• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

*The definitive laneSHARING thread*

This is a great thread, after reading all this, I wonder: Is it ok NOT to split lanes? Sometimes I just putt in traffic till I get bored. I'll dummy-up and ride the braille if lane splitting is the rule ;)
 
V-Rod Chet said:
This is a great thread, after reading all this, I wonder: Is it ok NOT to split lanes? Sometimes I just putt in traffic till I get bored. I'll dummy-up and ride the braille if lane splitting is the rule ;)
Click to expand...

I never split traffic when I'm at work unless I'm trying to get to a call. Only because there is no reason to hurry to one side of the city just to turn around and go back to the other side.
Also it’s funny to see a bike split partway up until they see me sitting in traffic and they stop and try to blend in. :laughing If they think it is illegal then why do it in the first place? :wtf
 
JPM said:
I never split traffic when I'm at work unless I'm trying to get to a call. Only because there is no reason to hurry to one side of the city just to turn around and go back to the other side.
Also it’s funny to see a bike split partway up until they see me sitting in traffic and they stop and try to blend in. :laughing If they think it is illegal then why do it in the first place? :wtf
Click to expand...

Wait a second; so you guys find shade, look cool, check yourselves out in big store windows, observe violators AND can see some dude splitting lanes way back?:shocker
 
V-Rod Chet said:
This is a great thread, after reading all this, I wonder: Is it ok NOT to split lanes? Sometimes I just putt in traffic till I get bored. I'll dummy-up and ride the braille if lane splitting is the rule ;)
Click to expand...
please don't actually ride the braille
 
NorCalBusa said:
Wait a second; so you guys find shade, look cool, check yourselves out in big store windows, observe violators AND can see some dude splitting lanes way back?:shocker
Click to expand...

I'm a legend in my own mind. :rofl
 
lane share when prudent and if you are being not so prudent..(technical way hehe) then don't do it when cops are around. I have no problem bypassing slowpokes in the fast lane but only if I feel it safe. Take the law and use your experience and wisdom and I am sure we will all make it through the high quality ..(BAH HA HA..sorry) roads of this state
 
I had a Moto Officer get on his intercom and tell me lanesplitting was illegal. Then he took off lansplitting :laughing

In hindsight, I was very new, probably wobbly, and he was probably trying to get me to consider my skill level and not become a skid mark on the freeway of life. :laughing :thumbup

Great thread, thanks for posting it as a sticky.
 
Mistyz said:
I had a Moto Officer get on his intercom and tell me lanesplitting was illegal. Then he took off lansplitting :laughing

In hindsight, I was very new, probably wobbly, and he was probably trying to get me to consider my skill level and not become a skid mark on the freeway of life. :laughing :thumbup

Great thread, thanks for posting it as a sticky.
Click to expand...
:teeth Lane splitting is illegal. Lane sharing isn't... :teeth
 
What if you're on a 1 laned, 2 way "highway". (ie: 25, one lane going each direction). When traffic stops, do you take to the shoulder to continue on, or do you dare "share" to the left of the vehicle towards the middle of the road?
 
blackonblack said:
What if you're on a 1 laned, 2 way "highway". (ie: 25, one lane going each direction). When traffic stops, do you take to the shoulder to continue on, or do you dare "share" to the left of the vehicle towards the middle of the road?
Click to expand...

It's attention-grabbing, and most likey to be followed by a "discussion", maybe even insistance on your autograph.
 
blackonblack said:
What if you're on a 1 laned, 2 way "highway". (ie: 25, one lane going each direction). When traffic stops, do you take to the shoulder to continue on, or do you dare "share" to the left of the vehicle towards the middle of the road?
Click to expand...

If there is room on the left without any part of you or your bike crossing into the oncoming lane, and it’s done at a reasonable speed, it’s legal. Riding the shoulder is illegal.
If you search there have been a number of threads on this.
 
I've seen the question asked here in this thread, but I'm still not 100% clear - on a highway like 92W that gets completely bogged on weekends, with one lane going each way, according to JPM above it is legal to share a lane on the left provided that it can be done safely (questionable in the first place, since you'll be even closer to oncoming traffic) and completely within the space between cars on the right and the double yellow on the left.

However, is it legal to share on the right between the fog line and the cars on your left, provided you're not actually crossing the fog line and therefore, by JPM's definition, not riding the shoulder? I've read the VC that passing on the right is illegal, but does this apply in that situation?

