Motorcyclists

[fogcity]

In Ca I believe the law is 25mph (maybe 35) or slower to lane split.

Also, in Ca, I've seen so much road rage and the ill effects that if you see a car or bike driver who pisses you off, just smile and let them pass. People often forget what happens when metal or asphalt hits skin.

(That being said, when I ride my bikes I get a little aggro after miles of being under estimated in both my speed and my right to be on the road and tend to act childish, at times).

[cegerer]

Hmmmm, learn something new every day. Never knew lane splitting was legal anywhere! Seems like unusually poor idea. Might be fun with a blindfold on though ......

[MJHanna]

I ride a Harley to work every day. Yes it has louder than stock pipes. NO it does not have straight pipe/drag pipes. Maybe in CA the drivers DO NOT GET ON their Cell phones and run down the freeways. But in Texas ,it’s soccer Mom’s in 6000lbs SUV’s throwing fast food to the kids in the third back seat, putting on her make-up and talking on the phone while cruising down the freeway. She does not know I even exist and if I interrupt her call with my trying to get around the swerving and no signal lane-changing vehicle. I’m sooooo sorry, if I have distracted her enough to not KILL me!!!!!!

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

nice posts. when i was learning to drive, dad brought home all the death on the hiway films from the at&t library, bodies on slabs,etc. been hit 3 times on bikes, each time the driver says "i did not see you, where did you come from?".....so now i wear, and think everyones should wear brightly colored clothing for their own non legislated safety. dads words often ring in my ears, " yes, you might have the right of way, you might be right, DEAD RIGHT!!

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

SO ON THE WAY TO STURGIS, WATCH FOR THAT NUTCASE WEARING HIS HUNTER ORANGE VEST, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW OF US!!

[nestorjw]

Before my SC, I had a bike and I have respect for the risks. Def makes me feel better to give them room, even get a wave once in a while for that.

[MotoSook]

Wow! This is getting interesting. One thought we should all keep fresh in our minds is that not all bikers are the same and not all drivers are the same.

As I biker, I don't appreciate the squids that have a nice trust fund (or other funding) and buy the baddest bike their money can buy without learning the rules of riding or road etiquette. They love to pop wheelies from a stop light, but can't corner for sheet! They tend to be the guys that Thom hates.

I've got a bike that'll out run most 911 turbos on the road, and it is LOUD. BUT! I don't feel the need to blip the throttle at lights (or be the fasting guy on the road), and unless I NEED it to draw attention (blip..it works more often than not) I am usually low reving it. It's loud for performance, not for show (you know what I mean). If I had a twin air cooled engined bike, it might be loud too, but it better have the numbers to back it up. I know some Harley riders that are great guys, but there are the others that give the Harley riders a bad name. Rockets or Harleys, the ones that don't know how to ride and share the road, are not going to be riding for very long.

And YES, if you are a JERK in a 4-wheeler, I'm going to let you know it whether I'm in a car or on my bike (but not at the risk of endangering myself or out non-jerky drivers)!

I just saw a headline about an old man that hurt and killed a bunch of people in Cali, because he "loss control of his car." Some people, old or young, just don't deserve to be in control of anything other than their own two feet! You think that guy blips his throttle or takes his time leaving a light?

Have a good day...soap box is getting crowded ain't it?

[old_skul]

Yeah, I guess if you want to know someone's true colors, you can look in this thread.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

As a motorcyclist myself, I ask everyone out there oin the road NOT to pull in closer when we are lane splitting. There is a reason we do it. Our bikes are air cooled. they need that cool air to keep from overheating. As a rule, if i see anyone coming up on me on a bike, I will pull over (if possible) and give him room to pass. it's a courtesy i extend to my brothers on two wheels.

[chuckw951]

I've never ridden a motorcycle and I'm sure it is fun. At the same time everyone I have ever met who rides has had some sort of accident.

Just with cars there are responsible riders and there are those that are not.

I get out of the way of the irresponsble ones. Seeing these guys on their rice rockets weaving in and out of DC beltway traffic at 100mph is unreal. I just hope one doesn't go splat in front of me.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I just ride like everyone is actively trying to kill me. Which they probably are.

Have to say, the open-carry law here does make me feel a bit safer. A Glock+motorcycle vs. a 6000lbs SUV still favors the SUV, but not as badly as just the motorcycle vs. SUV.

[island911]

I've owned many motorcycles so I can speak from experience; Loud exhaust as a "safety device" IS PURE BS. If all you 'loud-pipe guys' think it provides safety for people to "hear ya coming" either turn the pipes to be facing fwd, or GET A FREAKING HORN.

Really, Every time I see a guy with loud pipes I think there's a guy who as a kid, put cards in his bicycle spokes . . ..and never grew out of it.

The image projected by LOUD isn't "born to be bad" as some may believe. More like "born to be annoying".
Huh, I suppose that LOUD Harley riders didn't know they had so much in common with Richard Simons.

