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Lane scare from passing car

Hank

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I was on a four lane divided highway today. Not much traffic.
A beat up car was passing me. I looked over and could see the driver was distracted, though I am not sure what the distraction was.

At any rate he started to move over into my lane while next to me, no signal.
I do not know if he forgot I was there, or was drunk or something.
It is possible the strong wind was blowing him over.

I braked and he went on by. If I had been in the left track of the lane he would have hit me.
I am not sure what the lesson is, perhaps maintain a bigger margin around beat up old cars with distracted drivers.
Or stay in the right track when being passed, especially if downwind.
 
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Glad you were alert. All you would have had to do was look away for just a sec and it could’ve been way different. I always try to stay in the track furthest away from passing vehicles...whether oncoming traffic or those traveling with me.

Still being a new rider (a year in April) I’m constantly trying to remind myself on details like this, while out there among the cages.

Stay alert out there guys and gals!
 
I had someone do that to me on a two lane one way street, last week. He was left lane I was right lane.

A car in front of him slowed to make a left turn down a side street and he did that whole “pass on the right” into my lane, no signal no nothing.

I swerved into the bicycle lane, now we’re three wide with parked cars on my right.

He got a continued blast from my Denali SoundBomb. I pulled up next to him at the next light, pointed to my dash camera and gave him the finger.
 
I was on a four lane divided highway today. Not much traffic.
A beat up car was passing me. I looked over and could see the driver was distracted, though I am not sure what the distraction was.

At any rate he started to move over into my lane while next to me, no signal.
I do not know if he forgot I was there, or was drunk or something.
It is possible the strong wind was blowing him over.

I braked and he went on by. If I had been in the left track of the lane he would have hit me.
I am not sure what the lesson is, perhaps maintain a bigger margin around beat up old cars with distracted drivers.
Or stay in the right track when being passed, especially if downwind.

Ditch the Micky Mouse horn and fit something MUCH more substantial. If you hit your horn, you want it to be heard.
 

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Ride like you are invisible. Constantly play the mind game called "What If" -- they stop suddenly, turn left, have no brake lights, pass on the right, run the stop sign, open the door - "What If" -- and always look for your escape route. Good luck, be safe.
 
I am SO looking forward to sharing the highway with "driverless" cars!

(caution: sarcasm levels here may exceed recommended dosage.)
 
California being the only state that allows "lane splitting" or what ever you want to call it. My only concern is them making lane splitting illegal.
Bay area traffic sucks and a split lanes almost every time I ride. On the newer vehicles I see their side mirrors light up with a warning when I'm a vehicle length or two away, if the self driving cars are as sensitive as some by the book drivers or worse and they veer away or slam on their brakes it won't be long before the cries go out to ban lane splitting, or so is my concern.
So my only concern is legislative, I don't understand how lane splitting hasn't become legal across the country, lots of states looked like they were just about to make it ok but it's looked that way for years now. Making self driving vehicles mandatory or even standard I worry it will swing the opposite direction and they'll make laws more restrictive for motorcycles.
Seeing almost everyone in a cage playing with a cellphone not to mention those doped up on prescription meds, drunk, high or just inept it's hard to imagine self driving cars not doing a better job on average within the next few years. America's car culture is not what it used to be I'm just hoping motorcycle riders aren't next on the chopping block.
 
Funny, I have been riding in the tire track closer to the other vehicles (left track in right lane), rather than further away. It is with the assumption that that way you are essentially taking the whole lane and the other car has to completely change lanes to pass. It Increases their awareness of you and also limits your time in the drivers blind spot.

And it goes without saying that situational awareness is key. Congratulations on avoiding an accident.
 
California being the only state that allows "lane splitting" or what ever you want to call it. My only concern is them making lane splitting illegal.
Bay area traffic sucks and a split lanes almost every time I ride. On the newer vehicles I see their side mirrors light up with a warning when I'm a vehicle length or two away, if the self driving cars are as sensitive as some by the book drivers or worse and they veer away or slam on their brakes it won't be long before the cries go out to ban lane splitting, or so is my concern.
So my only concern is legislative, I don't understand how lane splitting hasn't become legal across the country, lots of states looked like they were just about to make it ok but it's looked that way for years now. Making self driving vehicles mandatory or even standard I worry it will swing the opposite direction and they'll make laws more restrictive for motorcycles.

Where I live, and where I ride when I travel, lane splitting would probably never happen even if it were legal. There is no traffic like what rippin209 describes. There is no lane to split, and no traffic to ride between. I’d guess there are just a few problem areas around the country where lane splitting might be beneficial. But, perhaps the reason it’s not legal other than in California is that there’s not much need for it. There’s no need to even bother to make a law for it. Even traveling through large cities in the whole midwest, an activity I despise and do very seldom, I’ve almost never encountered a need to lane split. The only time would be if a rural interstate is shut down temporarily while a wreck is cleared. If I encounter that once or twice a year, I can live with it. I get to my destination eventually, and alive.
 
