something tells me this dude gets the concept of sarcasm... oh that was sarcasm by the way
Lane splitting proposed for Texas
Sweet. Too bad I don't live in Texas. I hope someone introduces this in CO. Lanesplitting I-25 at rush-hour would be awesome - dangerous as all get out - but awesome nonetheless.
cdg
cdg
21 - 40 of 48 Posts
I sent ~20 letters to various legislators in North Carolina earlier this year trying to get consideration for lane splitting. Some initial feedback was promising, but once it reached a transportation comittee it was deemed "too dangerous". This, dispite the fact that in my letter I quoted the Hurt Report's finding that lane splitting can be safer than sitting in traffic with limited escape routes.
My recommendation: send letters to your law makers! Don't use email; they get hundreds of emails a day that are easily dismissed. I'm sure they get hundreds of letters too, but I think the time and energy required for email carries some weight.
I'm going to try sending letters again, using the TX information as additional ammunition.
My recommendation: send letters to your law makers! Don't use email; they get hundreds of emails a day that are easily dismissed. I'm sure they get hundreds of letters too, but I think the time and energy required for email carries some weight.
I'm going to try sending letters again, using the TX information as additional ammunition.
Hogeye states that the press has not given this proposal any coverage. So if the bill gets signed into law, how will cagers know that lane splitting is legal? They won't and we'll end up hearing plenty of news stories about bike vs car road rage and "accidents" where riders are squeezed into neighboring vehicles.
Let's hear suggestions on how to properly educate cagers about legalized lane splitting. Kicking off mirrors or denting body panels doesn't count.
Let's hear suggestions on how to properly educate cagers about legalized lane splitting. Kicking off mirrors or denting body panels doesn't count.
How about a letter in large print informing drivers of the lane splitting law every time they renew their license? Also add an extra question for the new drivers test: Is lane sharing legal in Texas?
The number of SUVs on the road have made lane splitting pretty near impossible. In New York, the lanes are pretty narrow. SUVs next to each other means not enough space to fit a 250 Ninja with no mirrors through.
There's a proposal to make it legal in Washington too. I think it's in the preliminary stages now so I don't know how it'll pan out. The state also wants to tack another knickle on the gas tax and start basing vehicale registration fees on gvwr.
Maybe that'll get some of the Excursions and Armadas back on the lot where they belong, instead of clogging up the roads.
Maybe that'll get some of the Excursions and Armadas back on the lot where they belong, instead of clogging up the roads.
I'd love to see this happen in Maryland on the Baltimore and Capitol Beltways and on I-70 and I-270. I can't believe such a thing exists in California. Texas, way to go! Maybe Virginia will take a lead and Maryland will be shamed into following their lead.
You are welcome in Greece and most of Europe to ride only between lanes. I personally commute daily on a Ninja ZX12R. Cars are doing 0 to 40mph and bikes typically 10 to 30mph more. Accidents are very rare.
WTF, you can't lane-split? You poor SOB.
So how'd you do in the race last weekend? VWW
Did ok. Not as good as last year but ok. Lot's more bikes this year. I got sick as a dog on Saturday, so I shined on the over 40 novice class.
The Sunday vintage race was kind of strange. There were about 10% more vintage bikes on the line, even a couple of sano Harley Baja's.
Instead of dropping the banner just for the vintage class line like previous years, the Vipers made us go off with the dual-sport class. All at once (lines 16 & 17).
A number of the dual sport riders must have been asleep, since most of the vintage bikes blew right through their start line. I got a pretty good start, and the mighty DT1 was running like the proverbial top. I passed a few people in the MX section, but sure enough, on the big sandy road they passed me right back. Just couldn't get the bike to top-out in 5th, which cut my top speed to about 45 mph (the next 2 loops I went to the left of the sandy road on hard packed dirt, which allowed me to jump back on the road at the halfway point, keeping me above 50 mph).
About halfway through the second loop, I got into my rhythm, and started picking people off. A CZ400, a Maico, a few dual sport types. I was doing pretty good until some maniac on a YZ450F dual-sport stole my line before going through the timing boxes at the end of lap 2, and I ate it at about 15 mph. No big thing, but a few of the people I passed got by me again.
