Lane splitting

[Flapjack]

What are your opinions on lane splitting? Of course in states it's legal.
I go to and from California alot and when traffic gets backed up, I debate about it. I've started doing it lately for a couple reasons. Ensuring the bike doesnt overheat while not moving. Not getting to hot/cold myself while sitting there. Time factor as well.
I'm not talking while going 60 on the freeway, but the 0-25 mph range in traffic. I've noticed that with a bit of revving and making myself known, people actually pull over and out of the way a bit to make more room, even semis.

What are your thoughts?

[MrMikey]

Wouldn't do it on a bet legal or not. You may have thousands of people move over for you but you'd only need one azzhole to move into you. People don't expect something to be in a narrow spot between them and another car. Some people can't even see you when you're right in front of them.
When I ride I act like I'm a car as far as intersections and lineups go. Yes it sucks when you're stuck in traffic but it beats the alternative IMHO................Mike

[Imsum12]

My opinion would be the same as MrMikey.

I ride in states where it is not legal but have driven 4 wheelers in California quite a bit while traveling. While it does look tempting I have notice the a number of 4 wheelers that intentionally move to block the riders that are lane splitting, mostly I feel they do this because a lot of the people that are lane splitting do not abide by the 25 mph over the speed of the other traffic.


Now I am starting to see more riders on crotch rockets lane splitting in Illinois (it used to be legal but isn't anymore) and it is quite unnerving to me while I am in my truck. These idiots are zipping by at crazy speeds and I myself have almost cut them off because you are not expecting them to be there and they are often weaving their way through traffic while also lane spitting.

[mick56]

Everyone does that in England.I have straight through pipes,and 90% of drivers move over as they hear me coming.Some of the clowns on the head down arse up bikes,do it at ridiculous speeds though.Having said that,i dont ever remember hearing about it causing an accident.I really hate having to sit in line when i have the trailer on.

EDIT.Actually i just remembered, a bloke on a Harley got killed just up the road from my place,a few months back.Someone coming towards him,turned across his path.

[OldSchool]

I'm with Mr.Mikey and Imsum on this one. Our people are too erractic to trust. I've seen people blow up over some of the stupidest things. Then add the factions of the " don't care ", don't see " don't hear" on top of it and it leads to disaster. You can get away with it 5,000 times but it only takes 1 time for all to go bad.

[MAS Tequila]

With cell phones and music (that's questionable) cranked until their ears bleed, drivers here are way too unpredictable to play that game.

And with all of the 'I'll teach him a lesson' idiots behind the wheel, why risk it?

[Sabre-t]

I'm with the others who don't do it, even if legal. It really ticks me off when bikers do it where it is not legal. Even more so when they do it in traffic that is flowing at a decent speed. That just pisses drivers off and makes it more dangerous for bikes that are obeying the law.

I'm not up on lane splitting laws, but aren't there limits on how slow traffic is moving before you can lane split and how fast you can go when lane splitting? I only watched a couple of minutes of the video, but it seems to me the bikes were all going too fast, so it was as much their own faults as the drivers that hit them, maybe more.

[Tortuga]

Not on your life. You've got to be out of your mind to do it. Have you not paid attention to the way people drive? Legal or not, It's down right stupid.

[DragonLady58]

Watch my lips.....HELL FRAKING NO! As everyone said, just to damn risky....I've seen 2 folks get it going to Sturgis and Daytona Beach in the past 10 yrs....
Theres so many going to Sturgis that are complete idiots, that if I ever go again, its gonna be 2 weeks after the event, that way I won't have to deal with the morons....

[ldhthept]

Good way to get killed. But let me see if I understand, you think its okay to jump ahead in a line of people because you are in a hurry? You’re too hot? Or too cold? You don’t think they are in a hurry also? Would you go to the front of the line at the grocery store? The movies? The bathroom? Or anywhere else out in public? What’s the diff? Turn your bike off and sit there like the rest of the people and chalk it up to experience. Drive your car next time that way you have AC/heat and can listen to the radio while you wait for whatever the hold up is. May just be Gods way of slowing you down to save you from some crazy up the road.

[Chuck A.]

In the clip, one guy said "do you not use your mirrors?". If the cage is moving at 5-10 mph, who would be expecting some idiot on a motorcycle doing 40 mph coming up on them?! They are looking at what is immediately around them, not whats coming up a few hundred feet back in the 4 foot gap between two large objects. Same as what the biker would do in a cage. The cagers are not in the wrong in any of the clips IMO. It was the biker with the "look at me" riding style. Two cent worth.

No, I don't live in a state with legal lane splitting laws. If I did, I would have a piece of 2x4 hanging out the corner of my truck bed at helmet height,,,,,, just saying.

[Flapjack]

The general consensus seems to be against it here.

I have been going for it on freeways when traffic backs up and it's under 25ish mph.

[Chuck A.]

Are the roads built wide enough for lane splitting in Cali? In Bama, They are not. State don't waste anymore money than they have to on asphalt. That doesn't always stop the weinner rockets from doing it. Of course the grave yards are still growing yearly from those trying there luck.

[blowndodge]

I do it all the time in California where it's legal and couldn't care less who likes it or what the opinions are.

[blowndodge]

Originally Posted by Chuck A.

No, I don't live in a state with legal lane splitting laws. If I did, I would have a piece of 2x4 hanging out the corner of my truck bed at helmet height,,,,,, just saying.

And you call yourself a biker? What an A$$hole.