Lane splitter get's what he deserves

So, I come up to a Harley rider splitting lanes on a transition (this is legal in California, and I do it, that's not the issue here). Every car he passed that didn't give him room he would rev the throttle and try to give them his best "mad dog" stare. I say try because he was wearing tennis shoes, ankle socks, and black dress pants (or Dickies though it doesn't really matter). As we hit the main highway he pulled away as I'm no speed demon while splitting. For some reason I caught up to him about 5 miles later (keep in mind this is in solid LA traffic). Once again, he's getting pissed at the people who don't move over for him. I check my mirrors (again, I don't ride fast and let faster riders pass) and I see bike has come flying up on my ass. I also notice that it is a CHP. I'm not concerned about getting a ticket (see my first sentence) but being courteous, I pull to the left to let him pass. He quickly slides up behind the other guy when they come upon a minivan that is riding the yellow line. I mean the right tires are actually on the edge of the line. The bozo tries to stay on the yellow line (trying to prove a point?) and passes the van with his bars almost scraping the car. Again with the backward glance mad dog stare. As he goes past, on go the lights. He gets pulled over for (my personal belief) being a giant douche bag. Or it could be that he crossed the double yellow line which is actually illegal.

Now, for the open discussion part. For those who don't live in California (and for others who haven't checked this out) there are no laws against lane splitting in California. There used to be "guidelines" on the CHP site example: don't ride more than 20MPH faster than traffic, limit your speed to 55MPH while splitting...etc. There were also "guidelines" for cars example: if you see a motorcycle splitting move to the side in your lane as long as it is safe, make sure to check your mirrors for motorcycles when changing lanes...etc. Again, these are guidelines, cars don't have to move over for you and splitting, though legal, can still earn you a ticket for unsafe or reckless riding. Unfortunately, there are those riders here who think that not only do they have the right to split lanes that drivers MUST give them the right of way.

I would like to hear thoughts on this. Not just the guys who agree with me, after all what's the fun in that, but also those who disagree with me. If you are one of the guys who revs their engine (not just to politely make sure cars hear you) and mad dogs people who don't give way, I'd like to know why you think that's your right.

Have at it :smile:

 

Sounds mostly like a Harley problem. Another factor is that all drivers in CA are not aware that lane splitting is accepted and many drivers in CA are from other places.

 

I like the "Harley problem" though I do know a couple of very nice and courteous Harley riders.

 

Simple math. Asshole + asshole = conflict. There was no need for this fuckweed to get pulled over. It was partially if not mostly his doing. Then again, the van driver needs circumsission right at the sack.

 

As a daily commuter, it irritates me tremendously when the rider behind me or in front of me revs his engine to make himself "heard" or "seen" Specially when he's in front since I'm the one who can hear him. Most drivers are oblivious -or flat out don't give a rat's ass about him- and distracted anyways.
What I hate the most is when the rider in front "taps" the vehicle in front in a retaliation manner, guess who is going to take the wrath of a pissed motorist?
The rider you mentioned got off easy. He could end up causing a wreck and get injured, so him being pulled over was a blessing in disguise.

As a side note, drivers are jerks in Los Angeles county. Many more drivers do their best to box you in or cut you off then their counterparts in Orange County. Just my observation.

 

That tapping thing sounds like a good way to get tapped three time to the body mass in some places.

"I know what we can do Fred, lets go oot and tap some Mongols, Banditos or Angels for fun today. " " Yes, let do and then we can do lunch. "

 

I hear Angel's wave these days and Bandito's wave guns right before spraying them. lol

 

I do hate the engine revers trying to get the attention of the cager in front of them but it is NOT limited to the HD guys. I was behind a rider a week ago who was on a sport bike who was doing this, rather obnoxiously I might add. He literally sat at the tail end of the car and revved his engine continuously like he was getting ready at the starting gate! He was definitely a rookie as he had plenty of room that time and most of the time but was a little too timid about squeezing through.

What I hate is the riders who weave in and out of the lanes, crossing the double yellows and making us all look like we feel like we are privileged. This is what seems to piss drivers off the most, at least with drivers I have discussed this with, when they find that I am a rider. The rider in the case you mentioned Thrashed, was probably pulled over due to his riding the yellow line, as it was in the guidelines that you must stay within the lane and not ride on or over the double yellow lines.

Ironically, on the way home one day, I come upon a motorcycle cop heading my way lane splitting and three of us got in line behind him and had him lead the way. As what most mentioned, most drivers were oblivious to his/our presence but when they saw him and assume, saw he was a cop, they quickly moved over! What was interesting too, is that for the most part he stayed within the lines but on a few occasions he rode on or over the double yellows to get by the wider vehicles. In these cases, we just followed his move!

Do I cross the double yellows? Only in cases like above, i.e. Wide vehicles that can't give me more room, but I always try and keep within the lanes and refrain from crossing into or out of the car pool lane whenever there is a double yellow line. The main reason is that I hate it when drivers dive over them and I don't want to be a hypocrite. How would it look if I got tagged by a driver doing it and some witness comes along and says, "I say you do it too!". Besides that, the wife and I were almost taken out once by some dipshit who was crossing over without looking and my knee slider was literally inches from his front bumper! So I know how dangerous this can be in either case.

 

What if the dude behind you that was revving his engine had just made the transition from a Harley to a real motorcycle and forgot that it didn't need to be revved up to keep it running?

I can truthfully say that I have never crossed over the double line. Well, almost never.

 

this last statement cannot be true, trolls all ways ignore any lines and all ways block traffic to get paid

 

See there, I learn something new every day. Like a couple of you I will, on a rare occasion, cross the double yellow to get around a bus/large vehicle. What I do do (he, he..lol) is ride on the black between the double yellow quite often. It's usually a smooth ride and it splits the difference between the two lanes (carpool and #1) and I have always treated it like the white striped line in the middle of the rest of the lanes. Listening to a couple of comments here today, I think I will shy away from that practice.

 

Not to worry. No one pays much attention to your statements anyway short of a form of entertainment. What is of greater concerns are the voices you are hearing coming from your gas tank.

 

Although right now it is really based on the peace officer's judgement, but anything other than being on one side or the other of the double yellow lines is what most look for. Riding on the line or in some cases between the white and double yellow lines or in the rare case, between the two sets of the double yellow lines, is commonly frowned upon and may get you a citation. On the 405 freeway in the Culver City area, there are two sets of double yellow lines and I see guys hauling ass in between them like if it's their own private lane! I have yet to see anyone get pulled over for doing this but then again I'm not around all the time to see every citation being issued. Apart from the one cop going my way the other day, I rarely see law enforcement in my travels for some reason.

 

I haven't heard anything from my gas tank except a squashing sound when I rock the bike back and forth.:smiley_simmons:

 

Some departments run unmarked vehicles. Seattle PD runs some 5L mustangs that even have paintwork so as to not stand oot.

 

Last month I rode my bike fro. San Diego to Santa Rosa. I was shocked when I started splitting lanes from San Diego to LA. I was shocked because almost everyone moved over to give me plenty of room. That never happens around my home town. I figured that being in socal people would be moving over to impede me not help me.
It sounds to me like the Harley dude got what he deserved.
For me, I think splitting lanes above 30 mph is too dangerous.

 

Been noticing latley alot more people are moving over as well, maybe just watching there mirrors more because there texting or on the phone.
Alw as ys give them a tip or a wave

 

I don't like to share a lane-I just gun it and pass:chaingun:

 

Sure ya do poser

 

Who's the poser'- Eh