I've seen definitive answers like JPM's regarding sharing to the left of stopped cars but haven't seen a statement regarding the acceptance of sharing on the right provided it is done entirely within a lane? I did a search but there's so many results it was tough to find anything. Based on JPM's statement that "If there is room on the left without any part of you or your bike crossing into the oncoming lane, and it’s done at a reasonable speed, it’s legal", it applies to either side of the lane, but just wanted to check.

Obviously, for those reading, IF right-side sharing is legal, one should take extra care when approaching a ride-side exit or a right turn opportunity. I currently don't share on the right side of a two-lane highway because of the questionable legality but if the answer is "yes, it's acceptable", it is something I would consider in certain situations, with the caveat of heightened vigilance in those scenarios.
 
Mickey_D100 said:
I've seen the question asked here in this thread, but I'm still not 100% clear - on a highway like 92W that gets completely bogged on weekends, with one lane going each way, according to JPM above it is legal to share a lane on the left provided that it can be done safely (questionable in the first place, since you'll be even closer to oncoming traffic) and completely within the space between cars on the right and the double yellow on the left.

However, is it legal to share on the right between the fog line and the cars on your left, provided you're not actually crossing the fog line and therefore, by JPM's definition, not riding the shoulder? I've read the VC that passing on the right is illegal, but does this apply in that situation?

I've seen definitive answers like JPM's regarding sharing to the left of stopped cars but haven't seen a statement regarding the acceptance of sharing on the right provided it is done entirely within a lane? I did a search but there's so many results it was tough to find anything. Based on JPM's statement that "If there is room on the left without any part of you or your bike crossing into the oncoming lane, and it’s done at a reasonable speed, it’s legal", it applies to either side of the lane, but just wanted to check.

Obviously, for those reading, IF right-side sharing is legal, one should take extra care when approaching a ride-side exit or a right turn opportunity. I currently don't share on the right side of a two-lane highway because of the questionable legality but if the answer is "yes, it's acceptable", it is something I would consider in certain situations, with the caveat of heightened vigilance in those scenarios.
Click to expand...

I was able to find this just now. Here is an excellent post by MM4L (as usual :)). My understanding is that it MAY be written as unsafe passing on the right, but that YMMV and that you assume a higher risk of write up when doing it on the right. Would that be the correct way to look at it?

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/f...2983018&highlight=laneshar*+right#post2983018
 
Last edited:
After years of lurking, this is the thread that makes me jump in... great stuff.

How about this scenario: going on a two lane backroad, 50 mph speed limit. The road meanders, so it's double yellow for miles and miles; though it's not excessively twisty. Mr. Tourist is putting along at 40-45, oblivious to my being right behind him doing all I can to get his attention.

If there's room to share safely (which to me means that I fit nicely between him and the centerline and I can get by him in a half a second), can I do so legally?

In these type of situations, it's usually a no brainer to pass on the double yellow. It's illegal, to be sure, but on a bike it's safe and easy. Would it be legal if I passed while sharing the lane? That would save me a lot of trips to the confessional...
 
Lane sharing at that speed is questionable; acceptable speeds are usually 0-25 MPH. And if you have to accelerate above the posted speed limit to make the pass it is definitely illegal.
 
V-Rod Chet said:
This is a great thread, after reading all this, I wonder: Is it ok NOT to split lanes? Sometimes I just putt in traffic till I get bored. I'll dummy-up and ride the braille if lane splitting is the rule ;)
Click to expand...

Here, I can clarify this for you: it is never not OK to not split lanes. There. :x
 
If this is the definitive thread on lane sharing, it ought to have the relevant California Vehicle Code section in it. This is the only place I was ever able to find where "lane usage" is defined.

Laned Roadways
21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.
Click to expand...

Interestingly (and since I'm living in Oregon now) the law here reads in essence, almost exactly the same, yet you'll get a ticket if you try to "lane share" in Oregon. They are talking about a law that specifically addresses lane sharing by motorcyclists, and allowing it under certain circumstances.

811.370 Failure to drive within lane;
penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of failure to drive within a lane if the person is operating a vehicle upon a roadway that is divided into two or more clearly marked anes for traffic and the driver does not:
(a) Operate the vehicle as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane; and
(b) Refrain from moving from that lane until the driver has first made certain that the movement can be made with safety.
(2) The offense described in this section, failure to drive within a lane, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §630]
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top