anyone ever been to California--lane splitting

[sublimobile]

This was a while ago, but I went to California last summer. This was before I had my bike. I almost crapped myself the first time I was in traffic and a bike flew by between me and the car in the lane directly next to me. Apparently, lane splitting is legal in CA. Is it me or is this as dangerous as it gets? If I switch lanes while this guy is flying by me, I'd feel terrible if I took him out.

So anyone going to california--be careful. Lets make sure we dont take out one of our own.

[SGVRider]

I live in California, and I'll tell ya', it's absolutely awesome being able to legally split lanes, especially in LA traffic. I judiciously use the horn and rev my engine (don't know if it helps, but it makes me feel better) and slow the bike if I think a driver might possibly jump in front of me. If you as a rider maintain situational awareness and don't do anything too stupid, you're usually able to plan ahead and avoid possible accidents, it's just like doing anything else on a motorcycle.

[runnerb0y]

Splitting traffic in CA is legal, but if there's any mishap, you'll be at fault. I lived there for 6 1/2 years and though I'm not proud to say it, I did frequently split traffic.

Now being quite a bit older and more mellow (notice I didn't say wiser), I don't think I'd be lane splitting now. Won't know for sure till I'm presented with the opportunity. Here it Oregon it's a no-no, so I don't do it.

[evmo]

I live in the bay area and we have some really bad traffic up here as well. Lane splitting is a very intense thing for me. I'm concentrating on the cars (what their doing, and what directionthe drivers are looking) and more importantly the breaks in the cars. I get extra cautious when i see a car sized hole in traffic, all to often the guy in the lane next to it will suddenly dart over. Still, between splitting and use of the carpool lanes commutes are MUCH faster.

[Dawg_Broke]

It's been legalized here in Texas recently... I lived in Ca for 18 years before I moved back home... don't know that I'm going to be doing much of it. I've seen two really bad hits from riders doing it, and I personally don't feel safe. Cagers just don't watch for you.
Update... it has NOT been legalized. It was in the house for a while and then dropped. My mistake.

[tcobar]

Lived in LA before moving up to the bay area and have been lane splitting since I started riding. It's like anything else, very scary at first, but then you get used to it and learn how to do it well. I added a modulated headlight to my mean streak to make me more visible. Ultimatelly it IS up to the rider to do this responsibly and safely. Also, keep in mind that during commuting hours cagers know that bikes lane split and some are curteous and give you room, not always but most do.

Since we are on lane splitting, the one thing that I learned is that you should only lane split on straight sections of the freeway, not on curves. On curves, cagers seem to wonder in their lane and can sandwich you in...

[Jsy]

We have too many people that live in California, so lane splitting rules. I love doing it, but I get so scared doing it because some id10t decides to move right in front of you. A bad habit for most people in Bakersfield is people don't use their blinker and cut you off and honk at you lol. If you have a short fuse. Don't move to cali lol.

Is lane splitting legal in Washington?

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by sublimobile

This was a while ago, but I went to California last summer. This was before I had my bike. I almost crapped myself the first time I was in traffic and a bike flew by between me and the car in the lane directly next to me. Apparently, lane splitting is legal in CA. Is it me or is this as dangerous as it gets? If I switch lanes while this guy is flying by me, I'd feel terrible if I took him out.

So anyone going to california--be careful. Lets make sure we dont take out one of our own.

I think the key is to not be more than 10-15 MPH faster than the cars when you do it. If you go buzzing up the middle a pair of lines of parked freeway traffic, you're asking for trouble.

Honestly, I don't know if I'd feel comfortable doing it myself.

[metalesp]

When I'm driving (my truck) in heavy traffic I'm constantly checking my mirrors for bikers that are lane splitting...

[KraZ440]

Originally Posted by Jsy

Is lane splitting legal in Washington?

Lane splitting in not legal in Washington state. There have been recent efforts to legalize it, but I'm not sure where those efforts currently stand. Sharing the lane with another motorcycle is legal though.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by metalesp

When I'm driving (my truck) in heavy traffic I'm constantly checking my mirrors for bikers that are lane splitting...

