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I'm still newish to riding so the idea scares me. Interesting video on that link though that showed me a new perspective.
 
Many of those videos show lane splitting at speed. Sorry, that does NOT make it safer for a motorcyclist (or the cagers), so why say it does? You are talking inches from hitting a car on either side, not feet. No one knows what the other driver will do. If they drift while correcting their kid, you going to blame them for causing YOU to crash at speed? You will most certainly be killed by the car next to them or the one behind. Who's fault will it be? Certainly not the lady correcting her kid. You put yourself in that position. However, I can read the headlines now and I don't like them regardless of the side they come from.

If you are in a long line that cannot move because of some obstruction or traffic jam causing the lines to stop or creep, I think there is a place for any vehicle, given the room to keep moving. However, to weave in and out of traffic that is flowing is just impatience and people only want legalized lane splitting to justify their impatience or "me first" syndrome. There is enough road rage, why would anyone want to increase it and this certainly will. Making it legal will not decrease the road rage it will cause, nor will it stop people from accidentally-on-purpose cutting you off. Has making texting illegal while driving slowed that down? NO.

This view will likely not be viewed favorably but it is what it is. But before you start labeling me, you should know I am not known to be a patient person so I am not one of those old guys who think everyone should putt along daydreaming. I just think this lane splitting at speed starts to move bikers practicing moves them one step closer to the crotch-rocket-cycle-gangs-hoodlums that aggravate/endanger everyone on road.
 
"Filtering" is good, lane-splitting at speed, maybe not so good.
 
cdc said:
"Filtering" is good, lane-splitting at speed, maybe not so good.
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I'm more apprehensive filtering than lane sharing. A car door opened in your path and you possibly have no reaction time to avoid. With lane sharing more avoidance options exist.



Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk
 
Agree on door opening risk. I was thinking more like filtering towards the front of a red traffic light, between moving lanes and not between the parked cars and moving lane.
 
When living in Austin, I always felt more comfortable splitting through heavy traffic than red lights. I had a few people nose Into my path, so I smacked their mirrors as hard as I could.

Traffic lights made me feel more vulnerable. An aggravated driver can easily exit his vehicle and confront me.

Cops never objected.

Rule #62.
Don't take yourself so serious.
 
aspr said:
I had a few people nose Into my path, so I smacked their mirrors as hard as I could.
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I hope your being jocular.

Keep smacking mirrors & I guarandamtee some redneck will take offense & assault you right back.

IMO, the key to lane filtering is to not be going much faster than traffic. I I believe I’ve seen some states require the bike to be going no faster than 20mph or 20mph faster than traffic.
 
notyou83 said:
I'm still newish to riding so the idea scares me. Interesting video on that link though that showed me a new perspective.
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If you ever make your way out to California you will find that it is very well accepted AND expected by the cage drivers. In stopped or very slow moving traffic you will actually see drivers nudging their cars away from the dotted lines to give riders more room to pass. When I was most recently out there in November I did not split on the 101 through downtown LA because the lanes in that area are very narrow, but while I was on I-10 approaching the 101 there was plenty of room to split.
 
maximus_flavius said:
I hope your being jocular.

Keep smacking mirrors & I guarandamtee some redneck will take offense & assault you right back.

IMO, the key to lane filtering is to not be going much faster than traffic. I I believe I’ve seen some states require the bike to be going no faster than 20mph or 20mph faster than traffic.
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Because pulling in front of the motorcycle rider intentionally is not assault? In my mind it is attempted manslaughter.

Just because someone is upset that they had to sit in traffic while a motorcycle moseys on by and a slow pace 20-30mph, do they have to right to enact vigilante justice? To intentionally try to stop the motorcycle by trying to cause an accident?

When I smacked mirrors I made sure it just folded them in towards the vehicle, as it is a feature in most if not all modern cars, as to not cause any monetary damage. Just inconveniencing the driver.

I'm not trying to condone or justify my actions. I was as much in the wrong as the other drivers. But when someone intentionally tries to cause harm to you, you might just get alittle upset aswell.

I do not live in Austin anymore, nor do I intend to lane split when riding in heavy traffic. My riding habits and temperament have matured since then.

Rule #62.
Don't take yourself so serious.
 
Having spent a lot of time, riding in places where filtering and splitting are encouraged, I must say I got used to it very quickly. Part of the trick is to know when it is good and when it is not. Most everyone who is against it, has not ridden significantly where it was legal. Having regulations that says you can't lane split or filter, takes the decision out of my hands. There was a study conducted in 2015 by UC Berkeley that shows motorcyclist who lane split are safer. My experience has been, I'd rather take my chances getting around stopped/slow traffic then worry about the texting teenage driver behind me not realizing that I have stopped. Or the big truck beside me who doesn't see me and decides to change lanes.

Lane splitting can reduce congestion by reducing the number of allocated vehicle "slots" required. An automobile can take the slot that would be otherwise occupied by the motorcycle. But I do recognize that most drivers are more concerned about the "fairness" then the "logic" of traffic management. Consider HOV lanes. Many drivers probably don't know that by federal law, motorcycles are allowed in the HOV lanes. Houston and Texas drivers do get used to this de facto regulation, even though they may not know it's a regulation. I occasionally get glaring looks from drivers struggling in the regular lanes. But, I have never had a problem with drivers who believe it to be "unfair".

And seriously, if lane splitting/filtering is unsafe, then why not helmet laws in Texas. Helmets are clearly a safer option than no helmet. There is at least some debate about whether lane splitting is less safe. I am not trying to change anyone's mind and support lane splitting/filtering. Just don't be a hindrance, even if you don't plan to exercise the option to lane split/filter. Even if passed it will always be your prerogative to utilize it. Which is exactly where we are with the Helmet Law.
 
