Ridden 17 years, and only filtered in Utah for one summer season, and it was the most refreshing thing I've ever done. When I was free to go up to the front, I knew I was safe from most hazards behind me, like being rear-ended. I've come very close to that happening on more than one occasion, early on in my riding career, and I've made a habit of stopping at a light almost between cars instead of directly behind the one in front of me, but in my place further back in line, because my state doesn't support filtering. The legalization of filtering/splitting moves the onus onto the cars. Now it's not the motorcycles "being reckless," but all traffic agreeing on how to operate, which would hopefully cut down on the blocking that some cars feel is their right. As populations increase around the country and densities rise, it's just a matter of time before it gets passed everywhere, as you said. There will be other traffic-lightening measures put in place, but this one would use the existing infrastructure and have an immediate impact.

@ghostshadow9046

Жыл бұрын

Being up front does NOT protect you from being rear ended

@nonpolar786

Жыл бұрын

@@ghostshadow9046 This is mind numbingly stupid

Nicely done, well-formed case and a departure from the usual yelling old man arguments on Reddit. I'll readily admit that as a middle-aged Seattle-area rider of only ~10 years, I'm not a fan of filtering and would take a while to warm up to it (if ever), but totally agree that it is an optional activity and the responsibility of the rider, not the car, to be safe about it. I'm coming around... mostly due to level-headed discussions like this one.

@SquidTips

2 жыл бұрын

I think once it’s normalized, you’ll get more comfortable with the idea, and eventually find yourself doing it to some degree.

@ridethroughlifertl

2 жыл бұрын

@@SquidTips Once responsibility for the rider is somewhat shared by the enhanced perception of car drivers, the safety factor, and comfort, will rise. When I first tried it in Utah, it was brand new, and I just waddled to the front. That was the safest thing at the time, but by the end of the season I could do it with my feet up and feel comfortable with it.

@joemann7971

2 жыл бұрын

@@ridethroughlifertl I usually filter with my feet up unless its a very tight squeeze, but even then, I only put one foot down to balance the bike, and most often than not, the car driver will realize I'm trying to squeeze and move over a bit to fit through. I'll basically try to squeeze up to the point where my mirrors almost touch theirs but I'll go very very slow. Like 1 MPH kinda slow. My bike is fairly light weight, which is the only reason I do that. I certainly wouldn't try with a big heavy bike, like a Harley.

I find filtering one of the most useful and enjoyable aspects of motorcycling ... 👍

@SquidTips

2 жыл бұрын

I find that it's not relaxing, but also not challenging (Once you are used to it). Mostly just my eyes doing the work of scanning left and right.

@shanedebarra4986

2 жыл бұрын

@@SquidTips totally agree, to filter safely you need to be focused but the rewards are great. I commute on my bike and filtering at rush hour is actually something I look forward to ... I can cut good time off the same 25 mile journey in comparison to driving, always thought that denying bikes the right to filter is backwards thinking. It's like forcing a helicopter to use a runway 🤣

@shanedebarra4986

2 ай бұрын

@user-cf5yw5kf2y it is legal to filter where I live. It would be silly not to filter. Everybody does it here. Your logic regarding other drivers would be just as valid overtaking on a highway, but people do that. It is the job of the rider to preempt and avoid hazards, filtering is perfectly safe at the appropriate speed and with a cautious approach.

I do hope that this becomes legal in more places. It saves a lot of time, and it can be done safely if one follows the rules. Yes, it brings us close to cars, but cars that are standing still aren't going to hit us at a high speed.

It's rare to find people both this wild and this intelligent, talented, and communicative, not to mention all the firsthand riding experience! Keep on keeping on.

I messaged my WA senator, he seemed pretty optimistic, but said that there’s little chance it’s coming this session. I sure hope you are right and it shows up soon.

Due to gas prices increasing, the amount of motorcycle riders in my area (including me now) has gone up like 5x. I can’t sit in traffic on asphalt when it’s 90 degrees. Either make more lanes or let me go between them lol

@LeakyTrees

Жыл бұрын

More lanes is a bad idea, ask Texas.

