A new study out of UC Berkeley finds the practice of lane splitting OK

[GregR]

I read a report about 10 years ago, it was commissioned by the Dept of Transportation in the mid 70's. They had Professor Harry Hurt of USC do a three or four study on motorcycle safety. I don't remember a lot about the study but I do remember he found that it was safer to lane split while on the freeway then to not lane split. It was Professor Hurt's conclusion that if you stayed in the middle of the lane and acted like a car in bumper to bumper traffic, the odds were higher that you would get rear ended then they were of having a accident while lane splitting. Of coarse this doesn't work if traffic is stopped and the motorcyclist is going 90 MPH. And while the study didn't say so I think you should be a proficient rider if your going to lane split.

Now there is a new study out by UC Berkeley. It was commissioned by the California Highway Patrol and the Office of Traffic Safety. It found lane splitting is no more dangerous than just riding a motorcycle   

http://abc7.com/news/motorcycle-lane-splitting-poses-no-additional-dangers/361883/

[The emperor has no clothes]

Greg, do you lane split? I did it once when I was stationed in San Diego . Was riding to L.A. and traffic was backed up because of a wreck. A Harley went by lane splitting and I decided to follow him. Was scared the whole time. Never did it again.

[BigMac (SoCal)]

Our friend Mike Sprage who rides with us now and then on His Harley was a CHP motorcycle training officer. He once told us that it was safer to split lanes than sit in traffic. I do it all the time when necessary but you do have to be on your toes.   

[RichW]

I have never done it. Being retired, I am never in a hurry 

[Jess from VA]

I did it on CA freeways only.  Carefully.  It's not bad rolling thru stopped cars, but when cars are going along at a roll to 15 knots, they weave a lot (and the excitement goes right up).

Otherwise, you needed a magazine to read and an umbrella to keep the sun off you as you sat, and sat, and.... oh wait, 20 more feet (why are you honking, it's only 20 feet?)

I've been caught in a few freeway backups, I desperately would have liked to split, just to the next exit (and the breakdown lane is safer), but the reckless driving ticket you will get in VA makes it a large risk.
How can it be reckless if I was only rolling along carefully at 7mph?... Sorry, that's our policy.

[GregR]

I lane split all the time but our bikes are wider then most (38-1/2 inches). It's much easier on a Harley or a sport bike. If the center divider is close to the number one lane the cars tend to move over and there may not be enough room. When you have a large shoulder by the fast lane the cars tend to move to the left leaving a lot of room to lane split.