Lanesplitting in CA-what it's like.

pantablo · June 24, 2003, 09:46:12 AM

Found this on another forum...My regular 'commute' to the jobsite takes me on this stretch of the 405 (including later today, at the height of the rush hour)...fun stuff.

Thought you non Californians might enjoy this...

http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mclaw/split.html

scratch · June 24, 2003, 10:48:57 AM

Yeah! And the archives for MoroncycleOnline are pretty good too, especially the Daytona Beach pics :mrgreen:

JohNLA · June 25, 2003, 10:28:11 PM

WARNING!!!!! I am a bad influence on impresionable youth!
To best answer your question, go see the new Matrix movie because that is what it is like at speed. Almost as much fun as twisties. That mpg Pablo linked to was made by an old man on a old man's bike. I think I passed him this morning.
I just started training for a new job. The best part is that it is 35 miles away from my house and it is all highway :mrgreen: . I go the 10 to the 405 to the 101 and most days I am splitting lanes a little more than half the time. It was real bad this morning and it was more like 90%. I passed two other bikes splitting. Cruisers are easy to catch but I caught a VFR this morning. :nana:
I always give myself 15 exta minnutes to get to work but I really should not bother. No traffic jam for me

Kerry · June 25, 2003, 11:46:13 PM

Not to hijack the thread, but did I hear JohNLA say that he got a NEW JOB?

Congrats, Bud!

Does this mean your old web site content will be back "online" soon?

TheGoodGuy · June 25, 2003, 11:53:43 PM

Congrats JohNLA..

Good news on teh job front..

Since your now working the Valley may I suggest an alternate route for those days that you dont feel like lane splitting..

You can try taking Laurel Cyn (off from Hollywood blvd) sometimes its not a bad ride. But it can be bumper to bumper.

However I have another cyn that I drive sometimes. I havent tried teh bike on it yet. Its called "Nichlas Cyn" Its before Laurel Cyn (Right after Stanley if I am right). You got to take it off from Hollywood Blvd (continue down hollywood towards laurel canyon past the La Brea split. It will come on your right.

I suggest taking nicholas cyn on a day off, because it can twist and turn. The road is a bit funny because it doubles back on itself a few times. But otherwise its not crowded and I like to push the 25 limit to about 50 sometimes. Road conditions were not that great but hey its a faster route. If you follow Nichlas Cyn, you can get to Muholland and you can grab Muholland to Laurel Cyn and down to the 101.

Once again Congrats bro

pantablo · June 26, 2003, 09:44:40 AM

congrats on the quickly gotten new job! Details!

Manjul-thats Nichols cyn. Not rider friendly. I used to ride that canyon on my bike every sunday on our group ride. No traffic though at peak times.

John, Getting up to Mulholland and crossing there is much better than lanesplitting. When I'm coming back from my jobsite in Burbank I take Mulholland whenever I can. It's a bit longer and takes the same time as lanesplitting the 101/405 but I'm much happier when I get back!

The Buddha · June 26, 2003, 10:03:03 AM

Hey congrads on the new J.O.B...However with lane splitting the leader is at a tremendous disadvantage. The old hands at splitting know this. The catch up to the leader but never get close enough to let him/her know he/she's holding them up. Cos usually the leaders are only too eager to move and let the follower pass...and guess what you are not as fast or as relaxed as you were when following. I have caught up to TL 1000's, ducs, and GSXR's with my vulcan or eli...(both of which are very poor splitting bikes BTW) and when in the lead on my GS have been tail gated by goldwings...Leading is bad, stressful, slow and risky...In a pack I usually am open to rotation and most 580 commuters who are old hands at the job also believe in that...Join the train is what we say...
Hate those stupid lane buttons though...I call them no doz pills...Built for cell yakkers and sleepers. And murder on bikes.
Cool.
Srinath.

chimivee · June 28, 2003, 01:03:14 AM

Any lane-splitting tips?

June 28, 2003, 05:16:16 AM

QuoteYou can try taking Laurel Cyn...

Whats a Cyn?

I love jumping in front of the cages at a set of lights by lane splitting - they hate that prized pole position taken from them! :nana:

TheGoodGuy · June 28, 2003, 11:48:48 AM

Quote from: keyzer
QuoteYou can try taking Laurel Cyn...

Whats a Cyn?

I love jumping in front of the cages at a set of lights by lane splitting - they hate that prized pole position taken from them! :nana:

Cyn = Canyon. A deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it. (in this case it could be a stream of cars).

TheGoodGuy · June 28, 2003, 12:04:10 PM

Quote from: chimiveeAny lane-splitting tips?

This is important.. because i feel I am lacking in this dept.

