Just move to Southern CA. Quite amazed by the number of bikes on freeway. Even more amazed by the bikes fly between 2 cars on the dotted white lines. This seems to be dangerous and, not to mention, annoying. Is this legal??

Dangerous or not, I don't really give a sh_t. My only concern is those bike morons will scratch my car one day when passing next by. For those who live in Southern CA, what do you do?

 

Legal in Cali. I see it all the time in NorCal when traffic is heavy, not sure about how it looks in SoCal.

 

Its completely legal. The proper term is filtering, I believe. Pretty idiotic to do it at high speeds, but I don't see the problem with doing it when there's heavy traffic. Is it legal to filter on the shoulder though?

It is dangerous, but trust me, they are much more worried about you accidentally changing lanes into them and causing them to fly into a center divider than you are worried about them scratching your car.

 

It's actually called "lane splitting" and yes, it's perfectly legal in Cali. As far as i know, it's done between lanes, not in the shoulder. And although it's legal, if the CHP thinks you're unsafe or reckless, they can still ticket you.

Anyhow, I ride a motorcycle, and I thank God for it. I think most riders don't do it unless traffic is slow or at a stand still. Doing this at high speeds is stupid and will get you killed. Overall, it saves me time from having to sit in traffic with everyone else. And as long as you don't suddenly move out of your lane, we won't scratch or hit your car.

 

No offense to Biker and others that ride. That's your right.

But I hate sport bikes. HATE THEM. And I hate the douchebags that own them even more.

You don't see some dude on a Harley splitting between two cars at 120mph on the highway like you do with sport bikes.

I seriously want to beat the fuck out of those people with a baseball bat when it happens.

 

yah i see it alot to and welcome to socal man but anyways i wouldnt worry about them scratching your car when they pass by because if they do that get close and hit your car their pretty much fucked

 

i got a cycle(not a sport cycle) been riding for about 3 years now. i've never done that.( the so called "filtering") except a couple times when a dumb (no offence to women) some dumb soccer mom in a dodge caravan or Explorer sitting on in the passing lane won't get over.
i'd flip my lights to her to move over. she wouldn't.and i tried to get her to move over probably for 15 minutes. so i filtered her on the way by smacked her window i was on a BMW K 1200 GT which is a 150 hp about 600 lb machine. she trys to catch me with a shitty grand caravan.
lets see a 200 or 220 hp 3000+ lb tank vs 600 lb 150 hp beast.

 

Road pizza FTW!



...and I own a harley!

 

^^^^ Do you know the difference between a vacuum cleaner and a harley?












The location of the dirt bag

 

 

in so cal, yeah actually, you do. Lane splitting is legal, but also at your risk. If you get into an accident doing it then its your fault. period. And no, you cant not do it on the shoulder.

 

Actually it's known as "lane splitting"

http://www.ducatigirl.com/california..._roulette.html

 

 

I ride a sport bike as well but i dont do lane spliting unless it's heavy traffic. I actually don't even like to do that coz i myself see it's dangerous, especially with ppl talking on the phone and cut you off w/ looking in the mirror or flash their signals. But sometimes we do have to keep the bike rolling to get some air cooling down the engine.

But some bikers in South Ca are indeed ass holes. That's why I rarely ride with the pack. I've seen someone doing 100mph+ and "lane spliting" throu two 18 wheelers.

But there're some good riders as well. Don't hate us.

 

As everyone else indicated, lane splitting is legal in California. The bikers I encounter on the I-10 between West LA and Alhambra/Monterey Park are usually careful to have no more than a 10-mph differential with slow-moving cars. Bikers generally split the #1 (fast) and #2 lanes.

Even so, I place my car towards the right side of the #2 lane or left side of the #1 lane when I see them coming; they appreciate the extra room and visibility. The guys on fat boys and Harleys generally split much more slowly due to the width of their bikes.

"Flying" between lanes = dangerous. There are a few occasional morons who speed between lanes, but fortunately not many, as most bikers know they will lose if they go down in the middle of a bunch of SUVs, trucks and cars.

 

Scratch your car?? lol...

I love how some people get so pissed off with lane splitting. And mostly its because they're sitting in bumper to bumper while the bike is moving along.

Get over it. When I used to ride, I had to do it every-so-often and I never even came close to another car. Oh, and I see Harley's splitting lanes all the time. Hell I even see Gold Wings do it. Its not just sport bikes.

 

Fuck that, I don't mind when sport bikes do it. I HATE it when those dudes with harleys and their spread eagle foot pegs try to do it. You know the kind where their foot pegs are like 3 feet apart. You just have to get out of their way more than normal or they'll swipe you with their foot rests.

 

lol. I always wander how can they find comfortable/safe riding in that position.

 

I commute to LA from the fullerton area every morning, and on average I see about 7-10 bikes passing through the lanes on the freeway, especially the 10. Whenever a bike comes up I simply move out of the way a little for them since I'm usually in the outer lane where they pass by. Most of them are riding safely so I don't really have anything to worry about. Plus they're really nice and give me a courtesy wave whenever I do move out of the way a little for them.

