What's your opinion of Bikers splitting traffic?

[Hitman]

Also some folks tend to get their egos somehow bruised when a motorcyclist passes etc, safely but faster than they are traveling. Sort of the "everyone that is slower than me is an idiot, everyone that is faster than me is a lunatic" type of mentality. These folks need to just deal with.

Pretty sure no argues with that, except old folks

 

[Tulse Luper]

A dead stop is California traffic. Very often during rush hour.

I've driven in California. That is a road closing, accident or whatever, not rush hour. I've driven IN rush hour in CA; people don't get out of their cars.

 

[Trachito]

It's ilegal to lane split here in Louisiana, although LEGAL in other states and countries but there are guidelines. I don't see how motorcycle riders (ok, bikers, if you must) breaking traffic laws are any worse than people in cars (cagers) doing the same. What is totally effed up and inhuman and heinous is to intentionally attempt to make a rider crash. Too many people nowdays do not see a person on a motorcycle as a human, but as some inanimate object and don't seem to care if they force one to crash or kill one. Anyone who consciously makes the decision to do so is playing judge and jury, and implementing the death penalty for a traffic crime. Oh, and is also a murderer.
I've been riding street bikes for over 30 years. I obey the law and drive more cautiously when on the bike than when in the cage. And if anyone intentionally makes an attempt on my life, I will shoot them in the face. Whether or not I'm riding a motorcycle.

WOW!! amen, brother!

i think it should be legal. i split if traffic is too heavy and my bike is running hot and i can do it at a stoppable speed. some people have tried to hit me intentionally. i've considered stopping and punching in their windows or mirrors for their attempt on my life. a lot of people get so possessive over that piece of concrete on which they're parked. they don't want a bike "stealing" it and are willing to kill for it. people who bully a motorcyclist over a spot need to remember that they don't own that spot of the road and that rider may have a family. let the rider just pass. i mean would you really want to have a part in killing someone, taking a father from his kids, a husband from his wife just over a little road rage? just for a spot on the road? besides, it's not like a bike is going to slow a cager down; we'll be gone in seconds, literally. personally, when in my truck i move over a bit in case the bike wants to pass.

 

[Trachito]

I've driven in California. That is a road closing, accident or whatever, not rush hour. I've driven IN rush hour in CA; people don't get out of their cars.

i don't know what part of cali you were in but when i rode through cali from 'frisco to san d there were moments in the big cities where traffic was at a near stand still and there was no road closing or accident.

 

[JadeRaven]

Pretty sure no argues with that, except old folks

Freakin old folks

 

[Hunh Bruh]

i used to live in SOCAL. i didn't ride then. but i don't have a problem with my friends that did

 

[Sugarbug]

I've driven in California. That is a road closing, accident or whatever, not rush hour. I've driven IN rush hour in CA; people don't get out of their cars.

accidents happen during rush hour too. Yes, people get out of their car, but most are smart enough to look before they open their door. I don't ride anymore, but if I was on a bike in a similar situation, I'd have done the same.

 

[headspace]

Just had this argument in the office lol

Guy witnessed another guy opening a door to stop a lane splitter at Voodoo fest. And was pissed that the guy did it at a red light. He said the Biker had all rights to whip the other guys ass.(of course he's a biker himself) My thought is that they were both being assholes, just one being MORE of an ******* than the other. Turns out dude who opened the car door had a bit more Road Rage going than the Biker and not only put a beaten on the guy but also walked his bike to
the side of the road and rolled it down the ditch. I think he was fed up with the unlawful actions of the biker. Slightly....

yeah, sounds like they were both full of stupid
1. If you are stopped in a car and somebody who has the ability to move through the stopped traffic should not bother you, unless you have some sort of mental problem. Might as well be a PEDESTRIAN or somebody riding a bicycle. Or maybe a mom pushing her baby in a stroller. I think most people would be ok with that. But for some unknown very personal reason, some see a person on a motorcycle as a nuisance. It goes both ways. And if anybody has ever been a pedestrian and was nearly run down by a car, well, that's what it feels like for a biker.
2. from the sound of it, The biker was an idiot and deserved an ass whooping. If he's going to pull a stunt like that, he's got to expect someone out there is gonna feel they have the right to keep him in check.

 

[Tulse Luper]

i don't know what part of cali you were in but when i rode through cali from 'frisco to san d there were moments in the big cities where traffic was at a near stand still and there was no road closing or accident.

