Modern Vespa

How would you feel about that?

Happened to me twice now, wasn't real happy about it.

Both times in the right hand lane, speeding and moved into the left lane right after passing. I was keeping up w traffic ( slightly over the speed limit) made no motion to wave them through.

Seemed unnecessary and dangerous for both of us. Tempted to chase them down and have a word, but didn't.

It's happened to me, didn't like it, but I wouldn't try to chase them down.

In fact, I've had four-wheelers pass me in my lane (though at very low speeds).

Was it the:

Tough guy Harley rider or the dumb rocket bike kiddo?

We have a local wanna-be tough guy motorcycle group in my area and they are just a bunch of dummies. Crappy beat down Harleys being ridden by dumb younger kids. One pulled up next to me at a red light and kept revving his bike. I know this intersection well so I timed the light, gave him the finger and started splitting lanes. He followed me like a dummy. I started moving mirrors with my hand as I filtered to the front and the car drivers got MAD. So people start getting out of their cars and he gets trapped. Now the two car people are yelling at him, the light has now changed and I safely take off into the night.

The rocket bike riders aren't as bad here but they still think they're comedians sometimes. One tried buzzing me on the freeway one day when I was late getting to work. I constantly monitor my mirrors so I knew he was coming. As he closed in I purposely swerved like I was avoiding road debris. He came very close to going down.

I carry bear mace and have no problem deploying it, even if an offender is in motion.

Be sure you are checking your mirrors frequently. It's a good habit to develop and will hopefully prevent a surprising "blowby" from faster traffic.

If you see faster riders approaching from behind, reposition yourself in the lane to allow for a safe pass. If it's a faster car coming from behind, hold your lane position until you have a safe place to pull off and let them go past.

If you're the faster rider coming up on a slower bike or car, exercise patience and pass when it's safe.

FFS. Poor little "personal space" abused. You'd not survive in any place that allows lane-splitting or filtering - like many places in the US and certainly the rest of the world! That also applies to solid white/yellow lines - the rule is you mustn't cross them, NOT that you cannot overtake.

This. Keep yourself safe. Life is too short to stress about something/someone you can't control.

Buddy it's not an exception it's the story of my life. Passed by two wheelers, four wheelers, cyclists, mobility scooters... Some people never been humbled riding a 50cc and it shows

My riding partner on his BMW GS1300 got passed by a cyclist a couple of days ago whilst riding down one of the passes in the Pyrenees mountains, I thought it was funny and he didn't give a monkeys.

Drop the ego and life's then a lot less stressful.

Not a matter of ego, strictly safety. For both riders.

To answer the question, "How would you feel about that?", my answer would be, I would not worry about it.

I apply the Rule of 5's: what is something going to matter in 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 weeks, or 5 years. The more important the consideration, the more deliberation I undergo.

Someone passing me on the road? Who cares... it does not matter now, and it will not matter in 5 minutes. It can't even get past the 5 minute rule in my book. In fact, I have a LX50, so a lot of people pass me every time I ride.

An example of something that matters is a college education, car loan or a mortgage. That's going to matter for years or decades, so it gets a fair amount of consideration and deliberation from me.

However, if you escalate the contact by "having a word" with the other driver, then there could be long term consequences for you. You could get beat-up, stabbed or shot nowadays. In this case, it is probably best to keep your mouth shut.

And the aggressive riding behavior by the other rider may have long-term consequences for him or her, but that's not your fight. You have to stay in your lane, as they say. But you can always hope a little Schadenfreude will materialize, and hope you are around to witness it.

Then there's the self-important jack-ass who won't LET you pass:

That was definitely an asshole move by the other rider at the 2:00 minute mark. I would be pissed.

I don't get passed much by other bikes or scooters, but if I do it's not a big deal. Plus they usually wave so I'm guessing they just need to be at their designation sooner than me. It's kinda like who cares. As long as they don't crowd me over I let them go on.

