GA rider.. Lane Splitting/Filtering

[duhs10]

Hey Georgia riders...
 
I know lane splitting/filtering isn't legal in GA, but I'm wondering if anyone has done it during traffic jams or at traffic lights? Nothing crazy just slowly filtering through.. If so, did the police react?
 
 
I'm a law abiding rider (except occasional speed :-p ) so I'm afraid to try filtering.. just been in a few situations lately where it was driving me crazy to have to sit in stopped traffic.
 
 

[fitrider82]

I'm from MI and occasionally split. On the maiden voyage home after picking up the bike in Kentucky and riding it back (7.5 hours straight) I didn't hit traffic except when I was 30 minutes from home in 35 degree weather. I was ready to get home and wasn't about to sit in the cold during rush hour, so I split for a few miles, got a few honks, but no police (then again Detroit cops have a whole lot more to worry about than a lane splitter).

[foxedupone]

Don't do it in front of police, keep your eyes open. In heavy traffic why not if there is space. In less heavy traffic pretend like you are switching lanes back and forth. At stop lights pretend like you're using the turning lanes if they are empty and then just pop yourself in front of the first car acting like you were mistakenly in the turning lane but now realized you need to go somewhere else, or just accelerate faster then the first car when light turns green from turning lane. I would never do any of this though of course but I've seen other riders use these techniques.

[foxedupone]

In NYC/ Manhattan there are no lanes really. Traffic goes where it fits and bikes, motorized or not fit into much more spaces and can filter to the front. It is generally accepted there even though it's not specifically legal. You can get through heavy Manhattan traffic way better on 2 wheels.

[timg]

Lane Splitting is Legal in California
http://i.imgur.com/m1FcWU7.jpg
http://lanesplittingislegal.com/
 
CHP Lane Splitting General Guidelines
 
The term lane splitting, sometimes known as lane sharing, filtering or white-lining, refers to the process of a motorcyclist riding between lanes of stopped or slower moving traffic or moving between lanes to the front of traffic stopped at a traffic light.
Motorcyclists who are competent enough riders to lane split, should follow these general guidelines if choosing to lane split:
 
1) Travel at a speed that is no more than 10 MPH faster than other traffic – danger increases at higher speed differentials.
 
2) It is not advisable to lane split when traffic flow is at 30 mph or faster --- danger increases as overall speed increases.
 
3) Typically, it is safer to split between the #1 and #2 lanes than between other lanes.
 
4) Consider the total environment in which you are splitting, including the width of the lanes, size of surrounding vehicles, as well as roadway, weather, and lighting conditions.
 
5) Be alert and anticipate possible movements by other road users.
 
Risk of getting a ticket: Motorcyclists who lane split are not relieved of the responsibility to obey all existing traffic laws. With respect to possible law enforcement action, keep in mind that it will be up to the discretion of the Law Enforcement Officer to determine if riding behavior while lane splitting is or was safe and prudent.
 
http://lanesplittingislegal.com/assets/docs/CHP-lane-splitting-guidelines-California.pdf

[fddriver2]

Here is what happens when they don't let us split lanes: [these guys breaking too many rules to count and do not represent legal riding -a bad role model...but I did like the movie Smoky and the Bandit btw: no FJ-09s were part of this festivity, if you think they were it is pure fantasy...just sayin'...hehe
 
 
[video src=https://youtu.be/tTgYyKF7Ixc]

F**king idiots....  

[vespadaddy]

Wow.  The Douchenozzle was set to a wide pattern in this video.

[Guest bruinfj09guy]

If ever faced with an otherwise appealing prospect of leaving California, lack of legal lane splitting alone is enough for me to take pause. Not even joking.

[BVEBRAD]

With riders showing a total disregard for the law like seen in this video, I would have no problem whatsoever if the cops were simply allowed to take them out with his cruiser.  No wonder our society is out of control.  This video is not about lane splitting, if a state allows that practice to exist then I'm all for it.  This is a video of a bunch of punks just taunting the police because they can.

[foxedupone]

S.I.N. Strength In Numbers. But then it gets out of hand and they start pulling Korean couples out of their Range Rovers because they perceive their driving to be disrespectful after they surround motorists in a threatening way. That's why that mob riding stuff is something to avoid if it's a bunch of knuckleheads with an attitude that makes people want to run all motorcyclists over.

