[Danskman]

Interesting thread... I too have owned motorcycles on and off for almost 25 years. I always take the attitude that Gary has - no one can see me. And I have to say, even though it is legal in CA to split lanes, I would never do it. As a rider, when I am driving my car I like to think I am aware of motorcycles on the road in my vacinity. That said, I know there have been countless times that a bike splitting lanes has startled me. If I am creeping along in traffic at between 5 - 15 MPH, and a bike "flies" by me at 25-35 MPH, it just does not seem safe for the rider. If me and the other thousand cars around me are traveling at 5-15 MPH, I am not looking for something, a bike or anything else, to pass me at 2x the speed I am doing. I would venture to say that lane splitting is safe for the rider only if his speed is not any greater than 10%-20% of the vehicles he is passing.