Worst case would be someone on a scooter who you just know would be boasting about it as soon as they could get online on a premium scooter forum. I had a weeks cycling in northern Vietnam this year around the HaGiang loop. It's a common trip for hoards of gap year tourists on the back of small motorbikes. Passing them on the downhills was definitely a goal.

Worse case? I don't mess with people unless they mess with me. If you're happy being a carpet then more power to you. Also I do around 6000 miles a year strictly commuting by scooter. Don't need or want "premium", I did that alreay with the Liberty 150. Reliable is more important.

I was!!

It's those times where you imagine "Q" devising an oil slick and caltrop dispenser for under the rear fender. Bond, James Bond.

It'd matter a lot if you got knocked over. When they're passing in the same lane you're in-and you're both going 50+ mph-there's very little margin for error. Risky, unnecessary and illegal. At that speed, even in California.

Riding 2 abreast (a bike in LP1 and a bike in LP3) is legal is nearly very US state. So passing in LP1 or LP3 is obviously also legal. Riding 3 abreast (LP1, LP2, and LP3) is illegal in every state.


I pass other bikes in the same lane all the time, and I allow other bikes to pass me in my lane. This is normal biker courtesy. You see the biker coming up fast behind you, you then go to Lane Position 3 (the RH of the lane), and allow them to pass you in Lane Position 1 (the LH of the lane).

Obviously if there are open car lanes, the overtaking biker must use those lanes, but if car lanes are blocked, then overtaking in LP1 is what to do.

Occasionally I encounter a biker who upon my attempt to overtake in LP1, he will weave from LP3 to LP2 or LP1 to block me. So I will switch to LP3, and he will immediately swerve back to block LP3. This is how you cause a collision, because you are doing highly irrational movements.

It's a public road. It's not "your" lane nor is it up to you to "wave them through". Risky and unnecessary is an opinion. I would be surprised if it's illegal even in Florida.

May I suggest some further training for those who think it's naughty.

Probably quite a lot of it.

Just FYI....in Wisconsin you are given the entire lane as a motorcyclist. Its illegal for someone to usurp that privilege unless you're riding with someone and you both consent to share.

I guess you could argue that waving someone on might be consent, but you might be doing that in court.

It seems like the "it's my lane and I won't share it" view is almost uniquely a USA thing. I think it makes us less aware and less skilled to put on that hat. The majority of the world seems to do well at sharing their lane and keeping traffic flowing smoothly without the need to defend it as if it's your personal property. Now, that said, don't be an asshat by buzzing past fellow riders at much higher speeds. Overtake safely. I ride a 77 year old motorcycle that makes maybe 60hp and has mechanical brakes. I'm setting no speed records when I ride. I keep my head on a swivel and, when I see faster PTWs approaching, will move to the right side of the lane allow them to overtake easily and safely. I'm well past the point where I'm a rider with a competitive mind set. I'm happy to let them pass (in my lane) and give a wave.

^^^Well said!

I'll add - if any of those who believe in being so self-entitled to "their lane" ever try riding in another country, let alone another state, they will have the surprise of their lives.

We all pay for the all road and we should all share it.

So in Wisconsin you cannot even pass a bicyclist? Or someone on an e-bike? or a restricted 50cc?

I doubt that somehow. Show the reference.

It's the same in Minnesota, AFAIK. Two riders in the same lane only by consent of both riders. No person may overtake or pass another vehicle in the same traffic lane (with some exceptions for lane splitting and filtering). Bikes are supposed to get 3 or 4 feet of clearance. Mopeds generally must follow the same rules of the road. E-bikes — seems to me like anything goes (depends on the class of the e-bike).

Minnesota statutes 169.974 Subd. 5

More on bicycles and e-bikes: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/safe-driving-information-and-laws/traffic-safety-laws/bicycle-and-pedestrian-laws

Jimc, Jerome, Prescott Valley and Prescott have some of the worst drivers/riders I've seen. Occasionally I'm one of them, but never that stupid.

