| Author | Message | ||
     Smit3833 |
So I was riding home in rush hour traffic on HWY 78 splitting lanes and a pickup truck decided to change lanes real quick without looking. I started moving over when they turned but wasn't quick enough and they hit me on my let side. I was able to ride it out and didn't do down. Fortunately I'm not hurt, it could have been a lot worse. The side fairing lower is all scraped up and has some paint swap on it. It took a good portion of the blow. I was wearing a padded jacket and that helped a ton as well. Just a friendly reminder, be careful out there and wear your gear! | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
good deal all things considered glad ur alright | ||
| Duphuckincati |
So just wondering, what did the truck(er) do when they realised what happened? | ||
| Smit3833 |
They just swerved back into their lane after they hit me... It was a ford ranger pickup, not to be confused with a semi-truck in which case I would be ground beef. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
splitting lanes Glad to hear your alright but I've never understood this. I've had to do it to save my ass a few times but never just cause. I've read too many things here of people dying from this. | ||
| Jules |
What's the insurance situation like in the States for that type of incident? In the UK you're cosidered to be partially at fault if "filtering" (splitting lanes) but it depends on the speed of the traffic (and your speed). I've had a couple of small incidents similar to yours (over the course of 25 years riding) and normally don't bother stopping (if i get the time I just punch the door mirror off the car - obviously they don't need it anyway). Glad to hear you're relatively unscathed though. | ||
| Nickg |
depends on the state you live in. In NJ lane splitting is VERY illegal and can result in a reckless driving ticket depending on the policeman writing you I think it's nuts to split and would never do it | ||
| Firebolt32 |
by here I meant Florida in which it's illegal as well. Even if it was legal there is too much of an unknown as to what a cager will do. Hell, I got hit in Dec when some dip shit ran a stop sign. I know he was trying to beat the traffic that was coming opposite of me. The fire fighters had to ask the guy to get away from me. I called that moron everything I could think of. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Smit's profile shows that he lives in Cali...where, if my information is correct, lane-splitting is legal.....for AIRcooled bikes. Hmmm..... I'm with NickG - you couldn't PAY me to split lanes. Cagers are bad enough when I have my *own* lane! | ||
| Froggy |
It is legal in Cali for all bikes. I lane split in Jersey and Connecticut, even though its illegal there. Never had any issue other than one ticket, but the cop was nice and made it something stupid so I could just mail it in. | ||
| Syonyk |
Some would argue lane splitting is *safer* than sitting in stop and go traffic waiting for someone to rear end you. Personally, I run in the left lane most of the time, and if traffic is coming to a stop, I'll often dart off into the shoulder. I leave myself plenty of room to stop, but if people are going to miss traffic coming to a stop and be stopped by what's in front of them, I'd rather it not be me. I'll take getting nailed by a flying bumper over being crushed by a car. | ||
| Tbowdre |
I would prefer a bump on the side over being rear ended. I feel way safer between traffic than a sitting duck for someone not paying attention, busy texting or messing with the radio. You can still get a ticket in Cali. its totally up to the cop. The law simply reads that it must be done in a safe and prudent manner. totally subjective. | ||
| Ron_luning |
Yes, I've received such a ticket and am now more discriminating when splitting lanes in terms of the speed of surrounding traffic. Just yesterday I was following a motorcycle cop here in California as he split lanes on the freeway. I don't think they'd be doing it if it was proven to be more dangerous than sitting there waiting to get hit. | ||
| Hogzilla |
Glad you're ok. Seeing how people drive around here, I wouldn't split lanes unless there was a very extreme situation that warranted it. And I've never had one, nor can I think of one. | ||
| Duphuckincati |
It's technically called "lane sharing" in that the law states something like if two vehicles can be side by side and remain within the boundaries of the lane it's ok. Could be in place so motorcycle cops can ride that way. You do in fact end up riding the painted line/road reflectors anyway. I just do it if traffic is stopped at a light or moving under about 25 mph. Fun actually. | ||
| Ron_luning |
I did some research when I was fighting my ticket, and there is not a law in California that specifically forbids lane sharing or lane splitting or filtering (whatever you call it). That is why it is legal, but completely subject to police interpretation. If you know of anything in California Vehicle Code that specifically mentions or permits this activity by any name, please let us all know. | ||
| Foxy |
in the uk if you have an accident you can curse and swear at the other party and not much else happens. Usually? In the states do you think twice about that in case some one pulls a gun on you or do you still call them a ******* dickhead and then run away | ||
| Captainkgb |
Foxy, I carry a gun 24/7, and find that exchange of words seldom leads to exchange of gunfire. It would be stupid to go to jail for avenging being called a $@#*!, and I find most fellow gun owners are at least as reasonable. Regards, CaptainKGB | ||
| Ccryder |
jimmy: It's a battle of the biggest gun ;+} j/k For law abiding people (even armed citizens) it is rare to pull a gun on someone especially for something like this. Alex is lucky. You really need to make yourself known or have an escape route planned if someone doesn't see you. Time2Ride Neil S. | ||
| Foxy |
so if my wife was in the states she'd be mistaken in saying (i think he was pleased to see me) , referring to the bulge in the mans trousers as i gesticulate no you fool he's not rising to the occasion its a permanent fixture you're looking at there. who needs viagra | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Good weed eh Foxy? | ||
| Smit3833 |
I would personally rather lane share than sit in traffic, besides the inconvenience of it taking forever and my legs getting burnt up, it seems a little safer if done right. Talking to cops its safer to be moving slightly faster than traffic, and heavy traffic (lane sharing) is no different. Also, always wear your basic gear (boots, jeans, riding jacket, gloves, helmet). My only tips are to ride with your brights on when lane sharing, keep it in low gear so your louder, and put louder pipes on if you can stand it. Also, don't pass a car when they have the space to make a lane change if possible. If you do, change into that lane and swerve wide anticipating that the other drive will be changing into that lane also. When I started riding I had no intention of lane splitting, I thought it was crazy and such. One ride through LA during rush hour made me learn real quick. Now I commute heavy traffic everyday and my card just came up, I would gladly take a side swipe than getting rear-ended. I took another look at my bike this morning and it looks like my passenger peg took a hit as well. It was flipped up and the arm is bent in a bit more than the other side. I bet that left a nice mark in the side of their car. Another tip: always ride with your pegs down, if you dump it the pegs can help save the bike when it goes down. Its also an extra bumper for side swipes apparently. | ||
| Socalbuellriders |
Alex - Good to hear you came out OK. Sorry for the damage to the bike, but sounds like your cool head allowed you to ride out a situation that could have ended badly for most people. | ||
| Xb12xmike |
I remember looking this up in jersey,...there is no law (written down) against it that I found. However, I think you could get a number of different tickets, depending on the officer, and the township your traveling thru and how squid-like you were riding. -illegal lane change -wreckless driving -careless driving -written warning (1st time) -probably lots of other possibilities | ||
| Hogzilla |
Nearly got hit this morning from some squirrelly guy that pulled into my lane. Fortunately I was watching the guy for a while since he was adjusting his mirrors for a quarter mile and swerving into the lane. The guy looked fully baked. Fortunately he stopped cold as soon as I hit the horn. | ||
| Black |
Hmmmm, Well I live in Virginia. In Virginia, we have a thing called the "Virginia T-Bone". A Virginia T-bone in when you are riding along in the far right lane minding your own business, and the guy in the go straight center lane or far left lane, decides to turn in front of you, with you having to slam on your brakes to avoid "T-boning" him. There is also the "Reverse Virginia T-Bone". That's when you are minding your own business cruising along in the center lane and the guy in the right (or left) lane beside you, who is signaling his intent to turn, suddenly turns the opposite way across your path and you have to lock it down to avoid t-boning him. I just mention this as a public service as, soon it will be time for the "Ride to the Wall". Just want you to be prepared. Seriously, in a 30 minute drive in the greater Washington metropolitan area, I see the above at least twice. Absolutely amazing out there every day. Had a motorcycle cop tell me to make sure and wear some kind of highly reflective jacket so he could say, "Let me guess..you didn't see him did you?" I think it is called gallows humor. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I have a high-viz yellow mesh jacket coming mail order. It really is amazing how much more a rider stands out with the god awful ugly jackets. | ||
| Ron_luning |
I wear this every day for my commute, and the idiots are still too negligent to even look in the direction they are moving to notice me:  | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
in cali, the dmv mc handbook said that lane splitting is ok as long as you only go 15mph faster then traffic. |