[jhugh]

Ha! I knew that'd get some good responses.

Ride a bike in a place with real (read: major urban) traffic and you'll see that the pipes thing actually works. Believe it or not, most people perceive it as a softer version of a horn. Horns get you doored and spit on.

It's also hard for me to believe some of the people complaining about motorcycle exhaust noise --- listen to your own cars! All Porsches have playing cards in the spokes.

Of course sport bike riding is macho. So is driving a tricked-out 911. But riding a bike really puts it on the line and brings out the absolute worst in other drivers. Brings out the worst in me! Obviously I responded to it in a reckless, hormonal way. Mea culpa. Sue me.

But for the record, the Lexus didn't get his mirrors removed for my convenience. That happened because HE RAMMED US AND KNOCKED US INTO THE CURB, a bike with a passenger, while we were passing him at about +2 mph. He deserved what he got and more.

But like I said, now I much prefer 4 wheels on the ground and the absence of those opportunities to get into trouble. If I'm caught in traffic now, I'm just caught in traffic. I turn on the cd player and wait it out like everyone else. Cuz as soon as you give in to lane splitting, there's a whole new world of options and aggravations. On a bike there's always a way out, a solution. It's so hard to resist that as a rider. When you take it, people resent that and try to foil you. Then you're pissed, they're pissed, and it's no good.

I just give bikes their props and a lot of room. They appreciate it.

[MJHanna]

The pipes on my bike were change in order to add the performance back to where it should have been when it was delivered from the factory: without the restrictive air inlet and restrictive exhaust system. The loudness is a “byproduct” not the “reason” for having a louder exhaust. Just as on the cars I track, their exhaust systems are LOUDER than a stock system, once again for performance. Do I think they can hear me coming on the Bike? Hell no!!! Do I think they can hear me when I’m in the center lane and the jerk in the car next to me does a lane change without turning his head in my direction cuz he talking on his cell. Mummmm Soommmme times.

[island911]

Originally posted by jhugh
. . . actually works. Believe it or not, most people perceive it as a softer version of a horn. Horns get you doored and spit on.
. . .

I'll bet that if you switched exhaust for "cards in the spokes," you would have the best of both worlds. . . . softer than a horn, an dwho could spit on you while laughing so hard.

[elbean]

OOhhhh my ears, my ears,it hurts my ears.
I guess leaf blowers are out of the question too?
I thought this post would die moving to off topic but Nooooo!
Hey, I used to put cards in my spokes, and the problem is???

[RickC]

Used to ride dirt bikes and sportbikes in SoCal. Lane splitting was fun. Tried it here in Chicago 15 years ago and was nearly killed by very angry people. Motorcycles are seasonal here, so they are not looked for or appreciated. Don't like the noise of some Harley's, but you notice them and thus don't cut them off.

Speaking of which, as a past motorcyclist (and probably future one too), I unintentionally cut off a motorcyle during a left turn at sundown a few weeks ago (in a Volvo V70XC, not the 911) - got flipped off and and an angry look from a guy and his girlfriend on a standard Japanese air-cooled bike (not sure type/brand - it happened pretty fast).

I really try to look out for bikes and didn't see him. Felt pretty bad. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE. DRIVE LIKE THEY CAN'T SEE YOU! Even those of us who care make errors, which are far more serious for t-shirt wearing kids than air-bagged father's of three.

I thought about this biker for a few days. One thing he SHOULD have done is to LEAVE THE HIGH BEAM ON during the day - annoys/attracts the eye of 4 wheel drivers and extends the life of the bulb. A helmet and gloves are a good idea too. Some low speed crashes you may be able to protect your head if you're lucky, but your hands are going to get scraped no matter what.

[Z-man]

Question:
Isn't lane splitting done to that air cooled motorcycles don't overheat?

If that is the case, then the water-cooled bikes should NOT line split, since their bikes are not at risk.


Just my $0.42,
-Z.

[Z-man]

Question:
Isn't lane splitting done to that air cooled motorcycles don't overheat?

If that is the case, then the water-cooled bikes should NOT line split, since their bikes are not at risk.


Just my $0.42,
-Z.

[fogcity]

So after reading this thread last night I took the bike to work today to see what people did. On my ride back home, 14 miles, there was about 1 1/2 miles of stop and go traffic plus slow moving traffic across the GG Bridge where I split lanes.

In a total of 2 1/2 miles of lane splitting, about 2/3 of the drivers never saw me coming. Of the ones that did, most held their line, four clearly pulled to the side to give me space to pass, and one (while watching me in the side mirror) pulled to the inside to purposely keep me from passing for as long as he could. What was this ********* driving? A Carrera.

I got to say, I can't see any reason for not drifting to the outside a mere 4-8 inches to give the guy risking life and limb (whether you agree or not) a little extra room.