Lane splitting/sharing


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Roaddawg

New Member
I did a little video of my daily commute splitting traffic leaving San Francisco over the Bay Bridge heading towards Berkeley. This is about the fastest pace I go through traffic. Believe it or not, but I would probably be considered creeping through. I let about 4-5 riders around me as they bombed through traffic, easily 20-30+ MPH faster than the cars around them. The few minutes they make up aren't worth any more of the risk that I'm already putting myself at. All said, this is the main reason I ride to work as much as possible. 1 hour on bike or 2+ in a car!

By the way, this is my first attempt at uploading a video to YouTube...so bare with me.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt8TyISXFds"]YouTube- Splitting Traffic Lanes in the Bay Area[/ame]
 
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datguywhowanders

New Member
That would make me WAAAYYYYYYYY too nervous. I lived in Monterey for about a year when I first started riding, and I wouldn't have dreamed of doing that at the time. Six years later, the thought still isn't a pleasant one. I'll lane share in order to get around two vehicles that are going the same speed and blocking the way, but riding on the line the whole time would have me grinding my teeth.

Nice to know you seem to be playing it safe though and not hurtling through traffic at 60 mph. That's just asking for bad news.
 
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MikeN02

New Member
That truck's rim pegs would scare the crap out of me too. I would only lane split at stop lights where the cars aren't moving. Here in Florida we have some of the most idiotic drivers known to man/woman.

People going on merging lanes just to skip a few cars, switching lanes in traffic just to get ahead of a few cars just because it's moving a little bit faster.
 
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flyingminno

New Member
Yeah living down here in So Cal, I lane split regularly. On the freeways, lane splitting at 70 mph is normal when done safe. I usually am the one passing other bikes, but if someone can keep pace or catches up with me, then I let them pass.
 
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mchury

New Member
stupid question but is this legal to do?
 
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toofless

New Member
nice video... i have yet to lane split down here in SD...
i get all nervous and this happens,
, haha... sooner or later i'll get the nerve...
 
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Roaddawg

New Member
flyingminno said:
Yeah living down here in So Cal, I lane split regularly. On the freeways, lane splitting at 70 mph is normal when done safe. I usually am the one passing other bikes, but if someone can keep pace or catches up with me, then I let them pass.
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I don't think I would say splitting at 70MPH is SAFE. If you clip a mirror or get lane changed at those speeds, your going down no question...
 
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Roaddawg

New Member
mchury said:
stupid question but is this legal to do?
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Like flyingminno said, here in California it's permissible, as long as it's done in a safe and prudent manner. There is not a law that says you CAN do it...but there is NO law preventing it. Basically, the discretion of "safe and prudent" is in the eyes of the officer.
 
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flyingminno

New Member
Roaddawg said:
I don't think I would say splitting at 70MPH is SAFE. If you clip a mirror or get lane changed at those speeds, your going down no question...
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I would agree with that statement...though it depends on the roads. The freeways here have almost a full lane width between the diamond lane and the next one. Besides, I tailed a CHP officer splitting lanes with traffic moving at 80+.
 
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JonKerr

Senior Member
Elite Member
The rule of thumb that the CHP gave us when I was in traffic school once was if the traffic is going less than 35mph you can safely split AND you can not exceed 35 while doing the splitting. (Officially it's called lane sharing because in California it is legal for 2 vehicles to share the same lane when it's safe.) Basically what he's saying is that's what the CHP deems as safe. If they feel you're being unsafe, they can and will ticket you for it. Personally I never do it. Granted I don't commute on my bike. But I've personally seen 3 major accidents happen from doing this. Two of them were under the "safe" conditions the CHP uses and all three were a case of some idiot cager saw a hole open in the lane next to him and without checking moved over. One rider plowed directly into the door and he hit the drivers side window, the other two went over the hoods of the cars. Sorry, but the time I save getting through traffic isn't worth dieing for.

The only time I'll split lanes is at stop lights when there's enough room and I know I'll get to the front before the light changes. It's actually safer than sitting behind cars at a stop light because cars coming up from behind won't see a bike a lot of times and will run right into you without seeing you.
 
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Pompatuse

New Member
Here in Texas it is technically legal, but it is HIGHLY discouraged. We have an awful lot of SUVs and really big Pick Ups here and they don't always think to look before changing lanes. Lane splitting/sharing is so frowned on that it will usually get you a ticket regardless of the speed. I have never done it and have no plans to do it either. I may lay it down in the twisties one day, going faster than I should have, but that will be my own fault...not some oversized cager.
 
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Roaddawg

New Member
JonKerr said:
The rule of thumb that the CHP gave us when I was in traffic school once was if the traffic is going less than 35mph you can safely split AND you can not exceed 35 while doing the splitting. (Officially it's called lane sharing because in California it is legal for 2 vehicles to share the same lane when it's safe.) Basically what he's saying is that's what the CHP deems as safe.
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Well, like I said, it's up to the discretion of each individual Officer and what he/she deems is safe and prudent given the conditions at the time. What that one Officer told you is his own personal "safe" discretion, NOT that of the CHP as a whole. Every Officer is going to have their own "limit" for what that think is safe under this gray area of law.
 
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arcflash316

New Member
I split lanes daily when commuting, I have removed the mirrors and mounted one on the handle bar so that the bike profile is lower making it easier and safer when cagers are really close together. I heard it was not illegal in Ca at least, You can go between cars @ 80 if you got the balls!! (like me):thumbup:
Just watch out for POPO's cause like roaddawg said you never know what the officer deems as unsafe
 
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arcflash316

New Member
hey Tom(dawg) long time no see!!! we gotta get the group together for that spring ride near Berryessa!! Joloy you wanna go???
 
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bmw675

New Member
i dont envy you being allowed to split lanes. if the traffic was that bad for me, i would move. lol. i hate traffic whether on bike or by truck.
 

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joloy133

New Member
Yeah, actually, I was even thinking about that bike ride with the Sac riders. This is anniversary week in Vegas, so after that should be good.
 
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