Auto Pilot vs. lane sharing motorcycles

[McRat]

Aren't you afraid of idiots in cars, not paying attention, swerving into your path as you lane split? Guy spills his coffee, reaches over to grab it, yanks wheel, etc. It's always seemed like Russian Roulette to me (from the perspective of a car driver watching lane splitters).

When done correctly, it's far safer than staying in the lane like a car. That will almost guarantee you'll be bagged and tagged.

Cars are the most dangerous things we own. They make nuclear weapons and handguns look like marshmallow shooters.

Every day you get into a car, you are playing with your life, and the only reason cars still exist is now they are now armored personnel carriers.

But why do people die in cars still, even though they are many, many times safer? Because we are becoming worse at driving. If we just stayed at the 1960 skill level, deaths would be a fraction of what are today.

So the problem with cars killing people has ALWAYS been primarily a question of driver skill. And it's the only area that the Government refuses to deal with. 10 airbags, sure. 10 hours of defensive driving? NO FREAKING WAY. Rollcage chassis structure, including front bar, door bar, risers, and cross beams, sure. Mandatory 6 month license suspension for texting while driving? Not a snowball's chance in Phoenix.

 

[calisnow]

When done correctly, it's far safer than staying in the lane like a car.

Why is that? Seems very counterintuitive to me.

 

[chillaban]

Why is that? Seems very counterintuitive to me.

I guess because you don't get rear ended when lane splitting which is a far bigger hazard compared to clipping the side of a car or being hit by a lane-changing car going a few mph sideways.

 

[McRat]

Why is that? Seems very counterintuitive to me.

Car drivers barely see fire engines with their lights and sirens on today. Motorcycles and bicycles are virtually invisible to many drivers.

When you see all the rear end crashes on our crowded freeways, they are almost always because the one car doesn't see a car right in front of them at point blank, right? I could never understand how you hit the back of a car, but they do it constantly. If cars popped up out of the ground, or fell from the sky, OK. But that is really rare.

Motorcycles are less visible than cars, and a car hitting your motorcycle from the back can drive over the top of your broken body, or sandwich you into an SUV until you are 4" thick. When a car driver smashes the car in front of them, they exchange insurance. When they smash a bike, their family decides between burial and cremation after your organs are harvested. And? It's not a serious crime in the US to kill bicyclists and motorcyclists in most situations.

Now, if I'm riding between lanes, you are free and welcome to wreck your car into the car in front of you. But you won't kill me, haha! Tricked you!

Also, some people love to zigzag back and forth like a sewing machine between lanes. When a motorcycle in a lane between cars, to Froggy The Reckless, it looks like a big gap to zig into, and he picks you off from the side.

 

[voyager]

Talking about lane sharing.... What about sharing your Tesla? Another way of utilizing resources more efficiently.
Here's a poll where you can cast your vote: Will you share your Tesla?

 

[Don85D]

In Europe where lane splitting is common and acceptable I attribute the reason it works is because almost all drivers started out on a motorcycle. They have an awareness of motorcycles and they are willing to share their lane. In NA sharing is a sign of weakness where any intrusion into 'my space' results in road rage behaviour.

I have riden a motorcycle for many decades and making the bike more visible with additional lighting and staying in a lane is safer. The bike needs to be as quick or quicker than a car for this to work. Acceptance by the other drivers on the road is key. Too slow and you are a nuisance to be pushed off the road and if riding too fast other drivers on the road cannot judge the speed difference and will left turn in front of you. I expect that a P90D driven in spirited fashion causes the same problem.

Our riding now is mainly on country roads when there are few cars and lane splitting is not required.

 

[jerjozwik]

i actually prefer bikes to lane split, much easier to see them because they are in my blind spot for way less time. stuck in traffic like everyone else and they disappear. an im one who actually looks out for bikes.

 

[EVie'sDad]

Car drivers barely see fire engines with their lights and sirens on today. Motorcycles and bicycles are virtually invisible to many drivers.

When you see all the rear end crashes on our crowded freeways, they are almost always because the one car doesn't see a car right in front of them at point blank, right? I could never understand how you hit the back of a car, but they do it constantly. If cars popped up out of the ground, or fell from the sky, OK. But that is really rare.

Motorcycles are less visible than cars, and a car hitting your motorcycle from the back can drive over the top of your broken body, or sandwich you into an SUV until you are 4" thick. When a car driver smashes the car in front of them, they exchange insurance. When they smash a bike, their family decides between burial and cremation after your organs are harvested. And? It's not a serious crime in the US to kill bicyclists and motorcyclists in most situations.

Now, if I'm riding between lanes, you are free and welcome to wreck your car into the car in front of you. But you won't kill me, haha! Tricked you!

Also, some people love to zigzag back and forth like a sewing machine between lanes. When a motorcycle in a lane between cars, to Froggy The Reckless, it looks like a big gap to zig into, and he picks you off from the side.

Then this is the exact reason you should favor autonomous vehicles, which once the technology improves will have a greater likelihood of preventing the vehicle from rear-ending another vehicle or motorcycle. That would virtually eliminate the need to lane split. It would also have a side benefit of reducing the number of crashes, thus reducing the backups incurred when lookiloos and rubberneckers gawk at the horrific results of mishandling heavy machinery.

 

[McRat]

Then this is the exact reason you should favor autonomous vehicles, which once the technology improves will have a greater likelihood of preventing the vehicle from rear-ending another vehicle or motorcycle. That would virtually eliminate the need to lane split. It would also have a side benefit of reducing the number of crashes, thus reducing the backups incurred when lookiloos and rubberneckers gawk at the horrific results of mishandling heavy machinery.

Some days it appears that the cars are already driverless, but not actually autonomous...

 

[bxr140]

Aren't you afraid of idiots in cars...

Afraid? No. Aware? Yes.

1. Most motorcyclists are hyper aware of their surroundings--that in itself is huge for not getting into bad situations.
2. Unpredictability is remarkably predictable.
3. Proper lane splitting speed deltas are so low that you still leave yourself [the rider] reaction time.

 

[voyager]

Afraid? No. Aware? Yes.

1. Most motorcyclists are hyper aware of their surroundings--that in itself is huge for not getting into bad situations.
2. Unpredictability is remarkably predictable.
3. Proper lane splitting speed deltas are so low that you still leave yourself [the rider] reaction time.

Talking about motorcyclists, one can envisage a crossover form of vehicle between motorcycle and regular car, that may use split-lane use freeways. There's still a long way to go before people and self-driving technology can handle driving at short distances from each other. But lane splitting with sleek vehicles, at least in a what's called bricklayer configuration, may well be considered the next big thing after lane assist and a sort of proto-version before autonomous drive will be implemented in various road vehicles.