@tankbeast8480

2 ай бұрын

@@LeakyTrees exactly add a smaller lane for motorcycles only

@LeakyTrees

2 ай бұрын

@@tankbeast8480 and make it protected so the fucking car dicks can’t kill people in it

In the videos I've seen of people lane splitting and filtering both where it is legal like California and parts of Europe and in states where it is illegal, the major difference I've seen is it is inherently safer where it is legalized because the automobile drivers are fully aware of the possibility of riders making use of the practice and are alert to it, I imagine that in California it had some growing pains as people got used to it, and probably still does with the amount of tourism there though if the practice was legalized nationwide that would diminish quickly, probably over the course of a decade as more drivers get get used to the practice

@SquidTips

2 жыл бұрын

Normalization is an underdiscussed, but important variable to the safety of Lane splitting, 100%. Legalization also discourages the 'Road Rage' aspect from some car drivers who are sparked to anger by the sight of someone gaining an 'unfair advantage'.

Your lane-splitting videos was what drove me to your channel in the first place! I love your stile in these types of videos! Keep up the good work!💪🏻

0:20 I hate to be a grouch but that's such an important point. I have had people that buy a new motorcycle with 10 miles on it, put 1000 miles on it over 5+ years then try to lecture me on how to ride... And 1:40 Massively agree. I've had people try to fight me because "you probably drive like a dickhead huh", meanwhile i'm not lane splitting, not going more than 5 over and haven't had an accident since I got my bike 6 years ago.

Very good video. I hope lane splitting and filtering becomes more common place in the U.S. And just so you know, I'm 33 and I only ride my motorcycle as a way to commute. I've been riding since 4 years.

I started riding in California just two years ago with the intention to lane split. What has kept me safe for the most part is the CHP guidelines for lane splitting. That's how I started and I followed the guidelines to a T, at least initially. As I gained more experience, I did deviate a bit, but not by much. I'm still ride 15 MPH max speed differential, but my total speed does sometimes go a bit high but only in short bursts, usually when I'm trying to get into a nice safe open spot in front of a particular car. I never split past 50 MPH for any significant amount of time. If I exceed 50 MPH, its usually because its safer to split at those speeds then to sit in normal traffic, especially in high density, fast moving traffic.

Great video! Will be sharing far and wide

6:51 Well, the most effective tools are policies that reduce motor vehicles in cities full stop. IE: Good public transit and walkability. Building more lanes just induces more demand.

good to see another video from you dude! make more, always good content

Always enjoy your videos!!

You continue to be a personal hero. Thanks for putting this out. Now... how do we boost your views?!

@SquidTips

2 жыл бұрын

Share it wherever people might be interested. Facebook friends, twitter, Reddit, etc. all can be big boosts. Other than that you tap the thumb and pray to the KZread algo.

I ride a motorcycle in California. I don't recall ever doing any lane splitting. In the first place I live in a rural area where heavy traffic is seldom an issue. I didn't get a MC license until I was 60 and don't have an excess of confidence in my riding ability. My issue is that I don't care for people infringing on my "personal space" or crowding in lines and so I'm not inclined to crowd others. I also don't like gratuitous noise and have been especially annoyed when a lane crowding motorcycle rides up two feet from my window and then cranks open their throttle. Since "sharing" is something that is generally done voluntarily the term doesn't seem appropriate when a motorcycle takes part of another vehicles space in a single lane. I'm not completely opposed to the practice nor am I a strong supporter. Thanks for the video Alex. Excellent explanation!

What's really absurd is the distances between most of those cars........if traffics crawling at 15mph you don't need 3-5 car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you.

Huh. To be honest I've never been part of this community but your shorts kept popping up and I was curious. I must admit, I had a lot of irritation when motorcyclists lane split by me when I'm still stuck in traffic - but it makes sense if you think of it as them removing themselves as *part* of that traffic. I do get nervous when I see people lane splitting (especially as it's illegal where I live), but I think it would make sense to allow motorcyclists in the shoulder as I've seen in your other videos. I don't think I'll ever be a motorcyclists, but I do appreciate the point of view of one. :)

Law enforcement shouldn’t be consulted on topics like this. Their job is to deal with people who break the law, their perception of motorcyclists and people in general is going to be overwhelmingly altered by their overexposure to the people who break the law. Their idea of motorcyclists is one of lawlessness because they deal with those ones, no police officer takes notice of a motorcyclist who’s being smart and safe because if you’re being smart and safe you’re not gonna get pulled over by a cop most of the time. It’s like consulting a soldier on immigration, their experience with the outside world is often plagued by citizens of other countries shooting at them, so the chance they’re against it is higher. That analogy probably isn’t perfect by you get my point.

