From: phil@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Phil Stone)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: lane splitting
Summary: it's really NOT dangerous
Date: 26 Aug 92 19:57:23 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Res. Ctr, Calif.

In article <1992Aug26.185742.12827@javelin.sim.es.com> llane@javelin.sim.es.com (Laura Lane) writes:
>Hi I'm a new reader to the group so please be easy on the flames:

OK, but just this once.  :-)

>IMO it's not very safe from an insurance point of view. When I lived in
>Calif. the view that was taught to me (from a Motor Cycle Safety Course and 
>a few police officers (also riders), was that an accident occuring from a 
>motorcycle running up between the lanes of tracfic could be charged w/
>reckless driving. 

An accident resulting from a non-lane-splitting situation could also
lead to a charge of reckless driving.  R.D. is a catch-all judgement call;
it can apply to any situation of unsafe use of the road.  This does not
mean that lane-splitting is always reckless driving.

[stuff deleted]

>I guess what I'm trying to get at here is.. is it legal or illegal to lane
>split

This question of legality (in California, at least) really should be
in the FAQ.  The answer is, it is not illegal.  Note the wording here;
I didn't say it *was* legal, I said it is not illegal.  Nothing in the
vehicle code specifically prohibits it, and the CHP has indicated (less
up-front and officially than we'd like) that they condone the practice
when it is done carefully, as it is the strategy of lesser risk for motorcycles
in stop-and-go traffic.  Motorcycles stopped on the freeway run an enormous
risk of being sandwiched.  Specific jurisdictions (i.e., Marin County) don't
allow it, because they hate motorcycles, and seize any petty excuse to
discriminate against them.

>and if it was illegal wouldn't this solve the lane splitting issue, 
>since insurance is high enough with out adding all the tickets for lane
>splitting and accidents to it.  

What tickets and accidents?  Aside from Marin, only reckless cyclists are
issued tickets for it.  These same dweebs cause the bulk of our insurance
problems.  Why single out lane-splitting?

I lane-split every day that I take my bike to work.  Most commuting cagers
are used to it in Cal., and some even move over to make more room (I give a
wave of thanks to them).  A few assholes try to crowd me out; I don't even
get mad at them anymore, I just go around the other side of them (signaling
*all* lane changes, btw), and derive a little satisfaction from their
frustration.  I'm seldom surprised by people changing lanes in front of me;
there just isn't that much room to do this in the sort of traffic that favors
lane-sharing.  I keep my speed differential at about 15 mph - I think there's
plenty of time to react if you stay very observant.  Once traffic starts to
open up, I grab a complete lane slot, as this is when people start to make
quick lane changes.  It's really not difficult or dangerous, once you get
used to it.

In summary, lane-splitting is safe if you stay alert and be reasonable about
it - just like the rest of motorcycling, only more so.


 Phil Stone         (phil@eos.arc.nasa.gov | ...ames!eos!phil)
 '83 R80ST               DoD #95              "Motorcycles OK"
From: sievertl@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Lisa Sieverts)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 15:51:32 GMT
Subject: Re: Lynda Barry for DoD
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server