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Lane splitting isn't necessary, but the only things necessary are air, water and food.

people ride differently because riding ability, type of motorcycle or environment.
I commute 120 miles each day I work, I've found riding as smooth as possible at 5mph faster than the traffic around me reduces the amount of variables I need to respond to.
Situational awareness, playing the what if game, lane placement dictated by current situation, etc, etc should be standard.

Generally I'm riding in the right tire tracks of the number 1 lane or the left tire tracks of the number 2.

If I was going to sit in traffic I'd be enjoying coffee and heating/a.c. Not worrying about being run over or at least bullied by 4+ wheels for lane position.

Maybe where you live traffic isn't a regular problem but where I live and many other highly populated areas it is.

Just like anything else there's plenty of examples of people doing it wrong but there's also plenty of people that lane split correctly
 
Rippin, I don’t mean to be unsympathetic to your situation. But from my view of the riding world, which is certainly different than yours, widespread legalization of lane splitting will probably go nowhere. Motorcyclist are a small minority in the U.S., and those that can benefit from lane splitting are a minority of that minority.
 
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Ripped, I don’t mean to be unsympathetic to your situation. But from my view of the riding world, which is certainly different than yours, widespread legalization of lane splitting will probably go no nowhere. Motorcyclist are a small minority in the U.S., and those that can benefit from lane splitting are a minority of that minority.
Ah first world problems, no sympathy required [emoji23]
It's simply a difference of opinion and for all the flaws (almost entirely legal or legislative) that I don't like about California it is the one state where I'm not breaking the law splitting lanes.

Unfortunately your opinion is more common (apparently even among riders) so your right I don't see widespread legalization happening, which is unfortunate
 
In France we are currently (since 2016) officially experimenting lane splitting with possible legalization if experience is conclusive (around 2020). There are rules of course, and they make sense (top speed, max differential speed, left lanes only, ...).

Riders were doing it anyway. Personally I don't like it, but between that and 20 mn stuck in the traffic... I must say that most cage drivers play along, and I do not bully them (no horn, no revving, just additional lights and patience).
 
In re lane position.

As mentioned above, claiming your lane is important. If I am turning right, I generally move to the left track so a car does not try to use the left portion of the lane to pass.

The competing concern is that a car turning left across my front might cut the turn.

To avoid this, it is safer to be to the right. So even in such a simple situation, the decision is complex.

Of course, there is never a perfect decision in anything. Life does not offer any choices without both good and bad consequences.
 
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While in the cage in heavy traffic, I will at times fade to the left of the lane (but staying IN my lane) just to get a glimpse of what’s ahead or what may be holding up traffic. I cringe to think what I might inadvertently do to a cyclist who might be cruising down between the lanes that I would have to look out for. And that’s also my concern about being the cyclist in that example. I’d never be splitting lanes even if it was legal. Just isn’t in my DNA.
 
California being the only state that allows "lane splitting" or what ever you want to call it. My only concern is them making lane splitting illegal.
Bay area traffic sucks and a split lanes almost every time I ride. On the newer vehicles I see their side mirrors light up with a warning when I'm a vehicle length or two away, if the self driving cars are as sensitive as some by the book drivers or worse and they veer away or slam on their brakes it won't be long before the cries go out to ban lane splitting, or so is my concern.
So my only concern is legislative, I don't understand how lane splitting hasn't become legal across the country, lots of states looked like they were just about to make it ok but it's looked that way for years now. Making self driving vehicles mandatory or even standard I worry it will swing the opposite direction and they'll make laws more restrictive for motorcycles.
Seeing almost everyone in a cage playing with a cellphone not to mention those doped up on prescription meds, drunk, high or just inept it's hard to imagine self driving cars not doing a better job on average within the next few years. America's car culture is not what it used to be I'm just hoping motorcycle riders aren't next on the chopping block.
There's a chance that self driving cars could alleviate some of the traffic congestion.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
 
While in the cage in heavy traffic, I will at times fade to the left of the lane (but staying IN my lane) just to get a glimpse of what’s ahead or what may be holding up traffic. I cringe to think what I might inadvertently do to a cyclist who might be cruising down between the lanes that I would have to look out for. And that’s also my concern about being the cyclist in that example. I’d never be splitting lanes even if it was legal. Just isn’t in my DNA.
It happens everywhere including here in California. Usually the vehicle to your left doesn't like you getting closer and also scoots to the left or they don't, in which case if I don't have room I don't try.

I would like to point out that I very rarely honk (only when trying to get someone's attention) and I don't expect that to work anyway.
But I never flip out road rage style, the honking pissed off, waving hands, flipping people off, revving your engine or any other crazy stuff. Most of the time people don't mean to block your path but even if they do what is getting pissed going to do to help.
Most people around here are really stressed, making them unpredictable, on meds to calm them or at wits end ready for someone to flip out on (or run over) so little to no upside and little to critical downside, I just find another way or wait to get by, no biggy
 
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