Lane splitting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lane splitting is a form of lane sharing in which the rider of a relatively narrow single-track vehicle (i.e. a motorcycle or bicycle) travels in the unused space between two lines of moving or stationary vehicles. It may be legal or illegal, depending on local laws. When the purpose of lane splitting is to overtake slower traffic, it is a form of filtering forward. When the cyclist is traveling on the stripe separating two adjacent lanes, it is called whitelining.
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[edit] Safety
Proponents state that the practice relieves congestion by removing commuters from cars and gets them to utilize the unused roadway space between the cars. Nonetheless, opponents criticize the maneuver, questioning the danger it poses to the cyclist and others.
The Hurt Report, published in 1981 and based on accident data gathered in the 1970's, concluded that lane splitting reduces rear end crashes and improves motorcycle safety.[1] FARS data from the United States Department of Transportation shows that rear end collisions with motorcycles are 30% lower in California (the only US state where it is legal) than in Florida or Texas, states with similar riding seasons and populations.[2]
The Oxford Systematics report commissioned by VicRoads, the traffic regulating authority in Victoria, Australia, found that for motorcycles filtering through stationary traffic "No examples have yet been located where such filtering has been the cause of an incident."[3]
| “ | Lane splitting is more than a congestion reducer or a convenience for the road denizens who are willing to accept and manage more risk by motorcycling. It is a tool that can literally save a biker's life, especially in situations where they're being tailgated, crowded, or flat-out ignored by others. | „ |
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—Tim Kreitz, moto-journalist & MSF riding instructor |
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In the United Kingdom, Motorcycle Roadcraft, the police riding manual is explicit about the advantages of filtering but also states that "The advantages of filtering along or between stopped or slow moving traffic have to be weighed against the disadvantages of increased vulnerability while filtering".[4] The manual goes on to offer advice about things to watch out for and anticipate while filtering.
[edit] Allowed in
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brasil
- Croatia
- Estonia — legal while keeping off medians and indicating before the maneuver
- France
- Greece
- Italy
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Spain
- South Africa
- United Kingdom[5]
- United States — only in California[6][7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Hurt, H.H.; Ouellet, J.V.; Thom, D.R.; (1981). "Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, Volume 1: Technical Report". University of Southern California.
- ^ Is sharing lanes more or less dangerous than sitting in traffic?. WhyBike? (27 February 2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- ^ Oxford Systematics (July 2000). Motorcycle Transport – Powered Two Wheelers in Victoria. VicRoads & Victorian Motorcycle Advisory Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-07.
- ^ Coyne, Philip; Bill Mayblin, Penny Mares [1996]. Motorcycle Roadcraft - The police rider's handbook to better motorcycling, 10th impression, The Stationery Office, pp. 139-140. ISBN 9780113411436.
- ^ Tips & legal status of filtering in the UK.
- ^ It's OK for Motorcycles To Squeeze Past Traffic. San Francisco Chronicle (October 30, 2000). Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- ^ All the info you need on lanesharing (lanesplitting). WhyBike?. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