So on lap three I passed most of them back and was feeling real strong, looking to a repeat of last year where I made 6 laps (and most of the leaders blew up, allowing my good finish) but at the start of lap 4 they called the race! My odometer read only 13 miles, and about 30 minutes had elapsed from the start. Cripes. Fooey. Cancel my rumba lessons!
This will be the last year of campaigning the mighty enduro. I have a '71 DT1MX that will get the nod next year (that is if I can find a piston). Need something faster.
I'll send you some pics.
The Sunday vintage race was kind of strange. There were about 10% more vintage bikes on the line, even a couple of sano Harley Baja's.
Instead of dropping the banner just for the vintage class line like previous years, the Vipers made us go off with the dual-sport class. All at once (lines 16 & 17).
A number of the dual sport riders must have been asleep, since most of the vintage bikes blew right through their start line. I got a pretty good start, and the mighty DT1 was running like the proverbial top. I passed a few people in the MX section, but sure enough, on the big sandy road they passed me right back. Just couldn't get the bike to top-out in 5th, which cut my top speed to about 45 mph (the next 2 loops I went to the left of the sandy road on hard packed dirt, which allowed me to jump back on the road at the halfway point, keeping me above 50 mph).
About halfway through the second loop, I got into my rhythm, and started picking people off. A CZ400, a Maico, a few dual sport types. I was doing pretty good until some maniac on a YZ450F dual-sport stole my line before going through the timing boxes at the end of lap 2, and I ate it at about 15 mph. No big thing, but a few of the people I passed got by me again.
So on lap three I passed most of them back and was feeling real strong, looking to a repeat of last year where I made 6 laps (and most of the leaders blew up, allowing my good finish) but at the start of lap 4 they called the race! My odometer read only 13 miles, and about 30 minutes had elapsed from the start. Cripes. Fooey. Cancel my rumba lessons!
This will be the last year of campaigning the mighty enduro. I have a '71 DT1MX that will get the nod next year (that is if I can find a piston). Need something faster.
I'll send you some pics.
You commute on a ZX12? That has to be the shortest commute ever on that missile!
Other than cutting traffic time for us, it would be very welcome to have a relief from the blistering heat involved in stop and go summer riding in the big cities.
Here in Iowa it is not needed as much, due to smaller cities and less population.
Thanks
Don
Here in Iowa it is not needed as much, due to smaller cities and less population.
Thanks
Don
Other than cutting traffic time for us, it would be very welcome to have a relief from the blistering heat involved in stop and go summer riding in the big cities.
Here in Iowa it is not needed as much, due to smaller cities and less population.
Thanks
Don
Here in Iowa it is not needed as much, due to smaller cities and less population.
Thanks
Don
When I was in Athens last year, I also saw people commuting on the sidewalks. In cars.
Man, I thought L.A. traffic was bad...
Man, I thought L.A. traffic was bad...
wow! you can drive up to 5 mph faster than traffic that is moving 20 mph or slower (for a grand total of 25 mph). hardly a great bill, but at least you're not sitting in traffic!
Re: AWSOME!!
You get 80mph Interstates instead.
(I now live in CT where it is 65mph still...)
You get 80mph Interstates instead.
(I now live in CT where it is 65mph still...)
Lane-splitting ain't that bad. I use car mirrors and bus sides as support. I can lean against them at traffic lights without putting my feet down. Or, I can use them to prop me up at speed if I hit a bump. A foot against a bus goes a long way toward helping you maintain balance after a particularly vicious pothole.
I've smashed car mirrors and truck mirrors before with my bike mirror. Car mirrors really go "POP", followed by a tinkling of shattered glass. The car mirror was the worst for wear. My mirror is simply a USD 8 replacement; it's all plastic mirror & stalk. The damage to the car mirror seemed much more extensive. Keep riding. Cover your license place. Don't look back.
