Lane splitting in California

[SnoBrdr]

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/l ... story.html

[GP in Minn]

I lived out there over 25 years ago and lane splitting wasn’t “ illegal “ at the time, according to the article it now legal with specific guidelines. The hard part is going to be getting the other drivers to accept this.

Gregg

[scootsx2]

... The hard part is going to be getting the other drivers to accept this. Gregg

Lane splitting is common practice in Brazil and the vehicle drivers are accustomed to it but 1 - 2 riders are still killed every day here in Sao Paulo. Introducing it in a high traffic environment like California is going to be extremely dangerous - the rider death toll is going to climb.

[Sugs]

Lane splitting is nothing new here in California as it has never been expressly forbidden by law, so it has always been an acceptable practice for motorcyclists. Essentially all that happened 2 years ago was to define what lane splitting is and put it into legislation that specifically allows it. That's it, nothing changed.

[x01660]

I REALLY prefer to refer to it as "filtering"; makes it seem a lot less intimidating to cagers, and perception is half the battle.

It's one of the primary reasons I got a bike; I hate traffic.

I also hate the people that filter at 50 mph above the speed of traffic. That's a recipe for disaster....

[77Gowing]

I also hate the people that filter at 50 mph above the speed of traffic. That's a recipe for disaster....

I like the term filtering also. It's where Darwin filters out the dummies.". Imho

[rcmatt007]

I also hate the people that filter at 50 mph above the speed of traffic. That's a recipe for disaster....

I like the term filtering also. It's where Darwin filters out the dummies.". Imho

[scootsx2]

I like the term filtering also. It's where Darwin filters out the dummies.". Imho

It also creates a potential pool of organ donors.

[chewy999]

For some reason the clip doesn't play in the UK but can guess what it shows.

When I did my refresher course when I got back on a bike after a 19 year break, my instructor said that filtering (that's what we call it) was ok, but only in standing traffic and even then slow down in case someone opens a door, or a pedestrian is crossing the road.

[Sidecar Bob]

Apparently, "lane splitting" is defined as driving a bike between lanes of moving traffic but "filtering" means driving the bike between lanes when the traffic is stopped at a traffic light.

I just read that Toronto has started allowing filtering on a couple of downtown roads to see if it makes a difference to congestion. I'm interested in how it works out but it won't affect me because sidecar outfits are too wide for that.

[BikeMaine]

I would never do it. I just don't trust other drivers at all.

[CYBORG]

I would never do it. I just don't trust other drivers at all.

I'm with you. Have always felt that cars and bikes need to follow the same rules of the road.

[x01660]

Its not as bad as you think, especially if you're going with the speed of traffic, or slightly faster.

Think of how much room people leave between their car and a jersey barrier on the highway. Or how far over they move when a cyclist is on the road. ITs like that on the highway, with plenty of room to fit in between.

What I generally do is get close to the vehicles I'm going to split, look at the drivers to make sure they're not fiddling with the radio or phone, then accelerate quickly between them.

When filtering in slow traffic, you stay between the passing lane and the next one over and just putt along. If someone makes a lane change or opens a door or something, you're going slow enough to grab a fistfull of brakes and stop.

ITs a bit unnerving at first, but becomes second nature. And I'd rather take a glancing blow from a car than get rear ended by some teenager texting...

[CYBORG]

Its not as bad as you think, especially if you're going with the speed of traffic, or slightly faster.

Think of how much room people leave between their car and a jersey barrier on the highway. Or how far over they move when a cyclist is on the road. ITs like that on the highway, with plenty of room to fit in between.

What I generally do is get close to the vehicles I'm going to split, look at the drivers to make sure they're not fiddling with the radio or phone, then accelerate quickly between them.

When filtering in slow traffic, you stay between the passing lane and the next one over and just putt along. If someone makes a lane change or opens a door or something, you're going slow enough to grab a fistfull of brakes and stop.

ITs a bit unnerving at first, but becomes second nature. And I'd rather take a glancing blow from a car than get rear ended by some teenager texting...

I hear what your saying. I lived in Ca. for many years. Both north of San Francisco and in the Long Beach area. Saw more then once when it did not turn out well for the biker. I feel that bikers that respect car drivers, get respect from them.

[x01660]

I hear what your saying. I lived in Ca. for many years. Both north of San Francisco and in the Long Beach area. Saw more then once when it did not turn out well for the biker. I feel that bikers that respect car drivers, get respect from them.

THIS x1000!!!

I watch a lot of "Angry drivers vs bikers" and "Crazy motorycle crashes" videos online, and 9 times out of 10, the confrontation and/or crash is caused by some idiot on a bike doing something stupid or dangerous.

Do you really expect to not be confronted when you blow through stopped traffic at 40 mph while doing a wheelie?