Dang Zaddi got dressed up for this one. You single yet?

Living in a state that lane splitting laws aren't on the books (there is no law for or against) the majority of riders here don't lane split regardless. So the culture among riders and cagers expectations is that lane splitting = bad. Cagers invariably get ticked off and anecdotally among friends who have took up lane splitting eventually get the asshole who moves there car to block the bike or open their door. So a law legalizing it and a culture change where I live will need to take place before I feel comfortable doing so.

I would offer a few safety conditions to be added to any legalizations, and I'd like to hear what people think: For lane splitting and filtering, motorcycles should be limited to a certain overtake speed (that is, the speed they're going relative to the traffic around them). I would say 25 mph. In other words, if a highway has a 60 mph limit but traffic is crawling at 10 mph, motorcycles which split and filter may only travel at 35 until they are clear of the backup. This prevents accidents between cars that are changing lanes or turning (and are essentially stationary) and filtering motorcycles which are moving at the speed limit. Cycles are hard to see. I would permit lane sharing, but only with one other motorcycle (riding two abreast). Motorcycles should not hold position alongside cars in the same lane.

@SquidTips

Жыл бұрын

I think you understand how to do it safely or you don’t. More complicated laws that nobody can remember isn’t the solution.

The actual solution to car traffic is less cars adding more roads and lanes just induces more demand and causes worse traffic we really need public transit and more effective alternatives to driving

@LeakyTrees

Жыл бұрын

We need more lanes! More lanes that exclude cars! A lane for busses and a lane for bikes that are physically separated from car traffic.

Lane splitting and filtering are legal here provided certain rules are followed. Our capital city, Wellington, is very motorcycle friendly - they have free parking for motorcycles everywhere to encourage people to travel by motorcycle rather than car. Despite this, the motorway into town is packed with cars, vans and trucks at rush hour - stopped or reduced to a crawl and motorcycles filter through between the lanes. From my experience Wellington drivers are really good about accepting that the motorcycles are going to quietly and carefully thread between the other traffic... much better than the drivers up in Hamilton - they tend to give filthy looks to motorcyclists splitting between the lanes while they're stuck in their oversized Urban Assault Vehicle unable to move.

Good job.....the key to this is going to be filtering/splitting at a reasonable speed. Anytime I've discussed this with someone who doesn't ride they always bring up the videos of people flying by inbetween cars. Its going to take a lot to convince them otherwise and break that preconceived notion. I hate to say it but a lot of people vote with hopes and fears not facts.

Funny you say most riders aren't reckless. But in my experience. Almost every time I witnessed a motorcyclist lane splitting their usually flying between cars going a good 20 to 40 mph faster than other traffic.

@SquidTips

Жыл бұрын

Which one of us do you think has a better understanding of the totality of the motorcycle community?

I rode just a Vespa at 30 mph and that felt scary on my country road. I can't imagine filtering and splitting traffic. Though I wouldn't take the risk of riding a motorcycle I always respect people who do, giving them more distance I'd give a car. Lane splitting and filtering is illegal in Ga, certainly doesn't stop people from doing it and I don't see many people getting pulled over on bikes even though it's a college town.

people seem to think riding a motorcycle equates to "no regard for safety" lmao like driving a multi ton suv some how means you have regard for safety? i hear people talk about suvs and trucks make them safe and often they sound negligent... you in your Tahoe may be safer if you get in a wreck that doesnt mean the 19 year old in the chevy cavalier will be safe from your multi ton battering ram... often larger vehicles being "safer" seems like its being used to justify negligent driving.

good job.

