motorcycles + lane splitting

[Inaii]

I had one of my friends message me bitching about a bike lane splitting and then proceed to tell me that if she saw it again she would swing her front end in front of them as they were going past. She didn't really like the response I gave her. I believe the words cunt and retard were used.

I have no problem with lane splitting, as long as it's done safely. However when you pop out of nowhere and race up the shoulder when I'm turning right and have had my signal on for a while (I'm extra cautious in the work truck because I can only use my mirrors, I can't shoulder check on my right and can barely do it on my left), and then proceed to try to chastise me for getting in YOUR way, we're gonna have a problem. Personally, I feel more comfortable having a motorcycle in front of me than behind me in traffic. A lot of the bikes I run into have a habit of sitting dead centre behind me, where I can't see them, and they essentially disappear. I had a harley do it to me last week, only reason I knew he was back there was because the car behind him was an abnormally far distance away.

[bananana]

66% of motorcycle related accidents caused by drivers. The most common of these is rear-ender.

Source: Professor Harry Hurt. "HURT Report." (1981) University of South Carolina.

California vs Florida. Deaths caused by rear-enders are 30% higher in places without filtering/lane splitting.

Source: NHTSA. "Fatality Analysis Reporting System." Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)


"The observed injuries among the motorcyclists were significantly different between LSM [Lane Splitting Motorcyclists] and other motorcyclists (Table 12). LSM were markedly less likely to suffer head injury (9% vs 17%), torso injury (19% vs 29%), or fatal injury (1.2% vs 3.0%) than non-lane-splitting motorcyclists."

Source: Thomas Rice, PhD; Lara Troszak, MA; Taryn Erhardt. (May 29, 2015) "Motorcycle Lane-splitting and Safety in California". Safe Transportation Research & Education Center. University of California Berkeley

Also remember that almost everywhere in the world it is allowed. It is only not allowed in Canada/North America (Minus California). Motorcycles are a vastly more efficient form of transportation and massively reduce congestion but only when we are allowed to fill in spaces that are otherwise unused. A study done in Belgium stated that if 10% of the population were on motorcycles and allowed to filter, we could completely eliminate all traffic jams (40% reduction in traffic).

We sit higher than most cars and have a better view than you might think. Paying attention is how we survive. We don't sit in plush chairs nor do we have the luxuries of air conditioning and cupholders. Some of us still ride air-cooled bikes which will overheat in traffic.

Extra: A little overproduced but a informational video by my buddies over at RideApart.

YouTube

[underscore]

Originally Posted by bananana

66% of motorcycle related accidents caused by drivers. The most common of these is rear-ender.

Source: Professor Harry Hurt. "HURT Report." (1981) University of South Carolina.

Where are you reading that? From wikipedia List of findings in the Hurt Report

9. The most frequent accident configuration is the motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in front of the oncoming motorcycle.

17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than three fourths of all accident hazards are within 45° of either side of straight ahead.

Reading the rest of the findings the rider seems to play a significant factor in accidents as well. Not so much direct responsibility, but in the ability to avoid putting themselves in unsafe situations or in their ability to avoid an accident.

I also have to question any claims that something is being pushed to improve rider safety when 75+% of the riders I see are only wearing a helmet, with no other safety gear (yes I actually kept loose track of this for a while) and a lot of those aren't even proper helmets. I'm sure at least some of the people pushing for this wear AGTATT, but I have a feeling quite a few of them don't.

[stewie]

Originally Posted by bananana

We sit higher than most cars and have a better view than you might think. Paying attention is how we survive. We don't sit in plush chairs nor do we have the luxuries of air conditioning and cupholders. Some of us still ride air-cooled bikes which will overheat in traffic.

boo fucking hoo

If my bike is to overheat and breakdown then so be it. It's just a bike, bikes can be replaced, you can't. If you're that scared of being rear ended then try braking 30 ft behind the car in front of you and when there's a few cars behind you have come to a complete stop...move your way forward. It's that simple.

Again, we bought bikes on our own free will, you're MORE than aware that there's no AC or cup holders or a lavish seat enclosed by your car with airbags.

We've accepted the risks that go with a motorcycle upon getting a license and if you think splitting here is safe...then go right ahead, but when you get hit don't go crying your eyes out to ICBC or on this forum. If you're splitting you've lost all sympathy from me for your outcome and I'm guessing more than half of the people on the road who witness it wont care either.

[320icar]

Someone pissed in this cunts cereal this morning ^^

[stewie]

Originally Posted by 320icar

Someone pissed in this cunts cereal this morning ^^

Not quite. This cunt is just tired of seeing people lane splitting and getting in accidents due to it then whining. There's MANY preventative measures you can take to stay safe. Lane splitting to me is far from it, instead puts you at more risk here. But go for it, lane split, I'm not your mother so you all can make big boy/girl decisions on your own. Many drivers here are horrible here and this topic will never end in a mutual agreement.

Thank you for noticing I'm a cunt though! This cunt is having a great day so far!

