Today while riding to classes I bumped mirrors with one of the cars at the very beginning of the line I was lane splitting through. No damage, just made a little noise, but I waved at the lady driving and when the light turned, I pulled into the gas station at the end of the block. Between the light turning and me pulling into the gas station, though, I heard a honk and I assumed it was the woman, but then she didn't follow me into the station and instead continued on. I live in a town with plenty of rich and entitled people, though, so I immediately texted some friends the situation and that I pulled off to exchange information had she wanted to just so I have evidence and a timestamp saying so.
My question is, when, in your opinion, is it necessary to pull over like that? I had extra time before class or I may not have, as there was no damage I was aware of, but I wanted to give the woman in the nicer car the chance to check and talk if there was any that I didn't see. I've bumped mirrors with people before while splitting, but most times thats the fault of others coming a little too close as I go by or not seeing me and pulling a bit into my space with little time for me to correct my course.
Any real damage, like taking OFF a mirror, I absolutely would pull over and exchange info, but where is that line drawn with the tiny things like this? Opinions?

Contact of any kind with any other vehicle or person, pull over. Just in case. I believe you did the right thing. Had you not, if any damage. Was observed later on, quite possibly could get you for leaving the scene.
Aaron

Yes, respect for doing the right thing mate.

I think you did the right thing. Pulling over is probably the best choice in this situation. However, if it were me, I probably would not have stopped since you said it was pretty clear there was no damage. But, stopping is clearly the better course of action.

I would have given her the fniger and whooolied out of there!

kidding,...I think you did the right thing and respect to you for that!

Whether or not it's necessary is debatable, but I may suggest going one step further and making a police report if something like that happens again.

Short story, was driving around with my friend in his lifted up Jeep Wrangler and we got rear ended at a red light by a lady driving an old Buick.  His custom 2" receiver put a nice square hole in her radiator.
Immediately he put his hazards on, and when the light turned green he crossed the intersection and pulled into the gas station there on the corner.
When we stepped out the Buick was nowhere to be seen.

He's like "Well, it hurt her more than it hurt me, that receiver isn't even scratched, let's just go."
I'm like "What if she calls the cops and says you backed into her and fled?  You have me as a personal witness but it's still a court date and etc".
So we called the local PD and an officer swung by and talked with us.  We said we didn't want to press charges so finding her wasn't a big deal, just didn't want the incident to bite us in the ass.  So he made a note and off we went.


In your situation it likely won't become anything.  If the mirror actually broke, you pulled off, and they kept going, I'd absolutely call the police and report it so it doesn't magically turn into something worse.

Also a good reason to wear a video camera.  Get this stuff live as it happens to defend yourself against idiots and a-holes.

Quote from: Watcher on September 20, 2017, 08:43:02 AM
Whether or not it's necessary is debatable, but I may suggest going one step further and making a police report if something like that happens again.

Short story, was driving around with my friend in his lifted up Jeep Wrangler and we got rear ended at a red light by a lady driving an old Buick.  His custom 2" receiver put a nice square hole in her radiator.
Immediately he put his hazards on, and when the light turned green he crossed the intersection and pulled into the gas station there on the corner.
When we stepped out the Buick was nowhere to be seen.

He's like "Well, it hurt her more than it hurt me, that receiver isn't even scratched, let's just go."
I'm like "What if she calls the cops and says you backed into her and fled?  You have me as a personal witness but it's still a court date and etc".
So we called the local PD and an officer swung by and talked with us.  We said we didn't want to press charges so finding her wasn't a big deal, just didn't want the incident to bite us in the ass.  So he made a note and off we went.


In your situation it likely won't become anything.  If the mirror actually broke, you pulled off, and they kept going, I'd absolutely call the police and report it so it doesn't magically turn into something worse.

Also a good reason to wear a video camera.  Get this stuff live as it happens to defend yourself against idiots and a-holes.

+100

I've watched enough (well, never enough lol) People's Court episodes to know that you should stop to be safe. Have a record of the event somehow and do whatever it takes to show that you wanted to stop and make it right.

Karma corn to you for stopping girl

Thanks all! I appreciate the opinions. I don't think I'll be lane splitting at that intersection anymore, though, as the lanes are pretty close together and this isn't the first time I've heard of these little love taps happening there. I'll definitely make sure to pull over if it happens again.

Pulling over was definitely the right choice.

I am a bit concerned that you suggest it is somehow possible for a car driver in traffic to be at fault if you hit them while lane splitting:

QuoteI've bumped mirrors with people before while splitting, but most times thats the fault of others coming a little too close as I go by or not seeing me and pulling a bit into my space with little time for me to correct my course.

What you describe here is not "the fault of others", it's your fault. If there's too little time for you to correct your course, then you're going too fast. There's no requirement that car drivers allow you sufficient space to split lanes or to yield to you when you are lane splitting. As far as I can tell there's very little detail about the CA law in this case but considering ordinary driving rules, basically when you decide to pass another vehicle particularly on the shoulder or in a space that's not an ordinary lane, you do so at your own risk and any accident will likely be ruled your fault. Never mind the fact that the vast majority of injury to persons and property will also be the motorcyclist. You are not a pedestrian. There's no requirement for other motor vehicles to yield.

The fact that you hit a mirror might be a good reason to reconsider what conditions are "safe" for you to be lane splitting. IMHO!

Grumpy old dad coming out here. Stay safe.

Quote from: mr72 on September 22, 2017, 05:14:38 AM
If there's too little time for you to correct your course, then you're going too fast.

The moment I was specifically referring to was a time I was splitting and a car began merging into me, and I had not planned for this and thus didn't have enough space to immediately accelerate through, and thus my mirror was banged by the other driver.

Quote from: mr72 on September 22, 2017, 05:14:38 AM

What you describe here is not "the fault of others", it's your fault.

But you're also right, I should be riding as if everything can be avoided and everything is my fault. In this moment though, I was an incredibly new rider (I think around 4-6 months), and my skills have improved drastically in the past 5-7 months since that incident occurred.

usually in most places where splitting is permitted, correct me if im wrong please, but if you have an incident while splitting arent you at fault? course there are incidences such as this one which would make me question this law if true.
Aaron

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on September 22, 2017, 02:12:39 PM
usually in most places where splitting is permitted, correct me if im wrong please, but if you have an incident while splitting arent you at fault?

IDK about "most places" but I would assume so in CA.

The TX law doesn't say anything about lane splitting, but clearly motor vehicles traveling in ordinary traffic flow (within marked lanes, changing to another marked lane, etc.) would have the right of way over other vehicles overtaking them using non-traditional lane space. Since CA laws are written similarly I would assume it is the same. You might not get a ticket for lane splitting, but you will be at fault in any accident.

And even though you say "love taps" hitting another vehicle, even just the mirror, is a collision.

Quote from: mysho22 on September 22, 2017, 08:42:36 AM
I should be riding as if everything can be avoided and everything is my fault. In this moment though, I was an incredibly new rider (I think around 4-6 months), and my skills have improved drastically in the past 5-7 months since that incident occurred.

I'm trying to remember where I was at 4-6 months experience riding and I can't even imagine putting myself in a lane-splitting situation that young.  Not that I would have been incapable, both in regards to rider skill and attitude, but at the time I was still developing riding habits and wasn't super great at situational awareness.  I wouldn't have, but then again it wasn't even an option for me.  Perhaps I would have thought otherwise if it were allowed or even encouraged.


I wonder if people in Europe can still lane-split on a P/L-plate.  I wouldn't imagine so.

On a ssemirelated note motorcycles here in tn can run a red, IF you sit thru 2 light cycles, look then proceed. HOWEVER if you hit somebody else while doing this your at fault. Reason I bring this up is in places where splitting is allowed or at least not disallowed, if you have an incident, are you placed at fault?. I've split a few times but it has always made me pucker up. I had always rode like whatever out there would hit me somehow. Relaxed rarely. Anyways I digress, any idea how whoever decides accident fault, how do ththereat splitting? Just curious.
Aaron