5:25 They said that speed differential is better correlated than traffic speed, not that the traffic speed doesn't matter. Traffic speed does affect the probability and severity of injury, but the speed difference affects it more.

The only argument I don't get is the 'bikers will do it anyway'. Because if that counts as an argument we could get rid of every law there is because there will be someone who would do it anyway. All the other arguments do more for this cause than a 'legalize it so car drivers can't be mad if I do it'-argument. There are better arguments than this and these will be the ones that people against lane splitting will cling to. As someone from Germany I have to admit I don't like bikers (or car drivers for that matter) using the "Rettungsgasse" (space between 2 lanes drivers leave for ambulances to pass during traffic jams) to try and get past the jam or because they are curious what happened if it's clear it's nor because of a construction site.

@SquidTips

Жыл бұрын

I would argue that we probobly should eliminate most of our laws for the exact reason that they are unenforceable practically, and many were designed with racist intent like drug laws. This is of course, a US centric argument as I am not familiar with Germanys laws.

@yoknom

Жыл бұрын

Well, I kinda like the gun laws in my country way better than the ones in pro gun states in the US, so without knowing what you include in 'most laws' I find it hard to agree ;) But yeah, many countries could surely get rid of some.

@shadowmancy9183

Ай бұрын

@@yoknom There are a lot of gun control laws that have racist origins, such as California's assault weapons ban. I know our countries have very different cultural histories, but the US was not intended to have a standing army at all times, rather having a body of citizenry that could be mobilized into a militia to defend the nation or enforce laws with their own weapons. Obviously, technologies have changed drastically since the 18th century, but the intent remains.

as some one who has only seen lane splitting in person a few times (bad examples of it) and in videos of wrecks, ive been against the idea of it being a thing how ever like with alchohol and weed im leaning into it being safer for it to be legal and regulated and as some one else in these comments said "its about all traffic agreeing on how to operate". i do think lane splitting is very dangerous potentially to riders due to drivers seeing some one try to split between them and swerving over compensating while doing so and hitting the rider because people are very stupid but if it were legal and regulated THEN we could normalize doing it safely.

@crystalbluepartain3434

Жыл бұрын

i made my comments before watching the majority of the video having heard sound bites of the information from the shorts on the topic and i have been convinced that legalization is likely safer then not.

@crystalbluepartain3434

Жыл бұрын

convinced by this video*

Hummm so move to montana? Because im not going back to California lol. Been a long time coming hopefully sooner rather than later.

I wish this conversation was being done over here in portugal already, but nope. Its annoying but prob it will take a long time before this even starts being talked abt here ...

I’ve never had an issue with this stuff in Asia where motorcycles are more prevalent. Definitely made me feel uncomfortable at times not going to lie, but yeah fundamentally it’s not an issue

It's not legal in Washington is it? Have you ever been stopped for it?

@SquidTips

9 ай бұрын

Nope x2

Ok so the only good argument I got from this video is that people are going to lane-split either way so it's better for them to be educated. This makes some sense but I still don't agree. Like people are going to drink and drive even though it's illegal, that doesn't mean we should teach people how to drive safer while drunk? Obviously lane splitting isn't nearly as stupid or dangerous as drunk driving but I still don't really get why this argument is supposed to make sense here when it so obviously doesn't work in most other situations...

@kingacrisius

Жыл бұрын

Personally I guess I can see the benefits of legalizing it, however if it is legalized I would still frown upon its use. I suppose this is a weird take but I think it's similar to drinking for me, like I agree that it should be legal but I don't think people should be doing it.

@theregalproletariat

Жыл бұрын

​@@kingacrisiusThe things don't equate. Think of it from the perspective of the road - lane splitting/filtering is just efficient road usage. (Plus the motorcyclists who do it are the most experienced and aware of the danger.)

@theregalproletariat

Жыл бұрын

​​@@kingacrisiusAlso, why shouldn't we teach people how to drive safer while drunk? (If there is a way) Like you said, it happens, so why withhold potentially life-saving info out of some moralistic desire to punish rulebreakers?

