lane splitting/sharing/filtering.

[Jett]

Whatever you wanna call it, I call it illegal where I come from. Yes thats right, I am from Oregon and we will get a hefty fine if caught splitting lanes. Just recently a board of commisioners decided to discuss the issue and get a voice from the community to see whether it should be done or not. That meeting was a month or two ago and I have not heard anything since. I personally am in favor for it.

What are your thoughts and experiences???

[Scotzman]

Love it, especially having an air-cooled bike. I like the idea of not being sandwiched between two cars as well.

[ducatiz]

When you go to Italy and most countries in Europe, you are immediately shocked by it.  Whenever you stop at a red light, every available centimeter is filled at the front by scooters and bikes filtering up.

I don't mind it at a light.  When traffic is moving, it's a very bad idea.

[Drunken Monkey]

Remind your commission that the Hurt Report said that lane-splitting motorcycles were significantly under-represented in accidents.

That's study-speak for land sharing is actually safer than not lane sharing.

[ducatiz]

The Hurt Report is so old as to not even be remotely relevant anymore.

Bikes rarely had more than 90 hp in 1975.  The typical sport bike had around 60-70 hp and weighed close to 500 lbs wet.  Cars were sterile places : no dvd, no mobile phone, no headrests, and radios were still optional.  Hell, even passenger-side mirrors were optional!

I think the Hurt Report is a good piece of discussion material, but the roads have changed so much since then -- bikes, cars, enforcement, etc. 

[Drunken Monkey]

The Hurt Report is so old as to not even be remotely relevant anymore.

Not that I disagree, but what do all the  'advances' we have gotten since then affect lane sharing more than "regular" riding? At worst it's a wash and at best those mirrors are going to come in handy.

And if the OP is looking to help his cause, siting the Hurt Report (moldy as it is) isn't going to hurt.

[ducatiz]

Not that I disagree, but what do all the  'advances' we have gotten since then affect lane sharing more than "regular" riding? At worst it's a wash and at best those mirrors are going to come in handy.

And if the OP is looking to help his cause, siting the Hurt Report (moldy as it is) isn't going to hurt.

I agree wholeheartedly, but my point is that there are so many other variables on the road now, the outcomes are clearly going to be different.  Hopefully in our favour.

[Scotzman]

I think the CA highway patrol did an independent study of this for their police and found it to be safer. How long ago- I don't know, but that's the reason it's legal here.

[He Man]

if u have room for it, i dont think its that big of a deal, but when you get to the point where u have about 3 inches of play on each side it starts getting dangerous. I try my best to not lane split, i used to do it pretty bad, but then i got tagged twice, and now i will do it only at certain hours of the day.

[Howie]

I split less and less due to fear of tickets.  When I due split, only in slow moving traffic to filter to the front and never more than 10-15 MPH over the speed of traffic. 

[Drunken Monkey]

I split less and less due to fear of tickets.  When I due split, only in slow moving traffic to filter to the front and never more than 10-15 MPH over the speed of traffic. 

I'm legally allowed to split lanes and even then I follow the guidelines you just set forth.

[He Man]

I split less and less due to fear of tickets.  When I due split, only in slow moving traffic to filter to the front and never more than 10-15 MPH over the speed of traffic. 

There was a red light and i was filtering up the front between a mta bus and a double parked car at walking pace, got pulled over cause the double parked car was a undercover and the dude chewed my ass out too.

on the highway i lane splitted pass a few cars and then i stopped in front of cop car, who blipped his siren just once and i looked around with no one around me, so i just kept moving with traffic, it was barely moving for the minute i stood in traffic so i started lane splitting again and the guy litterly chased me for 1/2 mile without his sirens or anything and finnaly started driving on dirt shoulders to catch up to me. Also chewed my ass out cause i didnt stop at the first "warning" he called up my pba card and let me go, but the point is, its really not worth it cause its illegal no matter how safe u do it. and im pretty sure its 2points per incident too.  1 ticket = a years worth of unlimited metros.

[Jett]

I split less and less due to fear of tickets.  When I due split, only in slow moving traffic to filter to the front and never more than 10-15 MPH over the speed of traffic. 

I think if they do make it legal here in Oregon like it is in Cali they will make a speed regulation, not to go faster than a certain speed like you say you already do. Even if they don't put that regulation in place I will remain at a respectable speed. Cagers/cops are just looking for any reason to hate us more than they already do. I've read up on a couple updates and reports as to whether this is gonna pass or not and I have to say it is looking pretty good for Oregon. I have never personally split lanes because if I get one more ticket it means my job. Not worth it at this point.

[Howie]

I split less and less due to fear of tickets.  When I due do split, only in slow moving traffic to filter to the front and never more than 10-15 MPH over the speed of traffic. 

Can't believe no one caught that

[Scotzman]

CA doesn't have a set speed, but stipulates, "a safe operating speed", so if something happens they can say you weren't traveling at a safe speed.