Indeed. You’re not a criminal, just a douchebag.
I can see lane splitting…if traffic IS at a dead stop, or very close.
It’s just that whenever I’ve encountered the phenomenon, no, it’s always some maniac, going hell-for leather through a clump of cars that are doing over the speed limit, and he (sorry guys, have yet to see someone female do this) will split lanes doing upwards of 80, weave through a tightly-clumped pack of cars in such a manner that if any one of them screwed up in the slightest, they’d all pile into each other and there’d be cars ricocheting off of each other and human body parts flying every which way.
If/when I start riding I’m not going to lane split, no how, no way.
http://www.tiehallinto.fi/pls/julia/docs/8241.JPG
Is this lane splitting? I’m unfamiliar with the term.
ETA better pic http://www.mediapalvelu.info/lovari/images/image.php?id=3124
Well, I’ve got over 100,000 miles riding motorcycles in L.A. traffic. I can say that almost no rider behaved in the way you describe. Some, yes; but very few.
I don’t think I could get myself to do it either (I don’t think it’s legal in WI anyways). My fear is that someone would change lanes, stick their hand out the window, open a car door, toss some garbage out the window, who knows. A lot of things can go wrong on a bike and I’d rather minimize them as much as possible. Personally I’d prefer it if no one lane split, because I’m worried I’d be the one to change lanes, stick my hand out the window etc…
ETA: Crossing the double-yellow is illegal. But usually CHP are pretty relaxed about it. Usually.
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No, that’s illegal passing. ( I know, I was pulled over for doing just that. I passed someone within a very wide lane and the officer said “Do you see a dashed white line there? No, so that’s not a separate lane you can use for passing”)
Lane splitting is when you have a two lane road (in one direction) separated by a dashed white line* and you go between the two rows of cars.
*It’s illegal for any kind of vehicle to cross over a solid white (or yellow) line.
Generally, yes. But if there’s room between a car and a double-yellow line, you can ride there in California. Things you’ll get pulled over for: Riding on either shoulder; where the carpool lane is separated from the normal lanes by two sets of double-yellow lines, riding in the space between the double-yellows; riding unsafely, or at too great a speed.
Things to notice in the video (I linked): When splitting lanes, the rider’s attention is forward. When changing lanes, he uses his mirrors. There’s actually quite a bit of room between cars. California drivers are used to lane-splitting motorcyclists and often edge over to give them space. Riders often wave thank-you.
So let me get this straight. They overheat in traffic, can cause the driver to get heat exhaustion, and are deadly to the driver when rear ended.
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Is this a motorcycle or an un-airconditioned Pinto?
Whats the joy of motorcycle ownership, again?:dubious:
they overheat in stalled traffic. Yes, the heat can be a problem in stalled trafic. Rarely deadly, but yes, you can get injured if rear ended while sitting still.
So what is the joy? It’s fun the 99.99 percent of the time you aren’t stuck in traffic. VERY VERY fun. I miss it terribly.
Is it dangerous, and a hassle some times? Of course. So are jet skis, boating, sking, skydiving, horseback riding, mountain climbing…you get the idea. It’s a trade off. It’s safer to spend your life locked in a bunker, it’s more fun to take risks. Every single one of us draws that line somewhere inbetween. Some of us draw it closer to the danger side than others do, so what? This happens to be a fun activity that is also an efficient mode of transportation.
some of you find motorcycles annoying. motorcyclists find cars annoying. If everyone rode a motorcycel there wouldn’t be near the traffic jams, pollution, fuel crisis etc. But both sides have to share a road system, so it’s essential we make allowences for each other.
Now now was someone mean to you at school today?
Mate you ride a Vulcan 900, nice little bike and what I learnt on. A nice learners bike, see I can be nice to someone riding another type of bike. I don’t assume that just because you ride an entry level bike that you are scared of power and too poor to buy a big bike, do I?
Motorcycle licensees need to be mandatory organ donors.
I am.
Everyone should be.
Actually, I like your idea better.
Bullshit. The only time loud pipes could conceivably make a difference is when a dumbass rider is lingering in a driver’s blind spot on a multi-lane road. A potentally fatal accident here would require the driver to change lanes into the motorcyclist with such alacrity that the motorcyclist is incapable of successful evasion (basically hitting the brakes or swerving away from the car). This is a pretty rare circumstance, and is easily remedied by not lingering in someone else’s blind spot (good policy whether you’re on a bike or in a car).
Loud pipes cannot help at all with single-vehicle crashes, and cannot help at all with cars that turn left in front of riders or blow through stop signs and red lights.
Amazing to think I’ve ridden as far as I have on quiet stock pipes and not been killed yet. Not even once. 
I’ve seen people pull out in front of ambulances with lights going and sirens blazing that they did not see or hear, I doubt loud pipes are catching many drivers’ attention.
Our Ducati’s were always loud enough with their stock pipes, loved that noise they made!
Plus, we make quality-of-life versus safety choices all the time. Otherwise it would be illegal to drive anywhere except in an emergency. Noise adds to stress. It’s a physical, measureable phenomenon, which has medical consequences if not leading to a reduction in lifespan.
Although I’d support loud pipes if they only activated at speeds above 5 mph. I swear the only time I actually hear pipes are when I’m at a fucking red light, when the near subsonic rumbling sets my stomach churning and the stress hormones flowing.
Yanking your chain, mostly. Not all H-D riders are assholes, I’ll grant that, but just about every asshole rides an H-D. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an asshole on a Kawasaki or even on a Goldwing.
Those loud pipes drive us all nuts, but you have to learn not to sweat the small stuff. A loud motorcycle really isn’t worth giving yourself an ulcer or a heart attack over.
You do realize that Kawasaki makes the infamous Ninja, right?
But I’ll give you that it’s pretty rare to see someone riding a Goldwing like an asshole.