# Motorcyclist down on the 405 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865 "2006-10-18T01:07:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/1 "2006-10-18T01:07:14Z")
It was a little after 5:00 in the afternoon when I got on the 405 North at Anton Blvd. As I picked my way slowly toward the space between the No. 1 and No. 2 lanes (I was on a motorcycle, after all) I heard the angry sound of a high-revving bike. In the carpool lane someone went streaking by. I thought to myself that he was riding irresponsibly fast. I worked my R1 up through the space between the lanes until I reached the broken white lines indicating the entrance to the carpool lane. I prefer splitting lanes in the carpool lane because there’s more room and people are less likely to cut across (at least, they usually don’t cross the double- or quadruple-yellow lines – usually). Uh-oh. Flashing lights ahead. Carpool lane blocked. A city policeman was signalling for people to stop. There was a silver car cockeyed across the carpool lane, and a silver motorcycle on its kickstand at the divider. I saw a pair of camouflage-clad legs, motionless on the ground. A highway patrolman stopped his cruiser in the No. 1 lane. As he walked back toward the police car I thought I heard him say ‘dead man’. When the way was clear and the police/CHP were letting people through I saw a man lying motionless on his back with a policewoman sitting next to him. Was it the same guy who rode so fast by me a few minutes earlier? I don’t know. Was he dead? I don’t know. But here’s a shout-out to my fellow riders: Be careful out there. If you split lanes, maintain a prudent speed. And when the carpool lane opens up, keep an eye out for people who turn suddenly into it. Keep an eye out even when it’s ‘protected’ by the yellow lines, too. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/2 "2006-10-18T01:33:04Z")
I read the title and opened the thread before I saw who had posted it. I feared it would be a thread about you instead of by you. Thank goodness it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/3 "2006-10-18T01:58:31Z")
[QUOTE=Tully Mars] Thank goodness it wasn’t. [/QUOTE] Thanks. I do try to be careful. But there are some cagers out there who just don’t look where they’re going. Three years ago I rarely saw anyone cross the double/quadruple yellows. Now I see it every day. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/4 "2006-10-18T02:04:34Z")
[QUOTE=Tully Mars] I read the title and opened the thread before I saw who had posted it. I feared it would be a thread about you instead of by you. Thank goodness it wasn’t. [/QUOTE] Those were my first thoughts as well, and I’m glad it isn’t the case. Poor guy probably didn’t even see what hit him. ☹ Antics on the 405 never cease to astound and occasionally disgust me. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/5 "2006-10-18T02:09:06Z")
I checked the SigAlert page after I posted. It said ‘Ambulance responding’. A few minutes later, there was no mention of the crash; which I assume mean that it was cleaned up. I would further assume that if it were a fatal crash, the lanes would have been closed much longer. I hope he’s okay – even if he was the one riding so fast. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/6 "2006-10-18T06:23:58Z")
[QUOTE=The Sausage Creature] Those were my first thoughts as well, and I’m glad it isn’t the case. Poor guy probably didn’t even see what hit him. ☹ Antics on the 405 never cease to astound and occasionally disgust me. [/QUOTE] Poor guy? Sounds like he was driving like an idiot. As a bike rider myself I hate seeing people on their bikes doing 80 in a 30 road, bouncing in and out of traffic, driving on the shoulder, between lanes, etc, etc. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/7 "2006-10-18T07:51:40Z")
**Johnny**! you be careful now! You know what a mother hen I can be. Don’t make me ground you!😃 Hubby has been talking about getting a bike. I told him he could get a Vespa, but he wants a Hog. I guess we have some compromising to do. ---
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/8 "2006-10-18T08:25:45Z")
I’m alway sorry to hear a Rider Down report. For all my motorcyclist brothers and sisters - Always ride as if you’re invisible, the majority of drivers don’t think to look for motorcycles - Buy the best gear you can afford and then wear it (although I’m guilty of breaking this one) - Always ride at your own pace, not someone else’s - When in traffic always cover the brake - Good motorcycle maintenance is much more important for motorcycles than cars - Do it - Californians - remember that lane sharing is a priviledge that lots of people don’t want you to have, so do it prudently -Keep the shiney side up and the rubber side down ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/9 "2006-10-18T09:54:20Z")