However what a fellow rider said.. make sure you look straight in between the cars.. that way you will tunnel vision out enough not to get scared of the cars on either side. Also I was told to be extra careful around SUV's and Pickup's. They dont see us that often. When riding I usually go only upto 35 mph (25mph freeway traffic). Anything above that CA law will hand you a ticket. But 35 sometimes is too fast (some freeways the lanes are wider and splitting is easier, some its too narrow) so I ride at 25 mph which is not bad.

Also stay in low gears (1st or 2nd at most) and keep a few fingers on the front brake too. Rear brake can be used for adjusting on the fly if needed, but you got to tap it lightly. If you jam on it the blind man's dots will make you fall.

I try and stay off the blind man's dots.

mrblink · June 28, 2003, 12:19:46 PM

I live in San Diego, and lane split all the time. I don't necessarily think it's crazy if you PAY ATTENTION, and are as careful as possible. I have done some stupid shaZam! too, and I think I've learned my lesson the hard way. I raced a chick on an SV650S once down the 5 freeway. We were doing between 100-120, and flying in between cars at that speed. Really freaking lame. Don't do it. Here's a good link to some lane splitting tips:

http://www.ketchum.org/ls101.html

JohNLA · June 28, 2003, 12:38:02 PM

As far as the work situation goes I am still unemployed

. I did work all of last week but I didn't care to much for it. I was a game tester for THQ. The problem is I really want something more creative even though I was still working with video games it just was not my bag. So I am back on the hunt. I will miss that drive

. I have been commuting in the city since I got here three years ago. So, it was a lot of fun to do some highway miles. 350 miles last week and I finally got the odometer over five grand but now it needs a bath.
Srinrath, thanks for the advice on creating a chain but I am way to impatiant for that. I told you I was not a good example for kids :guns: Thursday and Friday were even more clogged on the highways than the first three days of the week. Over the five days I probably passed eight bikes splitting lanes incluing a new Honda 600rr and a Daytona 955 and several others that I didn't slow down long enough to get a good look at. The cat on the Daytona was able to hang with me so I guess I am not all that

:mrgreen:
As far as advice goes I wouldn't dare try to give any. It is like most skills with motorcycling. You start slowly and work up to the quicker and more dangerous stuff and If you are SMARTER than me, you will never let it get to the dangerous level. I am what you would call a glutten :mrgreen:

JohNLA · June 28, 2003, 08:38:24 PM

Has anyone ever know of anyone wrecking from an opened cage door?

I have heard many people say they new some one that it happend to but I am thinking it is probably really rare and more urban legend. It is also my reasoning for splitting lanes as fast as possible. I figure if there is an A-hole out to get me I want to be three cars ahead before he even knows he is being passed. I know there are some jerks who will intenionally crowd the gap to slow you down :x It's not like they have ever succeeded in stopping me

mrslush50 · June 30, 2003, 12:34:31 AM

"I know there are some jerks who will intenionally crowd the gap to slow you down"

unfourtunatly, lane spliting is illegal in the state of washington. (on a recent trip to cali i got to get some pretty good looks at some really sweet bikes as they rode by me. the highlight of my trip. any way...)

but I've still noticed this phenominon with people turning left in front of me, slowing down, fliping me off etc...

on a recent trip to Yakima (aprox. 300 miles total) with some guys from my church, this idoit in a big van was going like 20 through to good twisties, then we get to a straight and he starts to pick up speed. the three guys in front of me (on a Honda Shadow, a ZX-6R, and Buell X-1.) flew by him no problem. but an '82 honda FT500 thumper has some serious power issues. the van had plenty of time to accelerate while I tried to get around him. I had to do like 90 to get by this jerk. (the speedo only goes up to 85 and i had it pinned so I don't really know how fast I was going.) and as I go by he flips me the bird. we weren't tailgating him (somehow we managed not to). we didn't do anything to him. he just didn't like motocyclists.

what is it about being on a motorcycle that automatically makes you a menace to society in some people's eyes? I just don't undertand it.

pantablo · June 30, 2003, 08:48:02 AM

Quote from: mrslush50

what is it about being on a motorcycle that automatically makes you a menace to society in some people's eyes? I just don't undertand it.

They're jsut envious of the freedom.

snapper · June 30, 2003, 09:33:13 AM

Envy can be a baaaad thing too!

As for the crashing into a cagers door... My dad (he can be quite an A$$) always used to mutter things about wanting to open his door to motorcyclists who split lanes or did the Breakdown lane. Now this is coming from a guy that would have done the 80-100mph lane splitting.

I will never understand! So if you see my dad...stay clear!

Sad thing is there are too many people out there like him!

Eeek!

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Lanesplitting in CA-what it's like.