Ditto... always move over and give them plenty of room.
I do not lane split when I'm on the Vulcan... that's the main reason I bought a liquid cooled bike

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

Ditto... always move over and give them plenty of room.
I do not lane split when I'm on the Vulcan... that's the main reason I bought a liquid cooled bike

Not to mention the extra width of those Vulcan beasts....

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by CTRider

Not to mention the extra width of those Vulcan beasts....

Nahh... without the LeatherLykes, I think my a$$ is wider than the Vulcan

[SteelCityVROC]

When I lived in the Bay Area from 1996-1999 I was still vowing I'd never ride a motorcycle again (bad accident in 1982). When I saw the lane splitting, I couldn't believe it was legal. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the speed limit 10 mph or less to split? I remember several times on 101 or 280 where motorcycles would split lanes at 75 or 80 mph....not that I was going that fast in my cage though...ahem. Just curious if I'd heard correctly about 10mph being the correct speed to split lanes in CA. Oh yea, after 24 years of not riding, I got a 2006 Vulcan last July! Now I regret going so many years w/o one.

[RichLockyer]

Splitting is not addressed in the CVC, as such, there is no "legal/illegal" with respect to any part of the practice of splitting. It is commonly accepted not to split if traffic is moving under 25 or so, but there is only one statute that actually applies, and it seems that it is NEVER enforced.

This applies to splitting, or even to cages or bikes in a normal lane...
It is not legal to exceed a 15mph differential with the adjacent lane. AFAIK, this is reinforced by the basic speed law.

If traffic is crawling, it is technically illegal to do 65 in the carpool lane.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

If traffic is crawling, it is technically illegal to do 65 in the carpool lane.

Around here, there's usually a barrier between the regular lanes and the carpool lane. Those guys can ignore conditions in the rest of the highway and drive like normal.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by CTRider

Around here, there's usually a barrier between the regular lanes and the carpool lane. Those guys can ignore conditions in the rest of the highway and drive like normal.

We have a couple of roads where the HOV lane is separate, but in most cases, it's just another "fast" lane, separated by a 3 or 4 foot section of double-double yellow (which makes a beautiful MC lane).
There are white dashed areas every 3 or 4 offramps for ingress/egress.

What sucks is they are heading toward CONSTANT ingress/egress. ABATE is fighting it... it's bad enough NOW with people illegally entering and exiting the lane. If they make it legal to enter and exit at any time it will cause a huge increase in accidents... especially involving bikers.
It will become literally another fast lane that only 1% of the commuters can use.

[J The Engineer]

I only split lanes when needed, and yes it's pretty bad sometimes. I've actually gotten tunnel vision a bit when I'm doing it, so sometimes I have to back into traffic and relax for a bit to get myself "back"

[Gryphen]

I lane split every morning and afternoon to and from work, keeps me focussed on the traffic, and drivers generally are okay with it here, only time you have a problem is when drivers don't check the mirrors and indicate before moving, as long as they do the correct and safe thing it makes it easier for us. Oh yer and here if a driver changes lane into me whilst I am lane splitting.. they are at fault Ozzie ozzie ozzie

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

We have a couple of roads where the HOV lane is separate, but in most cases, it's just another "fast" lane, separated by a 3 or 4 foot section of double-double yellow (which makes a beautiful MC lane).
There are white dashed areas every 3 or 4 offramps for ingress/egress.

What sucks is they are heading toward CONSTANT ingress/egress. ABATE is fighting it... it's bad enough NOW with people illegally entering and exiting the lane. If they make it legal to enter and exit at any time it will cause a huge increase in accidents... especially involving bikers.
It will become literally another fast lane that only 1% of the commuters can use.

There are a few places where it's just striped off, but the striped area forms a shallow downward "V" and there are sewer grates every 50 feet or so. You really wouldn't want to drive over that.

Most of the time, the main highway and the HOV lanes each have their own exit ramps, so there's little crossing going on.