Do You Lane Split?

Do you lane split? Please comment why or why not below.

  • Yes, I lane split

    Votes: 78 67.8%

  • No, I do not lane split

    Votes: 37 32.2%
  • Total voters
    115
Ah, I miss filtering while safe in the knowledge that not only is it allowed, but that people expect you to do it!
 
ShadowBoxer said:
I live in Los Angeles, California.

Yes when reasonable for the circumstances. Not every time I can.
I think it leads to a safer ride when done reasonably. Speeding past people at 50 mph is stupid/foolish, but never splitting or even thinking about it is a bad practice in my opinion.

Riders who are not thinking about the space in between cars and are simply focused on being in the center of the lane are not thinking about or at least ignoring potential escape routes. Something I see as a bad and potentially dangerous shortsighted habit.
Click to expand...

Same thing for me, not always but when the circumstances are as good as i like it, i go for it. :)
 
Since I live here in Southern California, I think the answer is pretty obvious, lol. I commute daily, rush hour is a bitch, I can leave later, (more sleep) and get home sooner than everyone else.
 
I lane split a lot, it's allowed in France, and in a city like Marseille you must lane split if you want to survive.
 
I do it, and at a rate the I feel safe at. If I was to be in an accident due to filtering, unless a car pulled into me for no reason, I would except the blame.
 
Not necessarily. I've read of cases where cars have pulled impromptu U-turns in traffic, hit a bike and been found at fault because they didn't see the bike due to not even looking. And on the other side of the coin cars doing the same but being relieved of any blame as the bike was going too fast. And a whole myriad of different connotations between the two extremes. So as with anything on the road, it really isn't ever open and shut.

Of course us lot have both a wonderful weapon and a terrible achilles heel on this front.

If you're doing 5-10 MPH more than the traffic, your speedo is showing the same on your video, you're scanning around with Jedi-esque diligence and some plonker swipes you as he erratically swerves from one lane to the other, then there's a VERY strong chance that your video is going to catch that plonker bang to rights and you'll be queen for a day.

HOWEVER...

If you're hacking through stationary traffic at 40 MPH, looking at the girl in the Mini's décolletage and a driver in front uses mirror, then signal, then he pulls safely across as you embed your surprised face into his back door, then there's a VERY strong chance that the Police are going to want to see that video and you will be selling a kidney to pay for next years insurance premium! And as far as I'm aware, in the UK at least, you are legally obliged to let them see the video.

As Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker...

"If you ride like a Tw@t, sooner or later you'll come a cropper. Oh and some nonsense about powerful responibility or something..."
 
AndyManCam said:
Not necessarily. I've read of cases where cars have pulled impromptu U-turns in traffic, hit a bike and been found at fault because they didn't see the bike due to not even looking. And on the other side of the coin cars doing the same but being relieved of any blame as the bike was going too fast. And a whole myriad of different connotations between the two extremes. So as with anything on the road, it really isn't ever open and shut.

Of course us lot have both a wonderful weapon and a terrible achilles heel on this front.

If you're doing 5-10 MPH more than the traffic, your speedo is showing the same on your video, you're scanning around with Jedi-esque diligence and some plonker swipes you as he erratically swerves from one lane to the other, then there's a VERY strong chance that your video is going to catch that plonker bang to rights and you'll be queen for a day.

HOWEVER...

If you're hacking through stationary traffic at 40 MPH, looking at the girl in the Mini's décolletage and a driver in front uses mirror, then signal, then he pulls safely across as you embed your surprised face into his back door, then there's a VERY strong chance that the Police are going to want to see that video and you will be selling a kidney to pay for next years insurance premium! And as far as I'm aware, in the UK at least, you are

As Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker...

"If you ride like a Tw@t, sooner or later you'll come a cropper. Oh and some nonsense about powerful responibility or something..."
Click to expand...
Exactly! As long as you are following the law, then if a cager hits you, he is assumed to have not been checking his surroundings. Lets say you are travelling down the middle of 2 going lanes, stopped with traffic. If you see ahead, 4-5 cars, one car is indicating to switch lanes across your path. You don't have to stop and wait, even if that would be the smart thing to do, If the car that's indicating pulls out and you drive into it or he hits you, he is still at fault for moving out on you. Because it would be made clear that he didn't check his mirrors or blind spot before moving (Driving 101)

On the flip side if I am doing 40+ between stopped or slow moving traffic, and I miss judge a gap or time a maneuver its my bad.

With the whole ''legally obliged to let them see the video.'' No not at all, 'I assume' they would need some sort warrant to seize your camera and accesses the footage. If you delete the footage and pretend it never existed then (Say you didn't have battery or it recording) as long as they cannot prove you did, then you wouldn't be held up for destroying evidence.
 
If you're right, that would be a bit of a relief. Not that I regularly ride like an idiot, but nice to know I wouldn't be hung on my own snare so to speak.

Although if Officer Plod asks nicely to see my footage and I shiftily and hastily format the card I imagine that his sympathy for my cause will evaporate quicker than Walter White's family life!

Recently I actually saw a Triumph Triple rear end a car in town. He says he had new brakes and that they just didn't work. His brake lights say he wasn't paying attention. But after I stopped and helped him up, neither him nor the lady he hit asked to see the footage from my camera. I imagine he either believed his own codsh1te or preferred she didn't see what really happened. In any case, both were happy and I'm never one to play devil's advocate so I went on my merry way!

 
Orlando, FL. Never have lane split or filter. It's illegal in this state in the US, that and I ride a big heavy cruiser I wouldn't feel confident in doing it anyways.
 
I used to work in Computer Forensics, and you'd have to have a few screws loose if you think that you can irreversibly delete that footage quickly.

Even without the SD card, the GoPro's and Drift cameras leave evidence of when the last video was recorded on the cameras themselves, which would show you recorded footage at the time of the indecent anyway.

Also, the police can seize your camera on the spot anyway: http://www.bikelawyer.co.uk/mcn-law-columns/can-police-seize-my-camera

Please don't do anything stupid if you're ever stopped by the police.
 
I usually just smile and nod.

3 Rules to avoid Issues with the police.

Rule 1. Don't be a dick on the road.
Rule 2. If you are a dick on the road, agree with everything the police say and hope not to get a ticket.
Rule 3. If you must disagree or defend yourself, (like most people who are recording them) Don't shout, don't be a smart ass, and if they disagree leave it you can always challenge a ticket after it has been given to you.

If all else fails, next time follow rule 1 more closely.

And remember they are recording you too.
 
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