 

^^^^ I do the same for the bikers. I travel on the 210 and see many more bikes than you do on a normal basis. I've also seen my share of accidents due to idiots that aren't paying attention to the road and hitting bikers.

 

One of our service writers at Audi used to work in L.A. and was sitting in heavy traffic on the 10 when a motorcycle passed him like that. Three or four cars up somebody whipped their door open just so the guy would crash. He wasn't even getting out of his car. He just did it to be a prick.

 

What's the statistic of fatal motorcycle crashes? I'm pretty sure the greater percentage is from the person in car's fault.

 

I wish it was legal to "lane split" in TX.

 

This actually doesn't surprise me as a rider

Numerous times I have been just riding down the road with the flow of traffic not being as ass or anything just to have a car swerve at me. When I confronted the driver they said they don't like bikers So just because this idiot doesn't like "bikers" because of some stereotype he has created in his head he feels he has the right to try and kill me? I really don't know whats soo wrong with riding a bike? I don't rape women, or hit children or rob stores. Most days im wearing dress pants and a dress shirt on my way to work, while obeying the traffic laws. Maybe its just because im getting 50mpg while this guys SUV is getting 15mpg

Sorry for the rant

 

^^^^ That is the reason I don't ride a bike, I hear too many horror stories of people having a lack of respect for bikers lives. For that matter, I've seen SOOOO many close calls simply because people aren't paying attention, which is enough to scare me out of enjoying a bike. Its sad the way this country has become

 

WTF, that's just wrong. I don't like a lot of people for different reasons, but I don't try to hurt them or kill them. That son of a bitch needs to get his head examined... or get his ass kicked.

 

I ride as well. It's the squids that give us a bad name.

 

Is lane splitting legal at any speed of traffic? I understand the bikes splitting lanes when the traffic is at a crawl but when traffic is moving well (ie. 70mph and up) I still see this happen.

I think the reason for allowing this is that, back when this became legal, bike engines were air cooled and a bike stuck in bumper to bumper traffic would overheat. true?

 

From the CHP's site: "Lane splitting by motorcycles is permissible under California law but must done in a safe and prudent manner."

The text used to also include "The motorcycle should be traveling no more than 10 mph faster than surrounding traffic (without exceeding the speed limit) and not come close enough to that traffic to cause a collision." but has since been removed.

From the SF Chronicle, Motorcyclists argue that lane splitting, when done carefully, is no more dangerous than riding with the flow of traffic.

``The level of safety is about the same because what you lose in space you make up for in heightened awareness,'' said David Peterson, president of the Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club.

A study conducted four years ago by a University of Southern California researcher supports that claim. The study, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation, concluded that lane splitting is safer than sitting in stop-and-go traffic, where bikers are far more likely to be ``sandwiched'' between two cars.

``For a motorcyclist, that's the safest place to be,'' Professor Harry Hurt said shortly after releasing his study. ``A lot of people think it's a hazard, but the cold, hard facts are that it's not.''

 

I don't agree with crashing people but I don't think lane splitting should be legal.

However, that's not what I'm talking about. Weaving in and out of cars when everyone is stopped is annoying but not all that dangerous.

It's when I'm doing 60 in a 55 and 3 or 4 fucking Einsteins pass between me and another car at 120mph that sends me into a rage.

 

That's bullshit. Motorcyclists should be required to behave like any other motor vehicle operator. Splitting is BS.

 

What's BS about it? Motorcyclists are required to abide by traffic laws just like any car. The only difference is in lane splitting, which is not legal in most states anyways. It's supposed to be done when safe, just like it is for cars changing lanes. There are unsafe drivers out there just as there are unsafe riders. Anyone ever feel happy when getting cutoff by another car?

 

Sounds like someone who is bitter about sitting in traffic

 

Squids FTL

I rarely split lanes. It's a HIGH risk manuever.

 

mine has a small fan in front of the radiator, but it won't cut it in some heat. I really need to be riding to keep the temps down.

 

Today most bikes are liquid cooled...but the law is still on the books.

 

How is that bullshit? CA is taking into account the fact that drivers can be dumb.

I have been rear ended no less than 3 times sitting in stop and go traffic. Luckily I was not on my bike any of those times.

If distracted drivers in stop and go 5 mph traffic can't see something the size of a car infront of them, imagine a motorcycle.

Lane splitting should be legal in Texas IMO.

 

Ahh missed the edit...

BTW, this may piss you off even more. In all states I believe (at least for sure in Texas), motorcycles can take the HOV lane. Yes, only one person on that vehicle. Is this unfair too?

To me its a safety issue. But secondly, the HOV lane is supposed to promote conservation. Travel in packs or get a motorcycle. Both are good alternatives.

 

Its very fucked...but there are tons of assholes in so cal who do that...try and hit or squeeze a biker.

 

I keep waiting for someone to open their door when the biker is "lane filtering".