(Lame?) Article in Today's Newspaper About Lane Sharing

Saw this today in today's San Francisco Chronicle (online version):

Lane-splitting benefits both drivers and motorcyclists

IMHO it's not the most persuasive (let alone articulate) statement a rider could make to drivers (clearly the intended audience). But I guess it's probably a net positive for motorcycle awareness and rights in California.

(It's probably re-printed from a SoCal newpaper, since the rider is from Los Angeles--where I rode to in early July and was reminded what crazy freakin' drivers they are down there! And had a fun, adrenalin-spike, advanced lane-sharing ride through morning rush-hour traffic going north on the 405 following Fairlaner. That sh*ts not for novices! )

(And I don't care for his opening statement that "riding is not safe." What is? It's risky, but the risk can be managed to a point where most riders feel comfortable; though others may get to feel uncomfortable with the risk and stop riding, like my buddy Jim; and still others may straddle the edge of comfort around the risks and find themselves questioning whether it's still for them, just not too much or publicly. )

Everyone involved in motorcycling should try to avoid phrases like "riding is not safe" or "motorcycling is dangerous".

"Safe" and "Dangerous" are simply unquantifiable and misleading. For example ... if the word "dangerous" is allowed to be associated with motorcycling, how long before insurers try the "dangerous sport" exclusion, lumping us in with base-jumpers?

All human activity carries some risks. While it is true that motorcycling carries a few more risks, it is more risks than driving a car, not more than jumping out of a aircraft, and that the actual level of risk is comparative, and fairly small.

All risk is quantifiable, and most risk can be managed and mitigated. Sensible laws, good training for all road users and more awareness of driving conditions will help motorcyclists a great deal ... but the reality is that these things will help everyone, and we need to get better at them.

Twigg said:

Everyone involved in motorcycling should try to avoid phrases like "riding is not safe" or "motorcycling is dangerous".
"Safe" and "Dangerous" are simply unquantifiable and misleading. For example ... if the word "dangerous" is allowed to be associated with motorcycling, how long before insurers try the "dangerous sport" exclusion, lumping us in with base-jumpers?

All human activity carries some risks. While it is true that motorcycling carries a few more risks, it is more risks than driving a car, not more than jumping out of a aircraft, and that the actual level of risk is comparative, and fairly small.

All risk is quantifiable, and most risk can be managed and mitigated. Sensible laws, good training for all road users and more awareness of driving conditions will help motorcyclists a great deal ... but the reality is that these things will help everyone, and we need to get better at them.

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Very well said. Hear hear!

Hey, it wasn't that bad...

Agreed, not a bad article. Agreed that calling motorcycling "not safe" isn't ideal, but it seemed a harmless self-introduction to the cagers. The article was addressed at them, not us, and I thought overall a good one.

As a Washingtonian, I've split lanes only a few hours in my lifetime. I was on a ride to California last year and needed to move around the Bay Area for several days between family events. I ride about 12,000 miles a year, and am closing in on 100,000 miles, but those few hours splitting lanes are among the highest-stress of my experience.

The stress is much better than sitting and baking, but the linked article and any other efforts to educate the cagers seems well worth the effort.

Should we really believe that the CHP removed the article because it ..."does not want to encourage the practice" (lanesplitting)? I believe it is becuase they don't want to open themselves up to litigation, and especially don't want to be subject to the scorn of those who are politically powerful but ignorant.

Why would they not want to "encourage the practice" when it is generally agreed that it is safer than sitting in traffic? Just like every other government organization, they are bowing to what is PC and not what is right.

They removed it because a "busybody" complained.

I did some advanced lanesplitting today. Was in SF approaching the Bay Bridge eastbound. This is a perpetual bottleneck and I've ridden it many times in congestion. The road is narrow in places, because some of that freeway was built in the 50's. It had been awhile since I lanesplit, and I realized I was a little rusty. You need to keep on top of your game. It's no wonder that our out-of-state riding friends experiencing their first lanesplitting are a little uncomfortable. Long live lanesplitting in California!!

jwhite518 said:

... I realized I was a little rusty. You need to keep on top of your game. It's no wonder that our out-of-state riding friends experiencing their first lanesplitting are a little uncomfortable. Long live lanesplitting in California!!

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I agree you can get rusty, which is why even though now when I ride in I often (usually) take the back roads, I'll hit the major arterials and freeways once in awhile just to keep my hand in it.

The feeling of rustiness creeps in very subtly in the form of uneasiness, nervousness, like you're not really seeing everything that's happening or could happen in the rolling 360 degrees all around you.

I don't know if getting experienced is about developing the sight again, or just getting over confident that you've got the sight, because part of the feeling of rustiness is thinking, "This is nuts! I must be out of my f**king mind!"

SPLIT LANES IF YOU WANT TO. DON'T SPLIT LANES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.

Okay, no more TWI

You don't really understand discussion, do ya?

You behave like the child screaming in the supermarket aisle when Mom won't buy him candy.

ps ... If your balls are that big, please don't go for gaps that are too narrow ... It wouldn't be a pretty sight.

I understand the frustration of listening to people gnaw on something they have little chance of changing (public opinion). It gets frustrating and wears thin quickly. In this case, it's a thread that doesn't need to be opened if the reader isn't interested so there's no duress. You aren't stuck listening to them outside your office door like at work.

As such, let's just keep it on topic and not let that anger and frustration spill out onto other people. Just don't read the thread any more. Pretty simple. Just like not lashing back at someone who feels compelled to voice a frustration so easily avoided.

Whoops, retracted, probably too far off topic.

What's everybody going on about??? Is it about them pearls again?

Bokerfork said:

SPLIT LANES IF YOU WANT TO. DON'T SPLIT LANES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.
Okay, no more TWI

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Oopsie! I think you may have wandered into the wrong room. "Jokes and Other Fun Stuff" can be found here. Guaranteed not to require any cerebral activity.

jwhite518 said:

It's no wonder that our out-of-state riding friends experiencing their first lanesplitting are a little uncomfortable.

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You can say that again. But I will admit to really liking filtering to the front at stoplights.

As a car-driver in California, I'm on the lookout for bikes lane sharing, yet it always startles me when I'm going 70mph on I-80 in medium traffic and a loud-ass harley roars inches past my door.

Aasland said:

As a car-driver in California, I'm on the lookout for bikes lane sharing, yet it always startles me when I'm going 70mph on I-80 in medium traffic and a loud dumb-ass harley roars inches past my door.

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Not picking on Harleys. Picking on idiots who lanesplit at 70mph. They're the ones who give all of us a bad name.

jwhite518 said:

Aasland said:

As a car-driver in California, I'm on the lookout for bikes lane sharing, yet it always startles me when I'm going 70mph on I-80 in medium traffic and a loud dumb-ass harley roars inches past my door.

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Not picking on Harleys. Picking on idiots who lanesplit at 70mph. They're the ones who give all of us a bad name.

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True, in general it isn't limited to Harley riders. But I have only experienced it with three Harley's and it is the sudden presence of open exhaust noise past my window that startles me more than anything else.