Should Lane Sharing be Made Legal to Improve Safety?

[astros50]

If it was legal, I most likely wouldn't do it. I have no data... no study..... no article to point to. It just seems foolhardy to me.

If it was put to a referrendum, I would vote against it. I guess I'm simply stubborn, but I cannot believe that lane splitting would cut down on accidents.

I wonder what the insurance institute thinks of it. I am confident that if they thought it would reduce their costs, they would be huge proponents.

[Paulie]

Great thread, thanx Alan for firing it up. I haven't read the MCN article.

This impatient ba$tard gives lane sharing a HUGE thumbs up. It works very well in EU & Cal. Drivers & riders there seem to have better skills.

[Centex]

We need a pole.

I assume you mean "poll", and please, No.  Nothing screws-up an open exchange of ideas like forcing people to 'fix' their position with a vote.  No one is running for office and no one is writing law here 

Great thread, thanx Alan for firing it up. I haven't read the MCN article.

You're welcome, and yes the discussion has been great.

.... Unfortunately, the article is not available online....

More accurately, the article is not available free.  Complete back issues of MCN can be instantly downloaded as PDF for $7 each; this was in the October 2011 issue.  There's other stuff of interest in the issue, and after reading it incited me to go for a $20 annual subscription.

[Paulie]

... I would not want to see lane sharing made explicitly legal in my home state of Texas. ...

I don't have many compliments fer yer homey state.

But it's the only place where I've enjoyed "reverse lane sharing" (or whatever ya call it) quite a few x. That's when a vehicle ya come up on pulls way over to the R shoulder & gives ya tons of room to pass.

[Necron99]

I agree that in Texas it would be a bit dicey for a while, because everyone here has a NASCAR mentality..if you finish ahead of someone you win or some idiocy such as that.  People WILL move over to bar you from proceeding. So it would take some education, and probably a few cagers convicted of vehicular homicide for it to get through most people's sculls that it's a Good Thing. 

That said, I'd still like to see it passed into law here.  I commute 20 miles each way in Dallas, for anyone who's interested in my perspective. 

[backoutonthehighway]

I agree with Apeman: it's "Running with the Elephants" I like it and appreciate it here in the North Bay although I do less of it than most on the Bay Bridge (just to narrow for my 38" wide Vulcan.

I've tapped mirrors three times (as a new rider) and once had a cager move over and tap my right rear saddle bag. I stayed up and didn't stop, so I don't know if it was intentional or not.

(I also find it a bit unnerving in other states when I see a cager approaching my six too fast.)

Adding a modulator to both bikes this winter to see how that helps visibility.

[2linby]

That said, I'd still like to see it passed into law here.  I commute 20 miles each way in Dallas, for anyone who's interested in my perspective. 

I dId it for thirteen years in the Seattle metro area, so you are in good company!

[DW]

In the very early 60's I had a NSU and lane split frequently. Biggest concern was getting a ticket, but never happened.
Now I know better.  My concern is not being able to legally lane split in I-80 traffic that is blocked up for miles due to an accident.  My attitude is if traffic is at a stop or near stop splitting should be legal.  Yes, there will almost certainly idiots who open there door in front of you, but what the he _ _?  Just stop and wait until they are out of the way and go around them.