Lane sharing and filtering by motorcycles

Please read this post before you vote!

For the sake of discussion i'm going to define a few terms, so that everyone is on the same page:

Lane sharing - a motorcycle 'shares' a lane (rides the center line) between two vehicles in motion at a 'reasonable' speed faster than the two cars.

Filtering - a motorcycle 'shares' a lane between two vehicles while they are NOT moving, going a 'reasonable' speed faster than the two cars.

Splitting - a motorcycle 'shares' a lane at a speed that far exceeds that of the two vehicles being split.

What i'm trying to gather are the thoughts and feelings of 'average' commuters towards the practice (this would be a pointless poll on a motorcycling forum). Also input from our local boys in blue would be great! From anyone who is an officer what do you write for the practice now (I realize this is dependent on many things) and what implications as they relate to your job do think legalizing lane sharing would make?

I want to state that a motorcycle splitting cars at a high speed is reckless and is not what I am talking about.

Please if you respond include some basic information, such as: do you (or have you ever) ride? have you ever had a motorcycle share a lane with you in traffic? have you ever shared a lane while riding?

The rest is what lead to this topic:
I'm in sunny California right now on a motorcycle and have had the pleasure of being able to share lanes with cars while in heavy traffic (I ended up leaving San Francisco in rush hour!). What I found out is that people in cars do not seem to mind at all, in fact they will generally move over a little to give you room - this is not quite what I expected. I was concerned at first about being merged into, but quickly realized that almost can't happen. First because it is impossible to miss a motorcycle in your rear view and second because there is almost never a spot for them to merge into anyway. From talking with a few people here nobody seems to know a case of a wreck caused by a motorcycle lane sharing in a 'safe' manner (meaning a reasonable speed over traffic).

You left an option off of your possible responses; IMO.

This one> You guys are crazy doing this at all here.

I voted no. I have travelled to many countries where lane splitting is legal and common. And it seems to work fine there. The difference here is the size of our vehicles. Our vehicles on average are much bigger than other countries yet our lanes are not.

I drive a bike as my main transportation here, and did in New Orleans and Sacramento/ San Fran as well. I miss the ability to lane share, because from my experience it makes riding a bike MUCH more efficient.

Long line leading up to the traffic light? Not for a bike! You're now up front, and have the accelleration to get way ahead of traffic. Rush hour? Cruise on through.

The Cali bike test tells you to rev your motor while riding between cars to make sure you are noticed; I think here if I ran through lines of traffic gunning the motor intermittently, I might get smacked with a bat, or shot.

I think lane sharing/ splitting, made legal and with regulations, is awesome.

I was a motor officer for @ 7 years and have put many miles on a motorcycle, probably more than motor officers from other agencies due to not having a patrol car also. The absolute most dangerous part of our job was splitting traffic for an escort. This is a very bad idea. People do not look for motorcycles so if they see a car stopped or barely moving and you ride past they are likely to pull in front of you.

I have no problem with it from a personal stand point. However, I voted that I'm not in favor of it-- for the sake of the guys on the bikes.

There's just way too many 'tards on the roads around here. I can't go a week without seeing two vehicles almost strike each other (or nearly being struck myself). A bike, no matter how big, is simply harder to see and even more prone to trouble in this regard-- even without sharing lanes or "filtering".

If people were more capable drivers, and the practice was common in the US, I think it'd be just fine. As it stands, I feel like it's looking for trouble. For my part, I go above and beyond to keep riders safe when I see them approaching in the rear view. But the other goons on the roadway are a different story.

Be careful out there!

Swami said:

I think lane sharing/ splitting, made legal and with regulations, is awesome.

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+1

I ride, and I'd like to be able to filter/split, but don't partake in it.
It wouldn't bother me if they made it legal...
It does bother me having to deal with the thousands of innatentive, and downright malicious drivers all around me...
If they're not texting, and weaving, or changing lanes with no warning, you get some assh*le that can't stand to be passed, and tries to cut you off...

I do all 3 of the above all the time. Sometimes for safety reasons to avoid something worse. You have to keep your head on a swivle when riding a bike at all. I'll do whatever to stay away from teenage girls on cells phones doing 80+ that come up behind 2 cars riding side by side one in each lane at 2 miles an hour under the speed limit without a care in the world and me in the middle.

I also get questioned by people that drive big pickup trucks why I pass them so fast. And then they tell me how dangerous driving like that is... Then they ask me why I ride like that and I tell them.. It's to avoid all the ****ing trash comeing out of the back of your truck *******.

I think in a perfect world, riding a bike would be awesome. In the real world, I think you're batshit crazy to do it.

I ride but voted not in favor of it, although being as I ride a Harley it would be nice to be able to "filter" to prevent overheating. But in general I don't like the idea, especially here, I don't ride to work or in town because I don't trust the id10t's in the cages. Most people that try to pull these riding techniques here are crotch rocket morons, have had quite a few almost clip my front bumper doing things of this sort. Way I see it I am on a motor vehicle and should abide by the same rules as the 4wheeled motor vehicles. Just because I'm on two and can maneuver in smaller places I don't feel I should get a special pass.

I ride, but only filter/split lanes when traffic is stopped or crawling. I'd like to see it legalized along with turning on red like several other states do

As a rider, I am all for it. If we had freeways with HOV lanes, that would solve a lot of the problem as well. As for non-freeway riding, why wouldn't it be efficient for a rider to skip the line and be first at the light. He is naturally going to accelerate faster than the cars/trucks and will not be an inconvience to anyone.

Riding at 100 mph on the interstate and splitting 2 vehicles, HELL NO!

I used to do it all the time when I lived in Cali.

I am all for people riding motorcycles... lane sharing doesn't bother me at all either. It is safer for a group of bikers to occupy a lane than a lone biker, it makes them easier to see for other vehicles.

What pisses me off is splitting. You want to ride between lanes to get to the front of the line? I won't feel sorry for you if an 18-wheeler turns you into a smear on the roadway. That is irresponsible and dangerous. I saw a BRPD bike officer do this the other day.

Saw some nice resposible harley riders riding wheelies between traffic infront of renegade monday. Sure wish those kids would grow up.

LSP972 said:

AKA, a grease spot looking for a place to occur.

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Not all crotch rocket riders are losers. Same thing as the idiot CCP holder giving all of us a bad name.

I voted "Not in favor of it"
I've been riding since '72. Many times it was my only means of transportation. I've never shared lanes intentionally.
I'd hate to split lanes at an intersction, when someone decides to open their door.

Well in Cali "officially" you are only supposed to lane share at under 35 mph, and are not supposed to surpass traffic by more than 10 mph. So for a line of stopped traffic you're supposed to go 10 mph, and you are not supposed to pass traffic moving faster than 25 mph. Now I did see plenty of people getting away with much more than this, such as splitting at full speed on the interstate; but then again I would see plenty of kids popping wheelies at 75mph also, so stupid is always gonna be stupid.

Like I'd said, with rules and regulations - I would be all for it. I wouldn't ever do this illegally, because where it is illegal, car drivers don't expect it and that alone makes it seriously dangerous.