But thank you for noticing I'm a cunt i

[604STIG]

Originally Posted by stewie

Not quite. This cunt is just tired of seeing people lane splitting and getting in accidents due to it then whining. i

Just wondering where you are seeing all the "whining" from these people that you say are splitting and crashing? I'm always on the bike sub-forum here and used to be heavily active on our local bike forum but can't recall a single instance of anyone ever complaining about lane splitting and then getting into an accident?

And i'm not trying to "call you out" on this, i am genuinely curious if there is a lot of this type of complaining going on somewhere.

[cdizzle_996]

Only whining in reading is the guy who made the thread.

People who split lanes dangerously, do so at their own risk.

End of story.

BRB: Going to make a thread about how I'm cut off by cagers every single day because they're too lazy to turn their fucking head before they switch lanes.

[stewie]

Originally Posted by 604STIG

Just wondering where you are seeing all the "whining" from these people that you say are splitting and crashing? I'm always on the bike sub-forum here and used to be heavily active on our local bike forum but can't recall a single instance of anyone ever complaining about lane splitting and then getting into an accident?

And i'm not trying to "call you out" on this, i am genuinely curious if there is a lot of this type of complaining going on somewhere.

Don't worry if you call me out, it won't be taken personally
The complaining I see on regular basis from both bikes and cars is at my work on construction sites. Although I'm in an office now, I used to be on sites in the middle of a street/intersection in an open hole anywhere from 3 - 15 ft deep. We've dump trucks going in and out and you'd be surprised at the things people will do... Even with lanes shut down and having flag people in the road you'll still see occasional splitters and dumb drivers. I've witnessed cars drop their passenger side front end into a hole while I was still in it...with the lane beside us closed off yet they're oblivious and put not only their lives at risk, but mine as well. At my work there's tons of complaining about it and every time we see something happen it would make us furious. Split to the right of a dump truck and I bet they won't see you. Even when my mirrors are set right and I'm beside another vehicle the last thing you expect to see and notice is a tiny little bike squeezing through. I complain with first hand experience seeing it as completey unsafe here. I really don't care what some professor has to say in his statistics about how it's safer.

Originally Posted by cdizzle_996

Only whining in reading is the guy who made the thread.

People who split lanes dangerously, do so at their own risk.

End of story.

BRB: Going to make a thread about how I'm cut off by cagers every single day because they're too lazy to turn their fucking head before they switch lanes.

Yeah. They do it at their own risk dangerously or not, and when they're hit, go see if they do it again.

Whining - welcome to the Internet.

[Rallydrv]

the problem is, they dont teach cagers about line splitting, and they dont understand the concept.(at no fault of their own)

In Vancouver, when half people turn on a whimp, no blind spot check ,without indicating, or just to get ahead of that one car (open lane) at a stop light, lane splitting wont work. and is bound to cause accidents.

[bananana]

Originally Posted by underscore

I also have to question any claims that something is being pushed to improve rider safety when 75+% of the riders I see are only wearing a helmet, with no other safety gear (yes I actually kept loose track of this for a while) and a lot of those aren't even proper helmets. I'm sure at least some of the people pushing for this wear AGTATT, but I have a feeling quite a few of them don't.

You're only seeing the city squids. The much more responsible racers, trackday bros, canyon carvers and long distance riders are geared up to the teeth.

I squid from time to time for short distances in the city and accept any and all risks. However if the Government were to encourage use of safety gear through insurance discounts/premiums I would be 100% for it.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by bananana

You're only seeing the city squids. The much more responsible racers, trackday bros, canyon carvers and long distance riders are geared up to the teeth.

I squid from time to time for short distances in the city and accept any and all risks. However if the Government were to encourage use of safety gear through insurance discounts/premiums I would be 100% for it.

Forgive me if this comes across the wrong way but I'm pretty sure lane splitting would occur in the city, so what people are wearing when they're outside of the city isn't very relevant. Especially considering most accidents are in the city.

Again I'm sorry if this comes across the wrong way but why should the government have to give people discounts to get them to put on a jacket? Are we really at the point where people can't sort out that keeping your skin attached to your body is a good idea on their own? Plus I'd imagine it would get a bit tricky to give someone a discount based on them wearing gear as then I think they'd need a disclaimer saying your insurance is invalid if you're then not wearing the gear (although I'm somewhat surprised they don't have that in there already, at least with helmets). That said I think not wearing gear is one of the few things you can do on the road that only increases the risk to yourself.

[zulutango]

Somer people may say...Instead of discounts for weaering proper gear, how about refusing to pay...or reducing the money paid for injury claims hat arise from crashes? Sound harsh?...already your insurance will only pay above your deductable level in a crash....risk and choose a high deductable to get the benifit of lower premiums and your cheque is smaller. Get involved in a crash where it is shown your actions contributed to the severity of ther crash and your payout is lower. Soiunds fair to me. Why should I as a taxpayer pay for you when you deliberately do something that is dangerous when there is a safer option?

[Ball.J.Inder]

I thought this was supposed to be "fucked up shit that makes you laugh"? Not impressed with this thread.

[Inaii]

Originally Posted by Ball.J.Inder

I thought this was supposed to be "fucked up shit that makes you laugh"? Not impressed with this thread.

^you're in the wrong thread yo...

[zulutango]

He's just brain-splitting between that thread and this one.

[Inaii]

I see what you did there