The only thing is, here in georgia, the motorcycle riders are assholes. I ride, its fun, but the only time i see anyone riding on the highway they are always going 20+ faster than other cars, and in doing that cutting everyone off. And i get cut off too from situations like this. It SUCKS

Why does youre ability to feel comfortable on a bike allow ypu to travel places faster? Like in bumper to bumper traffic? Why should you be allowed to cruise past me?

@SquidTips

Жыл бұрын

If you watched the video you’d know the answer to your question.

@ankstuhful

Жыл бұрын

That is such a bitter, resentful comment. Its a "If I gotta wait in traffic, so do you!" or 'crabs in a bucket' mentality. It ultimately benefits (you) the cars in traffic too, smh. How about you get a bike and take advantage of the opportunities it affords you instead of trying to hold other people back.

@LeakyTrees

Жыл бұрын

I love snarky responses but it’s disappointing nobody threw in the reason here so your attention lacking mind could have the information readily available. It reduces traffic. If someone on a motorcycle is stuck in traffic that’s more space being taken up, which adds more time to your commute. It’s not difficult to understand, if there isn’t a spot being taken up by a motorcycle then everyone moves forward one spot. Lane splitting gets everyone to where they want to be faster

@mikerupe1642

Жыл бұрын

@@LeakyTrees lmao. You sound like a real treasure 🤣🤣🤣 Oh yes please the 7 feet taken up my the bike is what im worried about.. Dont worry ull get hit eventually doing that stupid shit

@LeakyTrees

Жыл бұрын

@@mikerupe1642 there are a lot of bikes in traffic, it’s not just 7 feet it’s 7 feet times every person on the road in front of you who’s on a motorcycle. You can actually look up data that will support this, it’s there, the research has been done. You’re just pissed that someone can get somewhere faster than you, because you think the world should be all about what is and isn’t fair, I stopped thinking like that when I was fucking 7. Grow up, stop acting like a child and think rationally like an adult.

Hi

Only takes one idiot to ruin it for the rest of us.

@SquidTips

2 жыл бұрын

But it shouldn’t, because it hasn’t for cars, guns, or alcohol.

lane splitting is STUPID and should never be legalized, had idiot lane splitting nearly lose his leg. rip the fender off of my trailer, and destroy the tires, new fenders will NOT be damaged 2" heavy square steel tubing. Real fun to have fully loaded trailer with 2 flat tires stuck in middle of road because of some idiot. I used to ride put over 15,000 miles on 1978 Honda Hawk CB400 in 4 months

@theregalproletariat

Жыл бұрын

Reckless driving is still illegal, you know. Thus it follows that what this man did would still be illegal if lane splitting was not?

I was in a car in CA, and when I went to change lanes from lane 2 to lane 1, I almost ran into a motorcycle cop who was lane splitting to my left. I don't ride motorcycles, but I think lane splitting is a reckless and unsafe practice.

@redshiftrider6651

2 жыл бұрын

What’s reckless is you changing lanes without looking if there are objects there.

@ridingwali7553

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe you shouldn’t drive

@SquidTips

2 жыл бұрын

I don’t have enough context here to clarify what might have been improved with this interaction, but it sounds like someone in this interaction didn’t yield right of way early enough, creating understandable confusion. One thing that feels different when I’m riding my motorcycle vs driving a car, is how much closer I feel comfortable being to other vehicles on my bike, because I’m so much more aware of the exact distance between me and surrounding traffic. This might be why you feel someone is at an unsafe distance in your car, vs the motorcyclist.

@mhoeij

2 жыл бұрын

To protect motorcycle riders, the only thing you have to do is to use your signal before changing lanes or turning.

@gregmbrown

2 жыл бұрын

@@redshiftrider6651 He was in my blind spot.

Nigga, yo channel called "Squid Tips". Why you posting this HERE?

@GTAIVisbest

2 жыл бұрын

Lmao hopefully any senator or representative that peeps this video won't know what it means

@paulh6591

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, irony tends to get lost on people.

@AwesomeHairo

2 жыл бұрын

Because people can squid and still be a good rider. The gear is for the RIDER and wouldn't make a difference if the rider had an accident with someone else.

Lane splitting should be banned. No reason for motorcycles to wait in traffic like everyone else.