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2-Wheel Life: Lane-Splitting is Not a Crime
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3293 Reads
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 Hey you in the car, it's me; I'm that motorcyclist that you hate. But maybe I'm not as bad as you think. Here are just a few things that you might consider the next time a motorcyclist passes you on the freeway:
- We're not all crazy. In my case, the added mobility and maneuverability are the only things that actually keep me sane in LA traffic.
- We're actually saving you time. If I was in my car instead of on the bike, I'd be adding to the congestion. More motorcycles = less cars in front of you ...
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- Motorcycles are allowed to share the lane with you on the freeway, between lanes 1 and 2 (that's the two lanes farthest to the left), up to 10 miles per hour faster than traffic is moving (up to 40mph). It's called "lane splitting" or "lane sharing."
- Believe it or not, when done properly, it's the safest place for a motorcyclist to be. That's because the most prevalent type of accident on the freeway is the rear end collision, and that's bad news for a biker. See links below for the actual accident study report.
- Yeah, I know, not all motorcyclists follow these rules, just as all car drivers do not follow the rules. Still, don't take it upon yourself to deal with it. A traffic officer or the law of averages will eventually deal with these miscreants. Cutting off a bike, or swerving into one could kill or injure somebody. It's not worth a vehicular homicide charge just to slow down a bike that you think is going too fast. (not to mention the inconvenient scrapes and dents to your car, and heaveb forbid a higher insurance premium) Let them go.
- If you are in lanes 1 or 2 on the freeway, expect to see motorcycles at some point during your drive. Don't panic � no need to swerve wildly to the side to let them pass. If it's safe, just move over in your lane, and give them a little space to go by, they don't need much.
For more info on the subject, see the following links:
Lane Splitting: Tear Along Dotted Line
Motorcycle Safety Foundation
Literature on sharing the road with motorcycles, such as:
"Ten Things All Car & Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles" Quick Tips
and
"Sharing The Roadway" booklet for non-motorcyclists"
And finally, here's my favorite tip out of "Sharing the Roadway:
"When a motorcycle is in motion, don't think of it as motorcycle; think of it as a person."
Well said.
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| Posted by: ScottReuter on Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 05:53 AM
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