However I am wondering what it will be like to do my first "lane splitting". This being my first time riding thru a state that allows it, I know I will be feeling a bit guilty (catholic side of my up-bringing) passing the cagers. Based on some googling, the key is to go no more than 5mph faster than traffic and cross fingers that CHP is in good mood.
Back in April a buddy of mine who is a MSF rider-coach and works for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (and a Harley rider
) told me he was going to a workshop for putting together the best practices for lane sharing, and did I have anything I wanted to pass along. Here's what I gave him (sorry for the all caps; it was to stand out within his email):
1. OPEN UP YOUR VISION. (HVH ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT HERE)
2. COVER YOUR BRAKE(S).
3. WAIT TILL TRAFFIC SETTLES BEFORE GOING UP THE MIDDLE.
4. BE MODERATE IN YOUR SPEED (EVERYONE LIKES TO SAY "10 MPH" OR WHATEVER ABOVE TRAFFIC SPEED, BUT I CAN'T REALLY CALIBRATE THAT; I JUST DO IT INTUITIVELY.)
5. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LANE SHARING AND PLAYING SLOLOM AT 70 MPH .
6. LET MORE AGGRESSIVE RIDERS BY SO THEY DON'T PUSH YOU INTO YOUR NOT-COMFORTABLE SPEED.
7. EYE CONTACT WITH DRIVERS IS USELESS: YOU CAN'T DO IT LOGISTICALLY, AND EVEN IF THEY SEEM TO SEE YOU DOESN'T MEAN THEY WON'T MOVE OVER.
8. KNOW HOW TO MAKE YOUR BIKE DIVE OVER (SWERVE) AGGRESSIVELY AT LOW SPEED.
9. KEEP THE RPMs UP.
10. DON'T WAVE THANKS TO DRIVERS WHO NUDGE OVER; KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE ROAD AND HANDS ON THE CONTROLS.
11. TRY TO STAY BETWEEN THE NOS. 1 AND 2 LANES.
I would add to do a mirror and shoulder check for other bikes coming up behind you before you head up the middle.
BTW, most drivers stay where they are as you come up by them, many move out of the way, and I can recall perhaps on half of one hand in about 6 years and 60,000 miles of burning up clutches and trashing transmissions
in commute traffic a car trying to nudge me out of the way. So whatever you do, don't waste attention being nervous that you will piss off the drivers.
And BTW lane sharing does not include going over the right fog line on single-lane roads, no matter what Fairlaner may think.
As Patton says to the troops, Believe me, when you stick your hand into some goo that used to be your best buddy's face, you'll know what to do. :blink: Um, when you find yourself in miles of stop-and-go traffic, and you're getting hot, you'll know what to do, trooper. And you quickly get used to it. Then you dig it. It's like you're at Disneyland and always get to go to the front of the line. Before you know it, you'll be heading to the front of the line at signalized intersections. :yahoo:
