

And to repeat, as magley has been saying, if the law passes, and you don't feel safe doing it, then don't. Just because the law allows you to, doesn't require you to do so.

[Tigerpaw]

Who's been  ticketed/fined for splitting?

[jschaf]

I've seen LEOs that looked like they might want to write me a ticket for filtering before. They really just didn't know how to go about it with all the traffic.

[Cdubyah]

And to repeat, as magley has been saying, if the law passes, and you don't feel safe doing it, then don't. Just because the law allows you to, doesn't require you to do so.

 

For the record. I am neither for nor against lane splitting. I see pros and cons of both sides.

I'm still trying to form an educated opinion on the matter in Ohio

[HeavyDuty]

I believe if a law was to pass here in Ohio you would see a major increase in motorcycle accidents and fatalities for the first few years until the driving public gets use to lane splitting and learns to look for it.  Lane splitting at anything over 15 miles is just asking for trouble

[Moto-Brian]

Where did grandpa go? Probably got stuck at the Walmart greeting someone and remembering his good ol days with his KZ!!

It's been entertaining reading his funny posts.

[jdonn]

Anyone play the iOS game "Lane Splitter"?! Always gets me ready for a nice ride down Broad Street in the mornings...

[DerekClouser]

I believe if a law was to pass here in Ohio you would see a major increase in motorcycle accidents and fatalities for the first few years until the driving public gets use to lane splitting and learns to look for it.  Lane splitting at anything over 15 miles is just asking for trouble

 

CA statistics would dispute this. - Again it is up to the rider to make sure they do it safely.

Edited August 8, 2013 by DerekClouser

[Scruit]

I believe if a law was to pass here in Ohio you would see a major increase in motorcycle accidents and fatalities for the first few years until the driving public gets use to lane splitting and learns to look for it.  Lane splitting at anything over 15 miles is just asking for trouble

 

And when CCW passed there was going to be blood in the streets...

 

A new law would need a public education component.  Possibly put up signs that say "Motorcycles allowed between lanes below 20mph"

 

We cannot argue against new laws on the basis that some drivers are bad.  That's also an argument against riding a motorbike in the first place.

[HeavyDuty]

And when CCW passed there was going to be blood in the streets...

 

A new law would need a public education component.  Possibly put up signs that say "Motorcycles allowed between lanes below 20mph"

 

We cannot argue against new laws on the basis that some drivers are bad.  That's also an argument against riding a motorbike in the first place.

 

 

 

And when CCW passed there was going to be blood in the streets... Not even close to the same thing

 

 

I take it you think I’m wrong in my thinking  Look at the number of bike accidents the first month of the riding season verses the rest of the year Hell look at the number of riders on this site that wreck the fist month of riding compared to now, How many times a year do you get cut off when you have the whole lane to yourself because drivers don’t look before they change lanes I ride 480 to work every day and it happens to me at least twice a day now add in inexperienced riders thinking they can split at freeway speeds How many times have you been cut off by a driver when you are merging in to traffic just because they don’t want you in front of them. I do not have a problem with lane splitting I do it when I need to.  In California lane splitting evolved over many years to where it is today. There is always a learning curve and the dumb ones will be weeded out quickly. You do know it is illegal to ride side by side but how many times have you heard about anyone being stopped for that.  Same thing with lane splitting pretty much the only time you will be cited for it is if you cause a problem or some ass causes one for you.

Edited August 8, 2013 by HeavyDuty

[magley64]

 

 You do know it is illegal to ride side by side but how many times have you heard about anyone being stopped for that.

Actually No... it isn't

 

(B) Persons riding bicycles or motorcycles upon a roadway shall ride not more than two abreast in a single lane, except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or motorcycles.

 

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.55

 

 

 

 

 

How many times have you been cut off by a driver when you are merging in to traffic just because they don’t want you in front of them.

 

On the motorcycle? None.. I merge with traffic, i don't expect traffic to yield to me... but then I ride a motorcycle that is significantly faster than most cars on the road...

So even if they wanted to cut me off, they don't have the acceleration to do so.

Edited August 8, 2013 by magley64

[John]

the thing i dont really understand is how everyone seems to think we are going to get crushed by cars changing lanes...  you'd only really be splitting when traffic is at a dead stop or a crawl, and in scenarios like that, people are not going to be just randomly changing lanes, because there is no where for them to go. there isnt room for them to just whip over into another lane. 

 

if you do get up to a wide open space, you dont stay on the white line, you take the lane, and your chance of someone coming over is just the same as it is righ tnow. 

 

people seem to think that lane splitting means going 75 between cars going 65. thats not it at all, thats just riding like an idiot.

 

you arent going to be lane splitting (legally) at speeds over maybe 25 mph, and you arent going to be going more than 5-10 mph over the speed of the traffic.

 

so if traffic is at a dead stop, you are going to be going 10mph max. this is slow enough to give you ample time to react. you will see someone changing lanes well ahead of time. if there's a wide open spot, then you just proceed carefully... its not that hard. once traffic starts moving about 25-35mph, you dont split any more you just hop in line.

 

 

just look at how many cars are herky jerky switching lanes in stand still traffic.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXsLaSMFJSg

Edited August 8, 2013 by John

[Moto-Brian]

And when CCW passed there was going to be blood in the streets...

 

A new law would need a public education component.  Possibly put up signs that say "Motorcycles allowed between lanes below 20mph"

 

We cannot argue against new laws on the basis that some drivers are bad.  That's also an argument against riding a motorbike in the first place.

 

 

This is a great statement.  Any time there is a new law or a proposed law, those that are comfortable with what goes on now firmly believes that there will be issues with anything new or different.  The fact is that there will be information given to everyone that this is a new law and that the ability to lane split will be allowed and legal for motorcycles...

 

It isn't that hard to understand and I like the post quoted above because that is exactly what I think a lot of guys are thinking...

[20thGix]

Legal or not, if i were stuck in traffic like in the top video of John's post on a bike i would be doing to same thing. Except maybe on the either shoulder instead of between lanes. Seemed to be alot of open doors and people mulling around to have to dodge.