[sk8nsanta]

Not legal in VA either, but this is my general take on it:
 
I've commuted almost every day for the past year to work on my bike, and my opinions have certainly changed a bit. For reference, I'm generally a very conservative rider, I don't go crazy, and I am fairly respectful of other vehicles sharing the road with me. Personally, I wouldn't ever run from the police, but I also don't ride in a way that would attract any unwanted attention. Perhaps I've watched too many moto-vlogger youtube videos of people in Europe constantly weaving their way through terrible traffic, but I've started to split lanes or "skip" ahead of big lines when traffic gets really bad.
 
First time I ever split was maybe 5 months ago, when an accident on a highway here took out 2-3 lanes. I was sitting there in the HOV lane either in a standstill or inching along at 1mph. Eventually this trucker on my right yelled down from his cab and said "Hey dude, why don't you just go on through?!" I yelled back that I had been thinking about it, but it's against the law, etc etc. Then I thought for another second and said "F it, I'm going" so I took off down the middle of lanes #1 and #2 and safely made my way all the way through the massive traffic jam. When the lanes opened, I simply merged back in to an open space with ease and was on my way. No harm, no foul in my book.
 
Maybe 2 weeks after that incident there was another big accident on another highway that had traffic in a standstill. Same scenario, I sat for maybe 7-10 minutes before those thoughts in my head said "just go on through, you can easily do it". I flipped on the radio in my helmet to catch the traffic report and the accident was further down than I initially thought, well after where I'd be exiting anyways, so I went for it again. A few people honked at me, I assume because they're mad that I'm able to get through and they couldn't, but a very surprising number of vehicles tried to give me room by moving either to the left or right. My guess is they understood that I wasn't riding like a jackass, but simply making the best of my circumstances, and they couldn't fault me for that.
 
So for me, I do it purely based on how bad traffic is, and the surroundings (is there enough space for me to actually do this safely), do I see any law enforcement nearby. I've been riding along at 45-50 mph before and had bikes fly past me, splitting lanes. To me, that's just stupid, unnecessary, and excessively dangerous. Traffic is moving decently well, no need to split. It's hard not to justify it though in heavy traffic, legal or not. As others have mentioned there are plenty of studies showing it to be safe and effective (when done in the proper manner), and when I split, I'm not taking up any space that a car/truck could otherwise occupy. What drivers fail to realize is that by me splitting, I'm making their commute a micro fraction better, because it's one less vehicle sitting, taking up space. If more people commuted by bike, traffic would be greatly reduced. My $.02

[timg]

Not legal in VA either, but this is my general take on it: 
A few people honked at me, I assume because they're mad that I'm able to get through and they couldn't, but a very surprising number of vehicles tried to give me room by moving either to the left or right. My guess is they understood that I wasn't riding like a jackass, but simply making the best of my circumstances, and they couldn't fault me for that.
 
So for me, I do it purely based on how bad traffic is, and the surroundings (is there enough space for me to actually do this safely), do I see any law enforcement nearby. I've been riding along at 45-50 mph before and had bikes fly past me, splitting lanes. To me, that's just stupid, unnecessary, and excessively dangerous. Traffic is moving decently well, no need to split. It's hard not to justify it though in heavy traffic, legal or not. As others have mentioned there are plenty of studies showing it to be safe and effective (when done in the proper manner), and when I split, I'm not taking up any space that a car/truck could otherwise occupy. What drivers fail to realize is that by me splitting, I'm making their commute a micro fraction better, because it's one less vehicle sitting, taking up space. If more people commuted by bike, traffic would be greatly reduced. My $.02

In CA, where it is legal, we get pretty much the same reaction, including the occasional jerk who will actually move over into our path.  It's the fools you mentioned going so fast or the ones with wide open exhausts who probably cause the negative reaction, IMO. The Highway Patrol here see it pretty much as you opined - do it safely and sanely and they won't bother you in general.  They really do have other concerns most of the time.  One took me off the freeway, walked up and said "Slow the hell down!", and walked away.  It was a Sunday morning with light traffic, but he was right.
 

[forumsensei]

douche move if your bike is water-cooled

[duhs10]

douche move if your bike is water-cooled

the motorcycle isn't the only thing that gets hot... more importantly you free up space for another vehicle in traffic, and at stop lights prevent yourself from being rear-ended. I don't see how it's a "douche move"

[ULEWZ]

douche move if your bike is water-cooled

First post, and it is a troll post? Please explain?