LA and San Diego. People don't start getting out of their vehicles in normal stand-still traffic in CA. Divers are used to it and won't start exiting for a better look or a stretch.

 

[Sugarbug]

WOW!! amen, brother!

i think it should be legal. i split if traffic is too heavy and my bike is running hot and i can do it at a stoppable speed. some people have tried to hit me intentionally. i've considered stopping and punching in their windows or mirrors for their attempt on my life. a lot of people get so possessive over that piece of concrete on which they're parked. they don't want a bike "stealing" it and are willing to kill for it. people who bully a motorcyclist over a spot need to remember that they don't own that spot of the road and that rider may have a family. let the rider just pass. i mean would you really want to have a part in killing someone, taking a father from his kids, a husband from his wife just over a little road rage? just for a spot on the road? besides, it's not like a bike is going to slow a cager down; we'll be gone in seconds, literally. personally, when in my truck i move over a bit in case the bike wants to pass.

 

[headspace]

The video claims to be SoCal, and IMO shows the wonderful benefit of lane splitting


FWIW I do not lane split, mostly because I do not want to die.

The "Watch for Motorcycles" signs are legit - there countless instances where someone pulling out, turning, etc without looking or simply failing to see a motorcycle kills or maims the responsible law-abiding motorcyclist, whose only failure was not being surrounded by a large steel vehicle.

There are always bad eggs that push the limit in every type of vehicle. I even see priuses driving recklessly, 90+ MPH, etc.

Also some folks tend to get their egos somehow bruised when a motorcyclist passes etc, safely but faster than they are traveling. Sort of the "everyone that is slower than me is an idiot, everyone that is faster than me is a lunatic" type of mentality. These folks need to just deal with.

Very well said.

 

[Leadfoot]

Regardless of the legality, wouldn't it be safer/easier for this guy to hit the inside or outside shoulder to do this?

 

[headspace]

Regardless of the legality, wouldn't it be safer/easier for this guy to hit the inside or outside shoulder to do this?

If the cars are at a standstill? Absolutely not. i.e. How many times have you seen somebody cruise the right shoulder only to have a sitting car suddenly jump out onto the shoulder? I've seen it a time or eighty.
I wouldn't expect to see anybody on a multi lane road at a standstill suddenly drive into the side of a car in the next lane.

 

[Trachito]

Regardless of the legality, wouldn't it be safer/easier for this guy to hit the inside or outside shoulder to do this?

i agree and sometimes i've done that under the conditions i stated above. for some reason, in cali where it's allowed, they won't allow that. i heard that you can split legally in between cars but not on the shoulder. weird, huh?

 

[Trachito]

If the cars are at a standstill? Absolutely not. i.e. How many times have you seen somebody cruise the right shoulder only to have a sitting car suddenly jump out onto the shoulder? I've seen it a time or eighty.
I wouldn't expect to see anybody on a multi lane road at a standstill suddenly drive into the side of a car in the next lane.

good point

 

[Leadfoot]

If the cars are at a standstill? Absolutely not. i.e. How many times have you seen somebody cruise the right shoulder only to have a sitting car suddenly jump out onto the shoulder? I've seen it a time or eighty.
I wouldn't expect to see anybody on a multi lane road at a standstill suddenly drive into the side of a car in the next lane.

So you feel that this is more of a potential hazard than someone say opening a door? And I'm not being a wiseass here, I don't ride. I'm just curious.

 

[Trachito]

LA and San Diego. People don't start getting out of their vehicles in normal stand-still traffic in CA. Divers are used to it and won't start exiting for a better look or a stretch.

no, it wasn't that bad where they start barbequeing next to their cars, but it was at a near stand still at times. definitely the worst traffic and definitely should allow splitting when it's that bad.

 

[Trachito]

So you feel that this is more of a potential hazard than someone say opening a door? And I'm not being a wiseass here, I don't ride. I'm just curious.

it's rarer that someone opens a door than pulls over to the shoulder.

 

[headspace]

good point

Of course, they might, if they could take out a biker..

 

[JadeRaven]

So you feel that this is more of a potential hazard than someone say opening a door? And I'm not being a wiseass here, I don't ride. I'm just curious.

Typically people don't open doors. I have seen many folks pull into the shoulder. Rare occasion to see someone get out of their car on the interstate unless traffic has been deadlocked for 30min +