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Is it okay to clip mirrors while splitting?

Is it okay to clip mirrors while lane splitting?

  • Yes. Fucking cagers need to get out of my way.

    Votes: 4 2.3%

  • No. It will needlessly set off road rage

    Votes: 126 72.4%

  • Yes/No. I try to avoid it but it happens and people shouldn't freak out.

    Votes: 44 25.3%
  • Total voters
    174
The only time I ever clipped a mirror was the following. I was splitting through traffic, and a brown pickup on my right swerved in. Whether it was intentional or not, I don't know, but my only option was to counter-steer/swerve to the left. Unfortunately, there was a green minivan to my left that was hugging the lane markers, and in my avoidance of the truck, I clipped the guys mirror, really lightly. I knew that happened as it happened, but my focus was on navigating a safe line through this situation so that took a back seat. By the time I got my shit together enough to take a look back for the minivan, I was several cars ahead.

I checked out my mirror, and there wasn't even a scratch, but nonetheless, I thought what if this had happened to me? So, I continued another ~1/4 mile until traffic cleared and pulled over. I figured, if the guy's car was damaged, he'd see me, pull over and we'd take care of the insurance stuff.

I waited long enough for the guy to come by, but I never really got a look at the minivan (or the truck that steered into me), but no one ever stopped. Eventually a CHP came along to see if I was ok. I told him the story and he took my information so that if someone called it in later as a "hit and run" I'd be ok.

That, I believe, was the right thing to do. Hitting two mirrors and taking off because you pissed someone off and was afraid of their justified retribution (which might be some yelling and probably an "I'm sorry" from you), I'm thinking, was not the right thing to do.

Just my opinion, though.
 
its very bad. I accidentally had done it once and the cage started pursuing me recklessly.. Never again!
 
That would be a HELL NO. As mentioned by others, unless you stop it is a hit and run.

I would have probably done the same as the guy in the truck.
 
2WheelAddict said:
You're calling me shallow because I accidentally clipped a car mirror? Well I must say that is not very Christian of you my friend and neighbor. Perhaps you should not be so quick to point out the speck of dirt in your neighbors eye before you notice the log in thine own eye. Or perhaps you should work on turning the other cheek you hypocritical fuck. How little is your faith; I beseech you to remove that Jesus quote from your signature immediately.
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Woah nelly! Fire and brimstone from the sky! Captian, we've just gone somewhere nobody wants to go.

Also, no it's not okay to clip a mirror. It's an accident, you're liable for it and you make the rest of us look like poo-flinging racer-boy hooligan monkeys.
 
I lane split in tight spots all the time. I never clip mirrors *unintentionally*. If the asshat deserves it, thats another story. If your clipping mirrors, you need to learn better control while lanesplitting.
 
So, it's been clearly established that clipping mirrors is bad (no argument there).

Would anyone like to provide suggestions on what the rider *should* have done when they clipped the car's mirrors (ie, pull over, push the mirror back into place and apologize)?
 
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mud said:
Would anyone like to provide suggestions on what the rider *should* have done when they clipped the car's mirrors?
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Haul ass to avoid a mad beat down? No...That's not the right answer. When I did it I pulled over to the side of the road and got ready to take responsibily for what I'd done. Be reasonable and apologetic for fucking somebody elses shit up is my policy.
 
FoxRocket said:
Haul ass to avoid a mad beat down? No...That's not the right answer. When I did it I pulled over to the side of the road and got ready to take responsibily for what I'd done. Be reasonable and apologetic for fucking somebody elses shit up is my policy.
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Well in my case I didn't fuck any shit up. I went by slowly, the edge of mirror just ticked the mirror on the truck, and there was not property damage that I could see. However, I clearly f'd up and should not have clipped the mirror in the first place. I actually clipped two in a row. Bad bad bad.

Anyway, is the thinking of all involved here that the best thing to do would be to pull over after going through the intersection and check with the car driver that everything was okay? I would think that would probably be the most responsible thing to do.
 
Clipping mirrors is bad, bad, bad. If you do clip a mirror and cause damage, you should pull over and take responsibility/pay for damages.
 
I'm guilty of clipping mirrors on several occasions :shhh The mirrors on the GS stick out like buck teeth, they don’t fold in like most modern sport bikes, and they sit at the height of a lot of the trucks and SUV's.

Bottom line is that it’s not acceptable to come in contact with another vehicle. I'm sure karma will find some method to repay me for my mirror clippings :cry

Michaeln/BBandit summed it up well!
 
2WheelAddict said:
Anyway, is the thinking of all involved here that the best thing to do would be to pull over after going through the intersection and check with the car driver that everything was okay? I would think that would probably be the most responsible thing to do.
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I don't know if it's what most poeple do, I know that it's what I do. On a somewhat related story I was driving my car on Sunday and was bumped from behind by a guy in a Lexus. We pulled over and exchanged information even though the bump didn't even leave a mark on either of our cars. It was just the right thing to do.
 
Is it okay? Hell not only is it okay, it's damn fun ;) Cept I don't think I can do it on this bike without causeing dmg to it :(
 
budbandit said:
Clipping mirrors is really really bad. Don't do it. If you cannot fit, don't split. If you haven't the skills, don't risk a spill.
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Exactly. And I voted NO. :cool
 
you're too lame to split lanes if you can;t do it without touching others. Maybe you are too lame to ride a motorcycle at all..
 
it's hit and run, too.
 
Butch said:
you're too lame to split lanes if you can;t do it without touching others. Maybe you are too lame to ride a motorcycle at all..
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Bwah hah hah hah! Thanks Butch! I'm going to go cry now...

Want my bike? I'll give it to you for free!
 
A mirror a day, keeps the cagers at bay. Make sure to break one today.

:laughing

lets see 7 years bad luck X how many mirrors? Damn, i'm screwed.
 
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It's happened to me

I did the same thing about ten years ago: I was splitting lanes at an intersection and clipped a mirror of a car sitting third at the light. There was a really loud *crack* sound, so I thought I had broken his mirror off.

I waited for the light to turn green and accelerated past all the cars and pulled over to the right. The car pulled in behind me and I just said "I'm really sorry - I'll pay for any damage." There wasn't even a scratch on his car or my bike, so we exchanged numbers and that was the last I heard of it.

I remember that the guy was really angry, but if you do the right thing, it defuses the situation pretty quickly.
 
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