YellowBastard
New member
sorry bro, was late for class. sweet crotch rocket!
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Passed on the left in traffic this morning...
- Thread starter x61485x
- Start date
I get passed on my commute probably 10 times a day each way. I always ride in the right tire track when in the #1 lane, for visibility. Watch your mirrors, and when you see a rider behind you approaching, pull to the left side of the lane and let them go by.
Nothing really wrong with what that guy did. If he passed you really close or going much much faster, that's a different story.
Nothing really wrong with what that guy did. If he passed you really close or going much much faster, that's a different story.
IAmA M0t0r Ridεr
Active member
guineapig
New member
Had to commute to the South Bay today. One thing I learned (since this was the second time this week), is that South Bay cagers are typically big ass-holes compared to East Bay cagers. For example, several times, I would split through middle, and then the cager (on seeing me pass by) would speed up and try to squeeze me out by tailgating the cager in front of them (in response, I ignored as usual, and just continued lane splitting forward).
In regards to bikers passing bikers. I trust other bikers less than cagers because they share my ability to rapidly change speed/direction due to superior handling. I feel that cagers are pretty predictable like big lumbering dinos and SUVs = like boats, and in comparison, I always avoid lane-splitting behind fellow bikers during heavy traffic because I can't predict if the biker in front might go down and then cause me to go down.
Now, if I'm in front, and I notice a biker behind me in my lane, I block them from passing until there is a wide-enough safety gap. While this sounds ass-hole-ish, when I need to pass slow bikers in front of me, I just change lanes and then lane-split ahead of them in another lane so that I don't pose a safety risk to them. I lane-split at a rate I feel is relatively safe, and I believe people who lane-split faster are like that video of the 16-year old russian biker who became street pizza on his R6, lane-splitting like an idiot. If the biker behind me is so unskilled that he/she can't easily change lanes and lane-split in front of me, then I'm not going risk my safety margin (ie. risk getting squished by cagers) to let some squid pass. Nor will I increase my speed to a rate where I might be taken out by a stupid cager because some squid is tail-gaiting me.
Basically my system assumes that the biker in front of me never has to see me (and give approval for me to pass), since I've found some bikers get butt-hurt getting passed by me, and they might be tempted to "race". Case in point = this video, where the OP might be tempted to teach the supermoto rider a "lesson", even though the dude in front is probably completely oblivious to so called, passing norms. If he had just split in the 2/3 lane he would avoid the bikers completely and give everyone a good space margin. Frankly, I'm only concerned about cagers not clipping me (I've been clipped twice, at speed), so the less drama when getting through crappy traffic = the better, and I feel that if more bikers were competent at passing (while lane-splitting), there would be less incidents.
In summary, I suggest bikers pass in a completely "free" lane, vs. doing a risky maneuver close to other bikers, as bike + bike can easily lead to problems.
In regards to bikers passing bikers. I trust other bikers less than cagers because they share my ability to rapidly change speed/direction due to superior handling. I feel that cagers are pretty predictable like big lumbering dinos and SUVs = like boats, and in comparison, I always avoid lane-splitting behind fellow bikers during heavy traffic because I can't predict if the biker in front might go down and then cause me to go down.
Now, if I'm in front, and I notice a biker behind me in my lane, I block them from passing until there is a wide-enough safety gap. While this sounds ass-hole-ish, when I need to pass slow bikers in front of me, I just change lanes and then lane-split ahead of them in another lane so that I don't pose a safety risk to them. I lane-split at a rate I feel is relatively safe, and I believe people who lane-split faster are like that video of the 16-year old russian biker who became street pizza on his R6, lane-splitting like an idiot. If the biker behind me is so unskilled that he/she can't easily change lanes and lane-split in front of me, then I'm not going risk my safety margin (ie. risk getting squished by cagers) to let some squid pass. Nor will I increase my speed to a rate where I might be taken out by a stupid cager because some squid is tail-gaiting me.
Basically my system assumes that the biker in front of me never has to see me (and give approval for me to pass), since I've found some bikers get butt-hurt getting passed by me, and they might be tempted to "race". Case in point = this video, where the OP might be tempted to teach the supermoto rider a "lesson", even though the dude in front is probably completely oblivious to so called, passing norms. If he had just split in the 2/3 lane he would avoid the bikers completely and give everyone a good space margin. Frankly, I'm only concerned about cagers not clipping me (I've been clipped twice, at speed), so the less drama when getting through crappy traffic = the better, and I feel that if more bikers were competent at passing (while lane-splitting), there would be less incidents.
In summary, I suggest bikers pass in a completely "free" lane, vs. doing a risky maneuver close to other bikers, as bike + bike can easily lead to problems.
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Entoptic
Red Power!
I have gotten out of a speeding ticket and proved I didn't cause an accident in which a woman in a BMW was yapping on her phone and bumped me.
Lunch Box
Useful idiot
It looked fine to me. 
