Disappointed

[Ari Rankum]

I take back my snarky crash club thingie remark...sorry scab, sorry mike, sorry et al.
I could claim crash club thingies on my sig-line and one-time it was my fault. I do enough stupid stuff on the roads sometimes, I could easily have more. Don't ride with me...I is dangerous.

Well done. You don't see this sort of contrition often enough. It's nice to see it from time to time. Thanks!

 

[gumba]

The trick is to get out of Dodge. I still get TV news from Dodge and see video of squids being scraped off the street. But I don't have to witness it.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

The sad thing is it is 100% true. And even worse, it has actually helped alleviate some of the congestion. The road Ion is talking about is I93, which is the main corridor in and out of Boston from the North. Before they opened up the breakdown lanes (only during rush hours, BTW) the road was a freeking parking lot every day for about 25 miles. Now it's just challenging at those pesky cloverleafs, but the traffic does seem to move along better in between.

I've heard traffic management professionals say that adding more lanes isn't the solution -- ultimately, it just contributes to the problem...? It's bigger than that -- like: living where you work (or) working where you live.

I also think motorcycles are part of the solution -- and, smaller cars. One woman per Denali....sheesh..!! :blink:

 

[evil_henchman]

It was threatening to get into the 60s today (though it was 34 in the am when I left home at 8 am), so a friend and I went out for a leisurely day ride up the coast. On the way home at about 4 pm, I was cruising through Santa Maria on Hwy 101, a four-land divided road currently undergoing construction for widening to six lanes. Traffic was heavy and moving along at about 65-70 mph (even though it's posted at 55 due to the construction). Anyway, I was just over the bridge and entering Santa Maria when a 2007 FJR and a newer BMW 1200RT (I don't know either rider) came zipping by me. I continued my pace and watched as they cut through traffic, lane splitting at speed, passing on the right, and on one occasion, (the BMW) pulling onto the breakdown lane on the right shoulder of the highway in order to pass a pickup on the right. All this at 75-80+ mph.
Now, while I am accustomed to seeing the occasional sport bike rider exhibiting this kind of reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous behavior, I was disappointed to see sport-touring riders behave in this manner. I know there are some who consider it entirely acceptable and, in fact, their right to treat freeway riding like a session at a track day, but this kind of behavior, in addition to endangering the lives of the riders and motorists around them, reflects badly on all motorcyclists. As I said . . . disappointed.

So the first question that comes to mind is do you ever split lanes and how fast do you go when / if you do? As an every day lane splitting commuter I can say from experience that it can be done at speed just as safely as at 5-10 mph. Since you didn't mention carnage and death I'll assume everybody survived the said incident so maybe the guy knew what he was doing after all. Cops arent the only people that know how to ride...

 

[Bike Effects]

Being a California motorcyclist, I too am a lane splitter. But, it was a real eye opener for me when I bought my R1 in the LA area and rode it home, starting out in rush hour traffic. I was lane splitting but the locals on bike were blowing by me at a race pace. I guess it is a "LA" kind of thing.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

Not that I condone stupid behavior, but it occurs to me that that particular section of the 101 entering Santa Maria tends to bring out the hooligan in some.

Particularly when a million cagers are returning to the LA basin after a weekend on the coast. It's stinkin' crazy out there!

I'm surprised Fairlaner's name hasn't surfaced in this post yet!

 

[LAGO RUNNER]

I always call that Darwinian selection "stupid people die first"

I have seen many a fatality because of that type of riding as described by the original poster. There is a time and a place and if you have to weave in and out of traffic thats not it..

 

[twowheelnut]

I never split lanes when riding. Ever. I do, however, share lanes with regular frequency. Mostly, I do this when the traffic is backed up, but I will sometimes share lanes at speed if a threatening or uncomfortable situation arises. Then again, I ride with Fairlaner, so in that case, I have no excuse.

 

[madmike2]

I'm surprised Fairlaner's name hasn't surfaced in this post yet!

So then....you didn't read post #7?!?!

 

[Fred W]

The sad thing is it is 100% true. And even worse, it has actually helped alleviate some of the congestion. The road Ion is talking about is I93, which is the main corridor in and out of Boston from the North. Before they opened up the breakdown lanes (only during rush hours, BTW) the road was a freeking parking lot every day for about 25 miles. Now it's just challenging at those pesky cloverleafs, but the traffic does seem to move along better in between.

I've heard traffic management professionals say that adding more lanes isn't the solution -- ultimately, it just contributes to the problem...? It's bigger than that -- like: living where you work (or) working where you live.

I also think motorcycles are part of the solution -- and, smaller cars. One woman per Denali....sheesh..!! :blink:

In general I would agree with this sentiment. Afterall, once the crowd gets to where it's going, then what? If you can't get all those cars off the limited access highway fast enough it's just going to back up from there.

