lane splitting

Europeans - forever erring on the side of logic and efficiency. Whenever a line of traffic is stopped for a train crossing or a long traffic light, the motorcyclists will invariably moved to the front and be the first out of the chute when the barrier is up and the light turns green (actually, amber first, then green). All feel there is no harm - no foul.
Only in egalitarian America - where everyone's the same, whether they're in a 15 mpg Suburban or a 40 mpg motorcycle - you wait your turn.

 

Not legal, seems to be generally tolerated...

When I used to commute home up the FDR in stop and go traffic I would see many bikes go right next to cops without slowing down. I always felt uneasy about doing so, if nothing more than to not be blatantly disrespectful. If I'm between 1&2 and the cop in 3, no big deal if traffic is crawling...


As far as city avenues which are five or six lanes wide, they generally get treated as one huge lane by bikes, cages, buses, 18 wheelers and the like.

I've also seen cabs and liveries do all sorts of ridiculous things in front of LEOs like blowing u-turns, darting across six lanes of traffic to pick up a fare and waiting until a light turns yellow to make a turn across the full width of the avenue. Oh and my favorite was the cab who blew by a show of force line of 12 cops cars with lights going, at 20+ over.

 

Well like most things if lane splitting is done sanely and and with caution it is probably no more dangerous than well what ever. Its easy to say that you wont do it but until your stuck in gridlock traffic it appears much more feasible.
I did it this morning and passed a Chicago PD squad! No problemo!

I am not advocating recklessness just common sense!:wink: