ThinkFast
Live Long
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2007
- Location
- San RiffRaph
- Moto(s)
- n. (pl), a two-wheeled device used for transportation as well as racing and other fun stuff.
- Name
- Tom
I've covered lane-splitting attitude, the unique dangers it presents, and an overall strategy. Now let's get down to specifics. What practices can you adopt that will make splitting safer? This section will be divided into four posts, starting with habits for controlling the motorcycle and observations to make.
Controlling the motorcycle
Two skills essential for all riding, and especially important when splitting lanes, are emergency braking and swerving. You don't need MotoGP braking skill, but you do need to be able to apply the brakes quickly, smoothly, and confidently. When your only evasion option is to slow down, braking skills are critical. In other situations, you may need to make a quick swerve to avoid a crash, and effective countersteering is what you'll need.
Beyond basic skills, here are some habits that will improve your ability to control the motorcycle while splitting:
- Cover the front brake at all times. The few tenths of a second it saves can make a difference.
- Ride in a gear that gives you good speed control with the throttle alone. In a gear that's too high, you'll lack the acceleration and deceleration you need. Too low, and throttle sensitivity will make speed adjustments jerky, and you'll need to upshift if traffic speeds up. In the right gear, you'll be able to adjust speed smoothly as the situation demands.
- Stay off the line and reflectors. You'll have to cross the lane line occasionally, but the line itself has poor grip, so avoid it.
Observations
Because you can't count on being seen, you have to spot developing situations early, when you have time and space to take action. To see what you need to see, ride with your head and eyes up, field of view centered 3-4 car-lengths ahead, with good peripheral awareness nearer and farther in the corridor and to the lanes on either side. And while your main focus is forward, don't forget to glance occasionally in your mirrors.
The following list consists mainly of items you are well aware of and notice every day, whether on a motorcycle or in a car. But they have a slightly different meaning while splitting. For example, the upcoming 680/580 interchange is familiar, but when you're splitting, it becomes a cue to watch for the guy who forgot he has a meeting in Livermore this morning and needs to get to the southbound-eastbound exit ramp right NOW, and right across your path.
- Gap in traffic in one lane that invites a lane change from the other.
- Large speed differential between lanes.
- Junction/convergence/divergence where freeways meet, split, or join.
- HOV entry/exit points. Mainly an LA thing, but worth remembering.
- Problem drivers weaving or making multiple lane changes.
- Drivers searching for a lane change opportunity.
- Slowing traffic. Scan far enough ahead that you will see a slowdown before it affects you.
- Narrow lanes. Common in construction zones, on city streets, and on old freeways with an extra lane squeezed in.
- Wide trailers.
- Extended mirrors on campers and vehicles towing trailers.
- Sudden lane change by multiple vehicles suggesting debris or a stalled vehicle ahead.
- Clear intersection or crosswalk. A vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian may cross the corridor as you emerge into the opening.
- Splitter behind. When you see another rider approaching from behind, get out of the way as soon as possible.
- Splitter ahead. Follow at least two seconds behind. If you want to split faster, find a way around. Don't endanger yourself and the other rider by tailgating.
Coming up tomorrow, part 2 of Best Practices, speed while splitting.
I’d add:
Splitter ahead splitting different lanes. On a multi-lane freeway I’ve sometimes encountered someone ahead of me splitting between lanes 2 and 3 while I’m splitting between lanes 1 and 2. So guess what the traffic in lane 2 is doing as the bike splitting 2 and 3 comes through. The vehicles move left - narrowing the gap for me. Split 1 and 2 only, boys and girls!