Woo Hoo! I'm exceptional! :sombrero: I commute every day on bike and never, not even once, filter at the lights. I think it is rude. OTOH, I lane split. On my commute if I do not lane split up to about 30 mph, cars think they are in my way and keep moving over. Yes, I see cars almost every day half in the breakdown lane when I'm just sitting back there, waiting for a safe opportunity.
Lane splitting in AZ
- Thread starter goodtimes
- Start date
Woo Hoo! I'm exceptional! :sombrero: I commute every day on bike and never, not even once, filter at the lights. I think it is rude. OTOH, I lane split. On my commute if I do not lane split up to about 30 mph, cars think they are in my way and keep moving over. Yes, I see cars almost every day half in the breakdown lane when I'm just sitting back there, waiting for a safe opportunity.
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
I know if I didn't have to sit at a light for 5 or 6 cycles, sucking the smoke that is pouring out of the tailpipe on the car in front of me, I wouldn't feel the urge to get the heck around that guy before he stops (I'd just do it at the light -- when traffic around me is stopped, and it is safer to do).
Sucking exhaust on a hot summer day while trying to get across 22nd st just, well, sucks.
I hate driving in SoCal, but riding a motorcycle isn't so bad. Still not as good as having wide open freeways, but better than sitting in traffic.
07 Elephant
Adventurer
As a kid driving in Texas I remember every third truck giving me the wave. And even younger years I remember my Dad getting a wave and waving back. I asked if he knew them. He said no folks are just friendly. Then as with some other states. Folks from not here started moving here and brining their evil ways with them. If you're not from Texas but you're here Texas loves you anyways. But for now...we're full thanks. Stay where you are and try to make it better rather than leaving to come here.
MarcFJ60
Adventurer
I've never heard a definitive answer as to why lane splitting was legalized in CA. In a traffic school class I took back in the day the instructor said it was to prevent the motorcyclist from having to breathe in the exhaust. I'm not sure I buy that answer as the cars are breathing the same air.
But I do see merit in getting motorcyclists out of stop and go traffic as quickly as possible. Mainly because people are constantly getting rear ended in stop and go traffic. What is typically a fender bender for a car can be fatal for a motorcyclist. Waiting at a stoplight without a car stopped behind me is one of my biggest fears while riding. Been rear ended a couple times in a car where the driver was probably going 10-20 mph and it did minimal damage to the cars. Had I been on my bike - likely a different story.
I guess after the year trial run in AZ they can decide whether to make the law permanent.
But I do see merit in getting motorcyclists out of stop and go traffic as quickly as possible. Mainly because people are constantly getting rear ended in stop and go traffic. What is typically a fender bender for a car can be fatal for a motorcyclist. Waiting at a stoplight without a car stopped behind me is one of my biggest fears while riding. Been rear ended a couple times in a car where the driver was probably going 10-20 mph and it did minimal damage to the cars. Had I been on my bike - likely a different story.
I guess after the year trial run in AZ they can decide whether to make the law permanent.
That's funny. I was watching the snowy weather on the east coast and thinking, "I'll never own a snow shovel again and would never live anyplace it's considered to be necessary."
To each his own. :bike_rider:
No doubt that the lane splitting would allow for several benefits and advantages. I pull out from lights similar to you.
The tough part I see in saying to the general public that lane splitting is legal is that it could be a free for all.
The other concern is that although it may be legal it introduces one more close proximity interaction between motos and cages. As unpredictable as cages can be (even when I drive one!) there is no guarantee that joe-bob or whoever may not know or understand the law and get aggressive as they see a moto cutting in line.
I like the shoulder idea more than going between two cages.
Brian
The tough part I see in saying to the general public that lane splitting is legal is that it could be a free for all.
The other concern is that although it may be legal it introduces one more close proximity interaction between motos and cages. As unpredictable as cages can be (even when I drive one!) there is no guarantee that joe-bob or whoever may not know or understand the law and get aggressive as they see a moto cutting in line.
I like the shoulder idea more than going between two cages.
Brian
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
I'm all for it!
Having lived and ridden in Asia, UK and South America where lane splitting is the norm and traffic sucks it does decrease your travel time considerably. The biggest thing is "When traffic is stopped"! It is safe to filter then if they are not moving they cannot get you.
In the UK I found the other road users very considerate of bikes splitting lanes. Especially my ugly bedliner black GS with Jesse bags and 2 PIAA foglights.
My greatest concern here will be the lack of knowledge and consideration from the car/truck drivers.
Also one of my pet peeves in London was the bloody scooters. They crawl all around you at the lights then do not have any power to get out of the way when the lights change.
Mind you this law could easily change when a heap of people complain about the loud (Harley) motorcycles between the lanes.
Having lived and ridden in Asia, UK and South America where lane splitting is the norm and traffic sucks it does decrease your travel time considerably. The biggest thing is "When traffic is stopped"! It is safe to filter then if they are not moving they cannot get you.