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Personally I don’t think a lane splitting/filtering law ever getting passed in Texas. It is an issue that only matters to a significant minority (motorcycle riders), and as we can see from this thread isn’t even universally endorsed by that group. The legislature only has so much time while they are in session, and there are always bills left on the table that never get their chance to be heard. This minor issue will probably never be enough of a priority to make its way far enough up the list.

If I’m being completely honest that’s probably for the best. As much as I’d like to have the option, Texas has far more pressing issues to attend to than this.
 
Lane splitting and filtering are not only encouraged, but endorsed in other countries. Watch this video of scooter rules in Taiwan where the scooters filter to the front of the stoplight into the motorcycle box as well as the left turn lane box. Read the commentary for this video to understand how this system works.

 
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seems to work in mexico but it is scary as heck, or was to me, since I am not used to it. It would be a hard sell and take awhile to educate the public but I think it would be better for all eventually. I dont think it will ever happen though.
 
Here's a question. What if car drivers used exactly the same logic put forth by riders? Pulling between cars and filtering at red lights reduces congestion, thus helping the traffic flow better. Granted. Splitting between two cars has generally the same effect of clearing "slots" to be used by cars, this also helping the traffic flow better. Also granted.

But wait! What if a motorcycle is waiting to make a left turn where there's no turning lane? There's ample room for a car to get by on the right, thus keeping the traffic flow moving along. This ought to be equally acceptable. And yet, just a few weeks ago, somebody on this forum had a walleyed fit because cars did exactly that to him, and wanted to call the fires of hades down upon the irresponsible drivers who would do such a thing. But why? Why should a line of cars be expected to just sit there burning gas when they have all but 2 1/2 feet of a 10 or 12 foot lane to get by? Win-win, right? Or shall we argue that, while a rider passing a car at close quarters is safe, a car passing a bike with probably considerably more space isn't?
 
tshelfer said:
Here's a question. What if car drivers used exactly the same logic put forth by riders? Pulling between cars and filtering at red lights reduces congestion, thus helping the traffic flow better. Granted. Splitting between two cars has generally the same effect of clearing "slots" to be used by cars, this also helping the traffic flow better. Also granted.

But wait! What if a motorcycle is waiting to make a left turn where there's no turning lane? There's ample room for a car to get by on the right, thus keeping the traffic flow moving along. This ought to be equally acceptable. And yet, just a few weeks ago, somebody on this forum had a walleyed fit because cars did exactly that to him, and wanted to call the fires of hades down upon the irresponsible drivers who would do such a thing. But why? Why should a line of cars be expected to just sit there burning gas when they have all but 2 1/2 feet of a 10 or 12 foot lane to get by? Win-win, right? Or shall we argue that, while a rider passing a car at close quarters is safe, a car passing a bike with probably considerably more space isn't?
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Paragraph 1 - not enough room for cars to do this.

Paragraph 2 - it's already legal for any vehicle to do this. Even if it means going out of your marked lane onto the paved shoulder.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk
 
Car/bike occupy no more space than bike/car. Sorry, but the logic of the whole thing points plays both ways.
 
tshelfer said:
Car/bike occupy no more space than bike/car. Sorry, but the logic of the whole thing points plays both ways.
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Tim, the "logic" doesn't go both ways. A motorcycle can occupy either the left or right side of the lane. Should a motorcycle be on the "wrong" side of the lane, there isn't room for both the car, a motorcycle and another car in the adjoining lane. The law to be unilateral, would also need to contain language that doesn't allow the motorcycle rider to change the side of the lane occupied. This language would add considerable ambiguity, for example does the car now need to obey the "same" rule to hold the left or right portion of the lane? This complexity would likely cause such a law to fail.

Further, most lane splitting regulations I have seen, hold the motorcycle doing the splitting as liable for safe passage. Any accident is ultimately the responsibility of the splitting motorcycle. Again, I am not trying to convince you. Should a regulation pass, there will never be a requirement for anyone to lane split. So, as I see it, those opposing lane splitting, are simply telling anyone intending on using the law that it just isn't right. Isn't that sort of a nanny thing to do???
 
That actually wasn't my point, nor did I say I opposed lane splitting. But that's okay. Happy New Year.
 
erd said:
Lane splitting and filtering are not only encouraged, but endorsed in other countries. Watch this video of scooter rules in Taiwan where the scooters filter to the front of the stoplight into the motorcycle box as well as the left turn lane box. Read the commentary for this video to understand how this system works.

Click to expand...
This is filtering, not splitting.
 
tshelfer said:
That actually wasn't my point, nor did I say I opposed lane splitting. But that's okay. Happy New Year.
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I understand what you were obviously trying saying and you are correct.

My main problem is the blind attempt to justify splitting at speed that just does not hold up. Above you read of a rider referring to filtering as more dangerous because people might move over a little bit or open their door. Big deal. So you fall at 5mph. However they proclaim splitting at speed safer. Are you kidding me? Now this PO’d cager jerks his car over and back just enough for you to react and hit someone. So now you DIE because no one has time to avoid you rolling on the ground because you have removed all safety margins. Nor should you expect them to have adequate reaction time. The worst part of it is the jerk twerking his car drives on, you are probably killed by the driver behind you, and the poor lady has to not only live with it but attempt to tell her kids in the car what they just hit.

Sorry, if I am driving along the highway at 70-75 and someone blasts by me only inches away, it will probably surprise me somewhat. This is exactly what will happen because “legal” will justify and make righteous the act by many bikers and only further degrade people’s opinions of motorcyclists. It will be abused by the obnoxious ones in our midst.
 
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