Well said.

Around here, most bikers tend to leave a large marginal both when overtaking and riding behind. This is, for experienced riders at least, mostly because of two local conditions: potholes in smaller roads (=sudden sideway movements are to expected) and deers, mooses and wild rabbits everywhere (=sudden swerves & breaking to be expected).

When I used to rent bikes abroad, it always took some time to get accustomed
to the local riding habbits. To the extend that I still remember one time when I rented a wide BMW bike and found myself mostly stuck behind cars while local small two wheelers just rode here and there around me. The local lesson here was, that I should mind my feet when riding slowly behind the cars - the bikes rode so close that once I streched my left leg, it was ridden into it from behind. A light touch, just tiny bruises and completely because I didn't know yet how the traffic flows. At home that would never happen.

So I'll guess what ever riding style one uses, it should be a good enough match with the local traffic around you. In traffic it's about 'us' not 'I'.

if there is room I will pass anything

Must be more of an issue in the US than it is in the UK... lanes are meant to be shared.

Here, two wheelers ride staggered in the same lane to avoid shunts at sudden stops. Standard group riding etiquette. Even if you're not riding in a group, you still ride staggered with those around you. Leave plenty of space for possible overtakes where needed/necessary. Ride safe, not stroppy.

FWIW, it's explicitly OK in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

MA General Law Title XIV, Chapter 89, Section 4A: Driving vehicles in a single lane; motorcycles, riding and passing

When any way has been divided into lanes, the driver of a vehicle shall so drive that the vehicle shall be entirely within a single lane, and he shall not move from the lane in which he is driving until he has first ascertained if such movement can be made with safety. The operators of motorcycles shall not ride abreast of more than one other motorcycle, shall ride single file when passing, and shall not pass any other motor vehicle within the same lane,
except another motorcycle.[/u][/i]

Doesn't bother me much. Same for cars and whatnot, as long as they don't try to push me out of my lane, which sadly happens somewhat frequently. I can't move to the right immediately like they want due to bad roads.

What I don't like are the morons who do that and are going waaaay past the speed limit. You can't even see them coming around a bend.
Jump scared me once

Lane sharing (or lane splitting) is legal in California, and it's pretty common. I do it a lot in heavy traffic, and filtering up to a traffic light on city streets is legal, too. A few people waste a lot of their time being annoyed, and it seems most people don't care. This business of being morally offended because I rode through traffic, between lanes, and passed you is silly and meaningless. Find something to complain about.

Even better is when the audis do it.

(Don't worry he yelled at me for legally filtering later.)

I may be mistaken, but Lane Sharing is different than Lane Splitting. Lane sharing is when two riders travel side by side in the same lane. Lane splitting is when a rider travels on the lane divider between cars to pass the cars or trucks in the lane (or maybe other riders traveling two abreast).

I am not familiar with California law, so I don't know whether either of them are legal or unlawful. In fact, I'm from Maryland, and I don't even know whether lane splitting is legal or unlawful in MD. Lane splitting is unlawful in Maryland; Maryland Transportation Code §21-1303(d).

I often travel with other riders (whom I don't know) with lane sharing. I pull up next to them (on the right) and ask if I can ride with them for a while. I don't engage in lane splitting. I am fearful an automobile or truck will cut me off or open a door out of spite.

Jeff

There's a lot of laws in a lot of countries that are at best optional but usually ignored. General rule of thumb for safety and courtesy is to overtake giving the slower vehicle 6ft or 2 metres room when it's safe to do so.

Lane splitting is legal in California. Try this link:

https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/programs/california-motorcyclist-safety/

This is interesting... California is the only state that allows lane splitting. From California Lane Splitting Law: CVC 21658.1 Explained, <https://callcefali.com/california-lane-splitting-law/>: It still seems risky to me, despite being lawful in California. There are too many assholes on the road who will cut you off or open a door on you in spite.

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