But in this case, the road in question is benefiting from the extra lane because it goes from 3 lanes to 4 lanes at the end of the "breakdown lane use during rush hour" section. In my mind it just shows that they need to widen the highway in that section, but don't have the funding to do the work.

 

[Jaycen]

refreshing to read about CA lane sharing and how it empowers riders like this. i can hardly wait for it to pass in TX so i can do more than the currently-legal use of "developed/improved shoulders".

Move to Massachusetts, some of the main 6 to 8 lane highways have what are called ‘Active Breakdown Lanes’. During morning and afternoon rush hours the breakdown lanes are opened up to be used like a normal travel lane. This can do really cool things to traffic around entrance ramps leading on to the highway. Don’t even think about actually breaking down. All the normal road debris that comes to rest in the breakdown lane now gets picked up in tires and grills of the cars that use the breakdown lane too.

how about when 4 lanes of traffic is crawling along and one guy goes up the "legal" breakdown lane at 60 mph!!! good times.....good times.....

 

[Jaycen]

The sad thing is it is 100% true. And even worse, it has actually helped alleviate some of the congestion. The road Ion is talking about is I93, which is the main corridor in and out of Boston from the North. Before they opened up the breakdown lanes (only during rush hours, BTW) the road was a freeking parking lot every day for about 25 miles. Now it's just challenging at those pesky cloverleafs, but the traffic does seem to move along better in between.

I've heard traffic management professionals say that adding more lanes isn't the solution -- ultimately, it just contributes to the problem...? It's bigger than that -- like: living where you work (or) working where you live.

I also think motorcycles are part of the solution -- and, smaller cars. One woman per Denali....sheesh..!! :blink:

In general I would agree with this sentiment. Afterall, once the crowd gets to where it's going, then what? If you can't get all those cars off the limited access highway fast enough it's just going to back up from there.

But in this case, the road in question is benefiting from the extra lane because it goes from 3 lanes to 4 lanes at the end of the "breakdown lane use during rush hour" section. In my mind it just shows that they need to widen the highway in that section, but don't have the funding to do the work.

how about 93 south of boston where they actually have a maching that moves the Jersey Barriers, to steal on lane from the opposing less congestated lane of traffic. There is nothing like traveling southbound at 70 mph in a lane you were going 70 northbound a few hours earlier!!

 

[zorkler]

sounds like any day in the n.y.c. area . ans yes i do lane split . Now that i live in n.c. some of the roads are much wider than n.y so there is more of a buffer than in n.y way more . Never seen a bike yet lane split in my 7 mth. here .

 

[protondecay123]

The sad thing is it is 100% true. And even worse, it has actually helped alleviate some of the congestion. The road Ion is talking about is I93, which is the main corridor in and out of Boston from the North. Before they opened up the breakdown lanes (only during rush hours, BTW) the road was a freeking parking lot every day for about 25 miles. Now it's just challenging at those pesky cloverleafs, but the traffic does seem to move along better in between.

I've heard traffic management professionals say that adding more lanes isn't the solution -- ultimately, it just contributes to the problem...? It's bigger than that -- like: living where you work (or) working where you live.

I also think motorcycles are part of the solution -- and, smaller cars. One woman per Denali....sheesh..!! :blink:

In general I would agree with this sentiment. Afterall, once the crowd gets to where it's going, then what? If you can't get all those cars off the limited access highway fast enough it's just going to back up from there.

But in this case, the road in question is benefiting from the extra lane because it goes from 3 lanes to 4 lanes at the end of the "breakdown lane use during rush hour" section. In my mind it just shows that they need to widen the highway in that section, but don't have the funding to do the work.

IIRC the whole 128 loop along with 93 is that way. Talk about doing some negotiating at an on/off ramp! :yahoo: Break down between 6 to 9 am or 4 to 6 pm :dead: and there wouldn't be a decent sized grease spot of the Highway department to mop up. :evilsmiley:

 

[Niehart]

Dcarver, you just tickle the heck out of me. Spent about 5 days down on Hwy 1. Think I was one of those guys.

 

[BobbyBlue]

Unlike Bounce, I dont think lane splitting/sharing will ever pass down here in Texas. It would be great ,I agree, but if you try it here now if the fuzz dont get ya, that young vato in his Dodge Cummins will surely mess up your day. I tried this once during a construction tie up on I10 and 2 guys in trucks opened their doors on me...then I got pulled over by a sherrif deputy! I told him I'd done it in Cali and he scolded me but let me go, he also couldnt believe I had a handicap plate on a "Ninja" bike ! Using my best Eddy Murphy I told him I'm a karate man...I bleeds on the inside...cant show my weakness :assassin: ! So I guess we'll be swearin instead of sharin...darn it !

We am Blessed,

Bobby

 

[zorkler]

how is lane splitting no legal if its not a solid line ?

 

[wheatonFJR]

how is lane splitting no legal if its not a solid line ?

:lol: :lol: