Lane splitting?

[sticker]

I just got back from a 9 day vacation in California and all I can say is that I'm jealous!! Shoulda seen these bikes splitting lanes . I was stuck in traffic and over only 2klms, 19 bikes passed me. MTO needs to step up to the plate and legalize it here!!!!

[rukus]

you cant just make it legal. accidents would soar. drivers are too dumb for it it work properly here.

[albguy40]

I agree... we need to remember that biking is not seasonal in Cali like it is in here... people have gotten pretty used to the high number of motorcycles... I just want them to let us use carpool lanes, like on the 403 for example

[CruisnGrrl]

considering california has more motorcycles than all of canada it's no surprise that they are a little more recognized there. I think if it were to become legal here we would have to restrict the difference in speed to 5 - 10 km faster than the flow of traffic until it was accepted... and of course if there's an accident who's at fault?

[Duster929]

considering california has more motorcycles than all of canada it's no surprise that they are a little more recognized there. I think if it were to become legal here we would have to restrict the difference in speed to 5 - 10 km faster than the flow of traffic until it was accepted... and of course if there's an accident who's at fault?

That's pretty much how it works in Cali, and everywhere else. You're not supposed to lane split at high speed.

As for people getting used to it... how are they supposed to get used to it BEFORE it's legalized? Kind of a ridiculous argument, isn't it?

And the seasonal argument doesn't really work either - people don't forget that bicycles exist and are surprised and stunned every April... You'd be surprised that the average motorist will remember what a motorcycle is even if they haven't seen one in 5 months.

--- D

[Rob MacLennan]

That's pretty much how it works in Cali, and everywhere else. You're not supposed to lane split at high speed.

As for people getting used to it... how are they supposed to get used to it BEFORE it's legalized? Kind of a ridiculous argument, isn't it?

And the seasonal argument doesn't really work either - people don't forget that bicycles exist and are surprised and stunned every April... You'd be surprised that the average motorist will remember what a motorcycle is even if they haven't seen one in 5 months.

--- D

I see bicycles on the street all year. Not so with motorcycles. Bikes also tend to stay to the side of the road, rather than being alongside cars at 100 Kmh.

We need to improve the class of driver in this country by light years before we could ever consider something like lane splitting.

[Duster929]

I see bicycles on the street all year. Not so with motorcycles. Bikes also tend to stay to the side of the road, rather than being alongside cars at 100 Kmh.

We need to improve the class of driver in this country by light years before we could ever consider something like lane splitting.

I agree that we have to improve the driving, but I don't think it's because motorcycles are "seasonal" or people "aren't used to them". You could have motorcycles ride around all year and it wouldn't make our drivers any better.

In addition, we don't just have to improve the class of driver, we have to improve the class of motorcycle riders at the same time. But we should be doing that anyway, regardless of lane splitting. Our training and licensing system is not adequate.

--- D

[Rob MacLennan]

I agree that we have to improve the driving, but I don't think it's because motorcycles are "seasonal" or people "aren't used to them". You could have motorcycles ride around all year and it wouldn't make our drivers any better.

In addition, we don't just have to improve the class of driver, we have to improve the class of motorcycle riders at the same time. But we should be doing that anyway, regardless of lane splitting. Our training and licensing system is not adequate.

--- D

If motorcycles were always around then our otherwise vacant drivers would at least expect to see them.

I tend to forget about improving the class of rider, as I've already been through 2 A.R.T. courses at Humber, 8 FAST School classes, and read a fair bit.

[Duster929]

If motorcycles were always around then our otherwise vacant drivers would at least expect to see them.

I tend to forget about improving the class of rider, as I've already been through 2 A.R.T. courses at Humber, 8 FAST School classes, and read a fair bit.

As I'm sure you're aware, you are the exception, not the rule.

My fear is not that if they legalized lane splitting, we would see cars smashing into motorbikes or running them off the road everywhere. My fear is that if they legalized lane splitting, we would see every jackass kind of behaviour imaginable on motorbikes - the weaving, dodging, etc., and they'd have that shut down in a week. Riders here go out onto the road with the most basic machine control skills, and very little road experience or maturity. Letting them lane split would be interesting.

--- D

[Rob MacLennan]

As I'm sure you're aware, you are the exception, not the rule.

My fear is not that if they legalized lane splitting, we would see cars smashing into motorbikes or running them off the road everywhere. My fear is that if they legalized lane splitting, we would see every jackass kind of behaviour imaginable on motorbikes - the weaving, dodging, etc., and they'd have that shut down in a week. Riders here go out onto the road with the most basic machine control skills, and very little road experience or maturity. Letting them lane split would be interesting.

--- D

That's why I stated that; I tend to forget that not everyone takes the time to get additional training.

It's time for a system of insurance breaks for taking accredited advanced rider training, to be mandated upon the industry by the FSCO. That should mitigate a lot of damage on the roads, without requiring a retooling of the licensing and testing system (again).

[inferno]

Lane splitting at its finest http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=8n6z_jrrKuI ... looking at the cars and buildings, it almost looks like back home

he lanesplit with 3 bikes already in 1 lane O_O

[rizvi]

Whats the punishment for lane splitting in Ontario? I wonder if some super cop will say its "stunting" and take away your ride? I was just wondering, never done it though, basically unless im late for something super important I dont feel its worth it.

Someone on this forum got changed by 203 for lane splitting. Honestly, if you really have to lanesplit then I would ride on the shoulder. Its not as big of an offense as a 7 day license suspension + towing charges + ticket

[Rob MacLennan]

Someone on this forum got changed by 203 for lane splitting. Honestly, if you really have to lanesplit then I would ride on the shoulder. Its not as big of an offense as a 7 day license suspension + towing charges + ticket

There's a potential 172/203 charge that covers that also; "passing at a speed markedly higher than the limit." The definition of "the limit" is what gets you.

[Duster929]

There's a potential 172/203 charge that covers that also; "passing at a speed markedly higher than the limit." The definition of "the limit" is what gets you.

Not only that, but it's not really up to you what you get charged with, it's up to the cop to charge you with whatever he wants. He can charge you with stunting for looking at him wrong, if he really wants to. With the shoulder charge, he can charge you with stunting, then you can plead it down to passing on the shoulder... in court, a year later. But before that, you're waiting for the towtruck and then calling a cab.

--- D

[gAbRoO]

I agree... we need to remember that biking is not seasonal in Cali like it is in here... people have gotten pretty used to the high number of motorcycles... I just want them to let us use carpool lanes, like on the 403 for example

+1 ..........