[QUOTE=drillrod] I’m alway sorry to hear a Rider Down report. For all my motorcyclist brothers and sisters - Always ride as if you’re invisible, the majority of drivers don’t think to look for motorcycles - Buy the best gear you can afford and then wear it (although I’m guilty of breaking this one) - Always ride at your own pace, not someone else’s - When in traffic always cover the brake - Good motorcycle maintenance is much more important for motorcycles than cars - Do it - Californians - remember that lane sharing is a priviledge that lots of people don’t want you to have, so do it prudently -Keep the shiney side up and the rubber side down [/QUOTE] Add to this the seven wisest words I’ve ever seen, quoted from a poster in Brit biker haunt the Cat & Fiddle pub: **RIDE like a KNOB and you’ll DIE** Let’s be careful out there. –Mal, 10,000 miles per year on two wheels. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/10 "2006-10-18T13:07:24Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] –Mal, 10,000 miles per year on two wheels. [/QUOTE] When I lived in L.A. before I put an average of about 7,000 miles per year on my bike. Since I’ve been mack (since mid-May) I’ve put on 8,000 miles. I may drive the cage today. I discovered a Samy’s Camera yesterday, an I need to take the Aaton down to see about a Pelican case for it. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/11 "2006-10-18T13:52:21Z")
I give this “lane splitting” a healthy :dubious: Why is this legal in California? Is it permitted only in stationary traffic? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/12 "2006-10-18T14:32:54Z")
Who says it’s got to be legal to be done? In Spain bikes are supposed to be in a lane (not splitting); two can be side-by-side but still in a lane. Now try telling that to the 6-figures-worth of bike riders in Barcelona and Madrid. All you’ll get is laughter from the bikers and snorts from the cabbies (whose “war” with the bikers is notorious around here and who drive as badly, only with bigger vehicles). ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/13 "2006-10-18T16:28:24Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] I give this “lane splitting” a healthy :dubious: Why is this legal in California? Is it permitted only in stationary traffic? [/QUOTE] I don’t know all the details, but motorcycles are legally allowed to drive basically between the lanes on the highway. When we first moved out here we were like “Why aren’t these bikers getting arrested for driving like that?” then found out it was legal here. I still don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/14 "2006-10-18T17:54:08Z")
As a newly-licensed motorcyclist (but one who doesn’t own a bike yet), the lane-splitting makes me more nervous as a concept than almost anything else. People are far too unpredictable for me to be willing to put myself that close to the side of someone’s vehicle, even if only for a split-second. As for the law itself, I’m not an expert, but I’ll put forth that I have heard (with absolutely no confirmation) that the law was enacted to allow cyclists with air-cooled engines to prevent overheating in rush-hour traffic conditions. This past weekend, my wife and I passed by an accident where a motorcyclist was down (westbound 10 just east of the 605). Although the guy looked to be fine, it was still extremely sobering. Again, being newly licensed, I appreciated the reminder about how dangerous it can be. Letting your guard down just isn’t an option. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/15 "2006-10-18T18:12:53Z")
Lane splitting can certainly be harrowing, but the payoff in reduced commute time is noticeable - I save a good 30 minutes per day by riding my bike. (Diamond lanes help, too.) It’s certainly not something to undertake if you’re distracted or unskilled in Car Body Language - and I routinely give way to people who seem to want to split at much higher speeds than me. I really, really like my new headlight modulator - it cycles the high beams at 240 cycles/minute, and I can tell I’m getting noticed earlier. Recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/16 "2006-10-18T18:23:15Z")
Here’s a somewhat interesting article about lane-splitting in California: [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/10/30/MN87097.DTL](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/10/30/MN87097.DTL) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/17 "2006-10-18T18:32:57Z")
[QUOTE=Asimovian] Here’s a somewhat interesting article about lane-splitting in California: [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/10/30/MN87097.DTL](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/10/30/MN87097.DTL) [/QUOTE] Good article. By the way, kids, if you’re attitude about \*everything \* is closer to this. . . > [@](#): > > `I don't have a problem with it,'' said Angelica Delatorre, who drives from El Cerrito to San Francisco. `If they can get there faster than I can, more power to them.‘’ than this. . . > [@](#): > > `They don't have any respect,'' Carreno said. `They ought to wait in line like everybody else.‘’ You’re going to have a much nicer life. ---
**Author:** ![Zog\_10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c57346/32.png) [@Zog\_10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zog_10)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/18 "2006-10-18T18:58:20Z")
[QUOTE=drillrod] \ - When in traffic always cover the brake \ [/QUOTE] The MSF course I took told us not to do this, as I recall. It keeps one hand off the handle bars, lessening your grip & attachment to the bike. In traffic at 5 or 10 mph probably not too huge a deal, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/19 "2006-10-18T19:22:28Z")
I got a bit worried when I saw the thread title and poster combo as well. Glad you’re okay, **Johnny**. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865/20 "2006-10-18T19:56:00Z")
Is CA the only state in which lane splitting is legal? Is there a list of legal states? I’ve been riding for over 10 yrs (over 20 yrs if you count dirt bikes). I’ve never split lanes, but I’d like to know that I could if I needed to. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclist-down-on-the-405/376865.md?page=2)