Lane Splitting...

[Pyrowe69]

so i have been reading about this topic all over the place, but since this is a GTA question, didn't wanna here from everyone not living in the GTA, so i am just posting it here...albeit i am a new rider this year, i love taking my ride into work, mississauga to downtown...i usually get off the QEW and head along lakeshore until parkside and head up to bloor, and then bloor over to avenue as that is the area i work...sometimes though i find traffic can be kinda heavy and the bike being air cooled, kinda hot on the old legs...so being able to maybe scoot up to the lights would nice to keep moving in traffic...i know it is illegal up here, but i seem to hear more and more about it and those telling me that they do it...(no i have started this habit yet)...i was wondering what peoples thoughts on this are?

[Burt69er]

I just got back from a holiday in L.A. My first real experience with lanesplitting. While I don't do it here back here at home. Its crazy there, but expected from the cagers so no hassles while doing it. NOt sure that Canadians will be so sympathetic if you try it on the QEW or 401. Probably will cut you off, or might be aggressive towards you. Use at your own risk.

(on a side note), took a ride up in the Hollywood hills on Mulholland Dr. Absolutely fantastic outthere with tons of twisties and switchbacks in the canyons.

[Pyrowe69]

yeah, i hear about it all the time in LA, a friend eggs me on about it, i just tell him we can park for free up here...as for lane splitting on the 401 or QEW, i have had those moments when sitting in the car and bike comes past (at a very slow, or rather reasonable pace) and makes their way up to the front, i watch and usually there is no fool that will edge out their front end to head off the rider...most people i talk to are terrified of motorbikes on the road (i am the only person out of all my friends that ride, at least the ones that live up here), so they don't wanna do anything to piss one off...but those folks we don't have to worry about, it's the one out there that is just having bad day, and decides to take it out on the next person that pisses them off...my lane splitting question, funnily enough, comes from my car driving, as i drive an echo, (worst car to be in a crash with, but will do 900km on a 40liter tank of gas). i don't like to sit behind traffic and i find in my echo i like to be ahead of traffic rather than behind or stuck between, so i tend to make my way ahead of the pack, so the same mentality with the bike, just that i find i can fit more places to scoot around traffic (yes i signal and hate cutting people off)...however, in those heavy traffic moments, the bike comes in very handy if one wants to do this, well now that i have one, i wanted to know the general etiquette in the area (other than everyone telling me not to do it)...

[brad the lad]

I do it if I'm turning right at the lights up to about 5 vehicles(slip up the side), but got nailed with my buddy (he was the actual perpetrator) when in Wasaga Beach on a long weekend years ago (2001?) two angry female officers pulled us over and gave us tickets for lane splitting, don't remember the dollar amount but three points . They didn't even see us but it was reported from who knows who (I stupidly paid it) my buddy who actually did the crime fought and won (I was traveling for work at the time of the court date). They view it very dimly here though it would relieve traffic and get us away from the angry cage drivers. It is a good thing, just completely foreign to the powers that be (and your typical stupid commuter).

[NukeRider]

I can't say that I'd do it, but I've seen it on the Allen multiple times. As I remember, there is a raised, paved curb on the side of the subway and you have good separation from the cages.

In the stop-and-go, don't you think drivers sit too close to each other to really do anything? Or am I fooling myself? I guess it's when they get moving a bit that it's a problem...

[d8ve]

There are a couple spots on my daily commute that i will regularly split lanes...or filter to be more correct. If i'm coming to the back of a large queue and all the cars are stopped and i'm so far back that i won't make it through on the next green and the lanes are wide enough...yes i will slowly filter to the front. Never had anyone in a car try to cut me off, open a door, yell at me, etc... It's also useful on those days when there's an accident on the highway and it's been reduced to one lane...it really doesn't make sense to sit there on your bike and add to the congestion. I generally won't do it on the highways though. It's too unpredictable where your lane might be stopped and the next lane is slowly crawling and you have people darting out to the moving lane. On the highways i tend to jump into the merging/on-ramp lanes to get ahead. Stay off the shoulders though. Everyone hates seeing someone drive/ride on the shoulder and cops really won't give you a break if they catch you. Bottom line is you have to really know the roads you're on, which lanes tend to move, and have a feel for how the traffic 'pulses'.

[corbo]

Do it on occasion , My cop friends seem to be indifferent about it and basically have told me that unless the guy is acting like a total idiot they do not bother , Hey DucDic I think I have seen you I work in the Bloor Avenue Rd area and have seen an all black monster parked in the alleyoff the park in Yorkville , that you usually park my 749 in the area.

[Pyrowe69]

i have seen that one too, it's parked outside on hazelton avenue, exact same as my bike, but have not seen the owner, im parked underground in hazelton lanes mall...

[eyeboy]

downtown i do it pretty regularly... and sloooowly. i have had a couple of guys yell at me, especially anywhere near highway entrances at rush hour. one pickup tried to squeeze me out of the lane. so be careful!

i've filtered to the front at stops signs in front of police and it seems to be that if you behave yourself you can get away with it.

but beware the driver who takes offence... the best line i heard was this 'sooo... you think you're better than the rest of us?' to which i replied 'nope, just smaller'

that said i have been muscled ariound a lot by impatient drivers who will pull around me at stop signs, tailgate and honk if i dare to not speed etc... crazy.