Given that "lane splitting", meaning the two words, are a US English idyom (i.e. only you guys use such an expression, and a tourist will say "huh?")
what would be your reaction to this ?



or this ?



In most of Europe lane splitting is a growing "physiological requirement"; never mind that scooters are watercooled (or forced-air induction cooled)
Most motorcycles are still aircooled and regardless of this, if you're out in the sun, without any air conditioning, you'll want to be doing at least those 10-20mph that keep a minimum breeze flowing.
Else, it's "roasted engine + heat stroke to the rider"



The common evolution of lane splitting is the above, using the emergency lane (breakdown lane, hard shoulder, whatever)
While they WILL take away your driver's license if you do this in a car, they will turn a blind eye if you use the emergency lane in a motorcycle
provided the traffic has ground to a standstill and you are put-putting your way along... NOT screaming your way past.

Your thoughts, please ?  

PS "If someone splits lanes I will open my car door at him" in Europe is the best way to buy the motorcyclist a winning lottery ticket.
Opening your car door as a motocycclist rides by is considered reckless driving (if you can prove you were in good faith)
or even assault and battery if the rider is hurt and has to be driven away in an ambulance.
You must always look before you open a car door, remember, you are in the middle of a highway...

I would so split that... ...

In 1969 when I took my California motorcycle test one of the paragraphs in the test manual was, "When traffic is at a standstill it is legal to drive a motorcycle on the shoulder if you do not exceed 15 MPH."  

I do it in thick traffic, and hate every minute I'm doing it.

If that were a pic from a California freeway there would be 6 street bikes and a bagger with 14" ape hangers doing 70mph down the middle of a lane!

It has taken me all 5 years living here to get comfortable splitting. I still refuse to do it if traffic is doing a reasonable speed. But splitting to the front of a red light I will do. And splitting congested freeway traffic doing less than let's say 30mph I'm ok with. Just have this fear of someone changing lanes on me since they do not ever see you.

And when you're doing it Rylee, those 70 mph buggers will be on you before you know it. Look at the Silver Audi and the black SUV in Pescatori's second picture as well, I hate those people, if they're moving over they don't appear to be indicating and it's not as if they're in a '29 Essex or Durant that depends on hand signals.

I've wanted to. Bikes have passed me doing it, but I just sit there in my lane like a dummy.


--Steve

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 07/06/15 at 11:57:37:


That's another reason why I don't. What gives me the right to pass everybody when they can't do it too? I'd rather just grin and bear it. I'll get there eventually. On a motorcycle, life is the trip, not the destination.