The key to lane-splitting is to whizz past the cars as quick as possible, heaving your handlebars right and left to avoid over-extended car mirrors. Think of "Star Wars" or "Tron".
Motorcycle traffic in Seoul is extremely fluid, though, and perhaps that has affected my outlook on city bike riding. Most motorbikes are 125cc and the rest are 90cc or 110cc Honda Cub copies. There's also the odd 400cc Honda Super Four.
Bikes are accepted-- if not technically allowed-- on sidewalks, on pedestrian walkways, across pedestrian overpasses, on bicycle paths, in the middle of intersections, between lanes, between oncoming lanes, in the bus lane, going perpendicular across traffic lanes and just about anywhere else. For example, I park my bike on the sidewalk, in front of my busy downtown office tower, next to a newspaper kiosk, under a birch tree. Much nicer than those nasty underground parking lots.
I've not yet seen an accident due to lane-splitting (barring my mirror smash experience). Most motorcycle accidents I've seen have been due to the bike rider slipping. Then, secondly, due to a car not seeing the bike zooming toward it, and pulling into traffic.
All in all, lane-splitting's harmless. The keys are rider training, safety armour, reflective vests and tall bright orange flags. With those key requirements in place, lane-splitting at 60kph or 90kph is just a quick way to get to work.
Vroom, vroo~ooom!
-gceaves
Hyosung GV250
Seoul, Korea
I've smashed car mirrors and truck mirrors before with my bike mirror. Car mirrors really go "POP", followed by a tinkling of shattered glass. The car mirror was the worst for wear. My mirror is simply a USD 8 replacement; it's all plastic mirror & stalk. The damage to the car mirror seemed much more extensive. Keep riding. Cover your license place. Don't look back.
The key to lane-splitting is to whizz past the cars as quick as possible, heaving your handlebars right and left to avoid over-extended car mirrors. Think of "Star Wars" or "Tron".
Motorcycle traffic in Seoul is extremely fluid, though, and perhaps that has affected my outlook on city bike riding. Most motorbikes are 125cc and the rest are 90cc or 110cc Honda Cub copies. There's also the odd 400cc Honda Super Four.
Bikes are accepted-- if not technically allowed-- on sidewalks, on pedestrian walkways, across pedestrian overpasses, on bicycle paths, in the middle of intersections, between lanes, between oncoming lanes, in the bus lane, going perpendicular across traffic lanes and just about anywhere else. For example, I park my bike on the sidewalk, in front of my busy downtown office tower, next to a newspaper kiosk, under a birch tree. Much nicer than those nasty underground parking lots.
I've not yet seen an accident due to lane-splitting (barring my mirror smash experience). Most motorcycle accidents I've seen have been due to the bike rider slipping. Then, secondly, due to a car not seeing the bike zooming toward it, and pulling into traffic.
All in all, lane-splitting's harmless. The keys are rider training, safety armour, reflective vests and tall bright orange flags. With those key requirements in place, lane-splitting at 60kph or 90kph is just a quick way to get to work.
Vroom, vroo~ooom!
-gceaves
Hyosung GV250
Seoul, Korea
I'll go out on a limb and make an assumption that European attitudes are significantly different than Americans when it comes to sharing roads. I bet you guys don't have a "me first, screw everyone else" mentality. The typical American cager doesn't understand the concept of using the left lane for passing or letting traffic merge.
American driving habits need to undergo a major paradigm shift before lane-splitting will be considered acceptable behavior.
American driving habits need to undergo a major paradigm shift before lane-splitting will be considered acceptable behavior.
I live in rural TX and ride a Honda Silverwing (580cc scooter). The speed limit on the hwy to the nuke plant is 70 mph. There's not much need for lane spliting between home & work, however it could be useful when I go up to cowtown to a play or the rodeo. Riding in Korea sounds challenging and fun!
21 - 40 of 48 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Motorcycle Forums
A forum community dedicated to all motorcycle owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, reviews, modifications, classifieds, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
Easy Rider 2
32 Replies
gunsmoker
13 Replies
Martin.Thomas
12 Replies
Recommended Communities