In the UK I found the other road users very considerate of bikes splitting lanes. Especially my ugly bedliner black GS with Jesse bags and 2 PIAA foglights.
My greatest concern here will be the lack of knowledge and consideration from the car/truck drivers.
Also one of my pet peeves in London was the bloody scooters. They crawl all around you at the lights then do not have any power to get out of the way when the lights change.
Mind you this law could easily change when a heap of people complain about the loud (Harley) motorcycles between the lanes.
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FurthurOnTheFly
Glamping Society
I was talking to one of my patients about this the other day. He is a lifelong moto rider and grew up in California so he's had his fair share of lane splitting. He had all sorts of fun stories of motorists pulling to the side of the lane and blocking it to keep you from going through, people opening car doors as you drove by, and generally getting really angry. He didn't think it was such a great idea to introduce something like that here.
I too am concerned about the lack of knowledge of general motorists in the Phoenix area and this alone will probably keep me from doing it. But I say if there are others out there crazy enough to try it then feel free. I'm generally not in that big of a hurry, but I'll see how that goes when I'm commuting in the summer here. :sombrero:
What is the law here regarding other motorcyclists passing you within a lane? I had a guy do this to me today because I was apparently not going over the speed limit enough for him. When he passed I noticed he had a Cali plate so I thought maybe that was legal there too.... if its legal here thats fine, but it sure seems dangerous. Josh and I were riding staggered in the lane and this guy just went zipping in between us weaving around but staying within our lane. No helmet of course, but thats another conversation.
eepwall:
I too am concerned about the lack of knowledge of general motorists in the Phoenix area and this alone will probably keep me from doing it. But I say if there are others out there crazy enough to try it then feel free. I'm generally not in that big of a hurry, but I'll see how that goes when I'm commuting in the summer here. :sombrero:
What is the law here regarding other motorcyclists passing you within a lane? I had a guy do this to me today because I was apparently not going over the speed limit enough for him. When he passed I noticed he had a Cali plate so I thought maybe that was legal there too.... if its legal here thats fine, but it sure seems dangerous. Josh and I were riding staggered in the lane and this guy just went zipping in between us weaving around but staying within our lane. No helmet of course, but thats another conversation.
eepwall:CA has no law preventing 2 cars from riding side by side in a lane, so lane sharing and passing within a lane are legal.
If the law passes and you plan to try it, spend some time on the Bay Area Riders Forum. There is a lot of good info (mixed with the normal BS) about how to ride safely when lane splitting.
30k miles of commuting and I've never had a vehicle clearly try to block me. Acceptance of lane splitting varies with location. Other highways in the SF area sound like they do have people who try to block.
If the law passes and you plan to try it, spend some time on the Bay Area Riders Forum. There is a lot of good info (mixed with the normal BS) about how to ride safely when lane splitting.
30k miles of commuting and I've never had a vehicle clearly try to block me. Acceptance of lane splitting varies with location. Other highways in the SF area sound like they do have people who try to block.
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
This is really the biggest risk out there IMO (other than being stupid -- IE: Trying to lane split at 80mph down the freeway). Americans in general get real pissy when someone gets to do something that *they* don't (like get through a traffic jam quicker). They take it as a personal assault on their very existence, and road rage ensues.
I'm sure that AZ will have its share of growing pains with regards to lane sharing. Eventually people will grow accustomed to it, and many will come to accept that, in the end, it makes the traffic system more efficient for everyone.
Hopefully the pilot study (the subject of the first post in this thread) goes well, and it is adopted for the entire state.
robert
Expedition Leader
Not legal here either.
While I don't have a problem with it, I'd probably never do it except to get to the front of the line at a light. The Givi bags stay on the Strom most of the time so it's a moot point with it. I just don't trust other drivers enough to do it on the road and as mentioned, US drivers have a thing about being passed no matter how fast or slow they're going.
While I don't have a problem with it, I'd probably never do it except to get to the front of the line at a light. The Givi bags stay on the Strom most of the time so it's a moot point with it. I just don't trust other drivers enough to do it on the road and as mentioned, US drivers have a thing about being passed no matter how fast or slow they're going.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
A regular lane splitter in my evening commute has adventure gear type boxes on his bike, and another on a Harley has the small Electra-Glide style hard panniers on his.
Lane splitters are more than welcome to the part of the lane that I am not using, but I'm not going to move for them when I'm offset in the lane so that I can see further then the bumper in front of me. In other words, I'm not going to put myself at risk for their convenience.
Lane splitters are more than welcome to the part of the lane that I am not using, but I'm not going to move for them when I'm offset in the lane so that I can see further then the bumper in front of me. In other words, I'm not going to put myself at risk for their convenience.
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
I don't think drivers should be expected to put themselves at risk to accommodate people who are lane sharing.
But I think they *should* be expected to pay attention to what is going on around them, and look out for motorcycles before they change lanes, open their door, spit out the window, etc.
