Hate traffic less by avoiding it. Lane splitting is when a smaller vehicle passes in the spaces between two vehicles. The Federal Highway Administration mandates a freeway lane be 11-feet wide (132-inches) so if two large pickup trucks are driving in tandem in the middle of each truck's lane, there is 4-feet five-inches (53 inches) at the narrowest point. The worst part about traffic is sitting in it so stop getting frustrated and start splitting lanes. Let frustrated drives fume and traffic inches to a halt as you maintain speeds of 20 miles per hour at all times. Truck mirrors will try to cloths-line you, and indecisive drivers playing Pacman, eating the road pellets known as Bott dots, will slow you down but try as we might the lane splitter will prevail.
Lane splitting diminishes a rider's directions for changing direction but less so then stopped cars going nowhere. When traffic has came to a halt cars are trapped and can't move anywhere. The real hazard is when cars are moving at a snail's pace. Lane splitters will have to be most cautious moving slowly as ancey drivers will be searching for a faster path of travel. Here the lane splitter needs to down-shift to slow down and rev the engine faster to make the motorcycle more conspicuous. If possible tuck in your mirrors and turn on your bright lights to increase your presence. Place your hands at the extreme most part of your handlebars to yourself a reference point to the motorcycle's widest point?
Avoid driving over Bott dots or lane dividers as the resulting noise and vibration will be both distracting and lower the coefficient of traction available to you. Ride at a comfortable speed keeping your left hand covering the clutch, your right hand covering the front brake and your right foot covering the rear brake. This positioning will reduce your reaction time and decrease the tendency to stab the brakes. Drivers turning their heads or being able to see a lot of a driver's wheel suggests an upcoming car might be considering changing directions. Toot the horn a couple of time and try to position yourself as far away of the indecisive driver as possible. At the end of the day the lane splitter is always taking a chance. Because a motorcycle has only a single light (or lights mounted closely together), it creates an optical illusion whereby the motorcycle seems farther away then it is.
Ride safe and learn to anticipate traffic so you can start appreciating a good traffic jam.
Lane splitting diminishes a rider's directions for changing direction but less so then stopped cars going nowhere. When traffic has came to a halt cars are trapped and can't move anywhere. The real hazard is when cars are moving at a snail's pace. Lane splitters will have to be most cautious moving slowly as ancey drivers will be searching for a faster path of travel. Here the lane splitter needs to down-shift to slow down and rev the engine faster to make the motorcycle more conspicuous. If possible tuck in your mirrors and turn on your bright lights to increase your presence. Place your hands at the extreme most part of your handlebars to yourself a reference point to the motorcycle's widest point?
Avoid driving over Bott dots or lane dividers as the resulting noise and vibration will be both distracting and lower the coefficient of traction available to you. Ride at a comfortable speed keeping your left hand covering the clutch, your right hand covering the front brake and your right foot covering the rear brake. This positioning will reduce your reaction time and decrease the tendency to stab the brakes. Drivers turning their heads or being able to see a lot of a driver's wheel suggests an upcoming car might be considering changing directions. Toot the horn a couple of time and try to position yourself as far away of the indecisive driver as possible. At the end of the day the lane splitter is always taking a chance. Because a motorcycle has only a single light (or lights mounted closely together), it creates an optical illusion whereby the motorcycle seems farther away then it is.
Ride safe and learn to anticipate traffic so you can start appreciating a good traffic jam.
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