Has anyone here seen this video? Media biase is everywhere, the video ends with a rider travelling at an unsafe speed, while lane splitting in a state where it is illegal, then asks if lane splitting is good or bad...

After riding motorcycles in California for seven years, I agree that Washington should implement lane splitting the way California does it (as it is the only good legislation to come out of that state.)

Lane splitting came about years ago when most motorcycles were only air cooled.  They did it in California because the motorcycles were overheating sitting in traffic and not moving.  They were allowed to do it only if traffic was going less than 15 miles an hour and they were only allowed to go a max of 25 mph.  That may have changed in the years since I have been there.  When I rode I was on a cruiser and I never felt comfortable splitting so I never did.  I have worked in the fire service in California and I can't tell you how many riders I have had to scrape off the highway because they were lane splitting.  I have also had 2 separate riders who were lane splitting punch my truck as they rode by and dent it.  I'm assuming that they thought I was too close to the line but I drove a dually so I didn't have much of a choice.  I know its a help for riders and I am a rider but there is no way I would support that around here.  its way too dangerous.  they can use the HOV lane which goes plenty fast enough to keep bikes from overheating.

California recently upped it to 50 MPH I believe. Having comer from Cali I'm used to it, and I really dont see a problem with it. In slow traffic it just makes sense, and really at the end of the day I'm in a car. You arent going to hurt me as a person lane splitting. You however may be scraped off the road by doing so.

If we are going to go on about what chaps our asses though, I *hate* it when a bicycle lane splits through a light and I end up stuck behind some pedalhead jacktard doing a blistering 6 MPH on his 2 wheeled lady bike because he had to cut up the lane and get in the front of the line at a red light. Things that make me want to mirror swipe a cyclist........

The HOV lane between Lynnwood and North Everett doesn't move any faster than the other lanes, I found myself stopped just aa often as the rest of the lanes, even yesterday.

There was some research that showed lane-splitting at intersections was beneficial because the number one M/C accident was from being hit from behind (driver awareness....) and that sitting between stopped vehicles provided protection from rear-end collisions.  YMMV

I hardly see any bikes on the road.  Riding a motorcycle in WA is a deathwish.  A motorcycle lane splitting is the least of my worries.  Let the few brave souls out there split the lanes any way they like

If WADOT did their damn job, traffic wouldn't be backed up and there would be no need for lane splitting.
I've been riding since '68. I will not lane split. OR ride on the shoulder.

I've been riding since I was 9 years old, 43 now. Lived in this cesspool of Washington my whole life.  I would lane split or shoulder ride if given the legal chance.    I've got nearly 80k miles of street bike time with nary an incident and am one of those that will at time flirt with the rules.  Not as blatant as many as I see and get passed by.  

What ever laws they come up with I  will do as I safely see fit.

Useless post.

HB 1515 - DIGEST
Allows an operator of a motorcycle to: (1) Overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken;
and
(2) Operate the motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles if the motorcycle
is traveling at a rate of speed no more than ten miles per hour over the speed of traffic flow and not more than thirty-fivemiles per hour.

Senate Bill SB5623 was introduced and is the companion bill to HB1515.


SB 5623 - DIGEST
(SUBSTITUTED FOR - SEE 1ST SUB)
Allows an operator of a motorcycle to: (1) Overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken;
and
(2) Operate the motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles if the motorcycle
is traveling at a rate of speed no more than ten miles per hour over the speed of traffic flow and not more than thirty-five miles per hour.

Then SB 5623 was changed and it went full retard:

SB 5623-S.E2 - DIGEST
(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 2/05/16)
Allows an operator of a motorcycle to, under certain circumstances, overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by
the vehicle being overtaken.
Expires July 31, 2018.
Requires the department of transportation, when it has opened the use of the shoulder of a limited access facility for public transportation vehicles,
to allow motorcycles to use the shoulder during the same time periods and conditions.

Both bills died in 2015 and again in 2016.


The guy you want to make contact with about these bills is tod701  [email protected]

The rule of gross tonnage shall not be denied.
IDGAF is a MC splits a lane, runs red lights, or anything else.



Ill assume as long as Im obeying the law, any collision has liability. He is liable for his actions and I for mine.
I know if one of them ends up under a concrete truck who wins. I wont lose. [shrug]

(Snip)

SB 5623 - DIGEST
(SUBSTITUTED FOR - SEE 1ST SUB)
Allows an operator of a motorcycle to: (1) Overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken;
and
(2) Operate the motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles if the motorcycle
is traveling at a rate of speed no more than ten miles per hour over the speed of traffic flow and not more than thirty-five miles per hour.

(Snip)

The above is almost exactly what California has.

Had one do it on a turning tractor trailer, somehow he managed to get off and away, bike not so lucky. His fault all the way, the one I felt sorry for was the truck driver, had to wait and do his statement, then get new tires a rim and brake hoses.