What we don't know is how long he was behind you. It could be that he was camped out there for awhile waiting for you to wave him by. Either way, he was simply lane splitting. As others have said, the fact that he startled you probably means that you need to check your mirrors more often. The speed delta wasn't too high, so it's not like he "came out of nowhere."
What we don't know is how long he was behind you. It could be that he was camped out there for awhile waiting for you to wave him by. Either way, he was simply lane splitting. As others have said, the fact that he startled you probably means that you need to check your mirrors more often. The speed delta wasn't too high, so it's not like he "came out of nowhere."
ilikefood
Active member
Switching to another lane and passing there is risky. I'm sure you've seen cars move to the side - sometimes very quickly - when a motorcycle lanesplits next to them, no? Now imagine two bikes splitting lanes, one on the left side of a car, and one on the right side. It's a dangerous situation, just asking for the car to bump you. Experienced riders are reluctant to do this. Your "system" doesn't just sound assholeish, it is. Why not just merge with traffic when you can do so safely and let the bike behind you pass?
MSFIT
New member
Check your six.
msethhunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2011
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- SoCal
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- '98 VTR1000F, she's a fatty! '89 YSR 50 with a 150, she said "it's so cute!"
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If you don't want to get passed on the left, ride in the left hand portion of the lane, not right in the damn middle.
ahnh666
New member
my rule is to hold my line to the left of the dotted line...i feel safer on the right side of the #1 lane for visibility and during emergency braking, most cars will go left to avoid the car in front of them....i can split to the right if i don't have enough room to stop...
i never pass on the left of a person because usually people will move over to the left to let a faster bike share pass on the #1 lane...even if the rider is daydreaming ahead of me i'll just follow along until they let me pass (most eventually do)
if i see a bike approaching behind me too fast, i hold my line on the right and let the bike do what he wants...pass on the left of me or right of me...if he/she slows behind..i'll move over to the left and signal to pass...after, i'll go back to my line...
typical 101 commute...bikes let me pass...others pass and sometimes on the left..i just stay predictable and hold my line and move over when i feel there is no danger...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMp-5U_TC4I
i never pass on the left of a person because usually people will move over to the left to let a faster bike share pass on the #1 lane...even if the rider is daydreaming ahead of me i'll just follow along until they let me pass (most eventually do)
if i see a bike approaching behind me too fast, i hold my line on the right and let the bike do what he wants...pass on the left of me or right of me...if he/she slows behind..i'll move over to the left and signal to pass...after, i'll go back to my line...
typical 101 commute...bikes let me pass...others pass and sometimes on the left..i just stay predictable and hold my line and move over when i feel there is no danger...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMp-5U_TC4I
corpsedub
moto's are meditation
not that i have a probem with the pass. but i tend to pass on the right. i treat motos and cars the same. split them on the right of #1.
Diezel
كافر extraordinaire
OP, if anything it was your lane position that lead to this. Obviously, you were too busy watching traffic to be looking at your mirrors frequent enough to see a faster moving vehicle, and clear a path for him.
Nothing to be butt-hurt over. And in all legal matters, passing on the RIGHT is technically illegal.
guineapig
New member
If you read what I stated, I said: until there is a large enough "safety gap", meaning when traffic starts moving, then I have room to move. You probably don't have as much experience with Bay Area traffic jams, but they can be 10-15 miles long and there is literally no room to budge. Would you stop your bike behind other cars in a traffic jam just to let a squido pass? Hence, I assume if a rider can't switch lanes to 2/3, I'm not going to jeopardize my safety for a squiddoo (has to learn some patience). If the person in front of me is slow, then it is up to me to pass them in another lane, as safely as possible (otherwise I'm the squiddoo who has to learn patience) instead of tail-gating them and hoping they move aside. My system means that the person wanting to go faster requires better skills, and if the rider only knows how to go fast in a straight line, then they have to be patient.
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HeatXfer
Not Erudite, just er
Yes, you are teh weird for NOT using your camera.I use my Contour every day, both ways.
Oh, I only know of one way to use a Contour, what's the other?
BTW - OP? Pay attention.
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busapassion
Member
OP should have been more aware and the passer did nothing wrong. I always let a faster rider pass me especially when I'm not in a hurry. I'd rather let another rider be in front of me to prewarn drivers a moto might be passing through.
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ThumperX
Slayer of Deer
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- Aug 26, 2007
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- Off Elk Mtn
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I got passed on the left on Monday. My reaction was a little different, I waved an apology for not being present and moving over.
I like the gopro when commuting, it really helpw with respect to liability decisions should something occur.
One thing I noticed in this video is the OP not holding a steady line. I too, would have passed on the left as I would be safer if the bike wandered one way or another.
I like the gopro when commuting, it really helpw with respect to liability decisions should something occur.
One thing I noticed in this video is the OP not holding a steady line. I too, would have passed on the left as I would be safer if the bike wandered one way or another.