They need to legalize it. I rode the left shoulder with two bikes following me during insane traffic on I5 south. A ticket beats a bike overheating or me getting heat stroke. We did around 20 mph for a good 4 or 5 miles and it made a huge difference for us and our bikes and didn't harm the cars one bit.

With the congestion on I5 it is stupid that the bills keep getting fucked with then killed.

Well it's an observation from someone who lives in this state.  East WA, lots of riders, no real issues.  Groups of bikers come through my town on the weekends.  Guys on long road trips having fun, etc.  West WA, Seattle area and beyond, I don't see anything.  I have enough near misses with people not paying attention while driving, I couldn't imagine going through the same on a bike.  Couple that with sitting in gridlock 7 days a week, takes a lot of the fun out of it.  

Just to expand on my last post.  Yes, I know any activity is dangerous and riders know the risks.  With traffic congestion and poorly maintained roads and aggressive drivers, riding in the greater Seattle area would suck.  Same as owning a sports car and not being able to drive it anywhere.  Regardless, I have no problems with lane splitting.

IMHO the drivers in the greater Seattle area are overly timid compared the the defensive drivers in the greater Los Angeles area.

I grew up in the East Bay of CA, these drivers up here aren't aggressive... Just fucking dumb.

I actually feel safer on my bike than in my truck because these idiots don't care about cars but are afraid of being close to bikes most of the time.

In all my years of lane splitting in California I found that commercial drivers were the most attentive and the best ones to split lanes with.
Women drivers, drivers with unrestrained kids, meth powered construction workers and old people were the worst.

The last scene in that movie shows why it's not a good idea.   The way people drive in Seattle is retarded.  Worst drivers I have ever seen.

I have been in Vietnam and China where swarms of scooter and motorcycle riders fill every void between cars and never saw an accident.  However, driving there is another test for anyone's surround awareness capacity and the way the retards drive while texting here is just asking to increase the body count.

Then add the increased insurance rates and all the mess that come with any accidents and traffic just getting even worse.    

No, just no.

The biased last scene where the motorcycles are travelling at an unsafe and illegal speed weaving in and out of traffic in a state where lane splitting is illegal?

Exactly. It's like being afraid of guns because a Brady campaign commercial shows a kid retrieve a non secured pistol and shoots his friend in NY.

Not really.  It's based on seeing how the average driver in Seattle actually drives.   Those are the worst drivers in the world.  Have you seen how many text while driving or are completely oblivious to what goes on around them, or have absolutely no respect for the other drivers and do as they please?

So, imagine those airheaded idiots' reactions when the suddenly see motorcycles beside them?  Pull their cars away and towards the opposite lane?  What if a motorcycle is coming a bit behind the first one on that side the idiot suddenly pulled into?

Now add another variable to this equation with many motorcycles driving between them.   Motorcycle riders will also make mistakes and ding rearview mirrors or even some cars' bodies since space will be reduced a lot and margins for error virtually eliminated in many cases.


What do you think will happen to the already chaotic traffic?

Have you even read the initial proposed changes were? Have you ridden a motorcycle in traffic out here?

Being able to go 10mph over crawling traffic speeds by riding the left shoulder or pass in the left lane is a hell of a lot safer than sitting in traffic hoping your bike doesn't overheat or having to push your bike to the shoulder and wait because it has over heated.

You hear lane splitting and automatically think a crotch rocket zipping between cars doing 50 mph in 15 mph traffic. Those riders will do that shit legal or not.

While I'm in the Vancouver/PDX area, not Seattle, we have the same issues down here. I ride and will say I've lane split and shoulder ridden a few times. The far majority of times have been due to heat vs purely traffic. The last time was last week, it was 95deg and I was in full gear and getting VERY hot. At that point I split the left and center lane for a few miles till I switched to the left shoulder. 2nd gear at about 15-20mph. I'm sure it looked like I was flying by to all the cars stopped.
As a car driver, if you get a chance in stopped traffic, look up the lanes. There's usually 4-6ft between cars. That's also about the same distance you've got in the sides of the road. That's a ton of room for a bike.

Edited

4) Posting comments or links in support of illegal activities including, but not limited to, threats against the life of any person, doing harm to a state or federal official, or advocating the overthrow of the government.

Ever read the Conduct Code?
You should try it.

 

Like button pushed.

The BusMaster agrees.
I split the shit out of lanes as required.  Right turns, especially.
The look on the left-turn lane drivers is priceless...!!!  

There isn't any other way to do it with a large vehicle.
Last thing I want to see is the bikerack down contacting that left-turner...exiting Kirkland on 68th towards Lakeview Blvd. for instance.  WoooWWWWW!  Oh!  ALMOST!  
I'll get to know the 40-ft. version of the new Hi-Breeds next shake-up.  Already got the 36.3-foot version down pat.
Extra footage aft of the rear doors; tail-swing, etc.
Gonna be some fun 2 days in a row.  

Swing it, Baby!