Ring Road To Nowhere

[Ducay]

Lane splitting also reduces the amount of traffic stuck in the gridlock, thus reducing your wait time; why wouldn't you want it?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

imagine three vehicles abreast on a two lane roadway - of 6 or so on deerfoot. Not much room for error even at 40 kph

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...erta-1.3532601

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Lane splitting also reduces the amount of traffic stuck in the gridlock, thus reducing your wait time; why wouldn't you want it?

People can barely handle a 4-way stop and can't even move out of the way of emergency vehicles, so why would I trust them with lane splitting?

[Northendzone]

I think in theory lane splitting is a good idea; however, it is just another decision drivers would have to make as to when it is safe and when it is not safe to split, when is traffic going slow enough to warrant this.

for example, the posted speed limit on deerfoot is 100. I would think that most of us who use deerfoot on a regular basis drive at 110-120. so if the lane splitting threshold is set at 40 kph, then in reality would folks expect to be splitting lanes at 50 or 60? who decides when it is ok to split lanes?

to me there is usually so much crap on the shoulders of deerfoot that you would not want to drive in those.

[CroFlames]

Lane splitting is different than driving on the shoulders. No one, not even motorbikes, should be allowed on the shoulder. It's for emergencies.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I think in theory lane splitting is a good idea; however, it is just another decision drivers would have to make as to when it is safe and when it is not safe to split, when is traffic going slow enough to warrant this.

for example, the posted speed limit on deerfoot is 100. I would think that most of us who use deerfoot on a regular basis drive at 110-120. so if the lane splitting threshold is set at 40 kph, then in reality would folks expect to be splitting lanes at 50 or 60? who decides when it is ok to split lanes?

to me there is usually so much crap on the shoulders of deerfoot that you would not want to drive in those.

I think that in some places the law states just that. You can lane split up to a certain speed, otherwise you can't. No one is advocating splitting lanes at 120km/hr and the decision is essentially made for you because there is a speed limit which is also to protect the motorcyclists.

[Resolute 14]

Oh yes, because motorcyclists, of all drivers on the road, are so well known for respecting speed limits.

[Northendzone]

to me even at 40 kph putting three cars in two lanes of traffic does not leave much wiggle room for an driving error or correction. Add in the donkeys who continue to drive and text and other bad drivers - I find it hard to get overly excited about this idea

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Oh yes, because motorcyclists, of all drivers on the road, are so well known for respecting speed limits.

Sure, some guys are idiots, but frankly speed limits aren't well respected by anyone. To bring this sort of on topic, on the ring road I feel unsafe on my bike going less than about 115km/hr because everyone is driving at least that if not way more. The speed limits ought to be raised to begin with, but that is another discussion.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

to me even at 40 kph putting three cars in two lanes of traffic does not leave much wiggle room for an driving error or correction. Add in the donkeys who continue to drive and text and other bad drivers - I find it hard to get overly excited about this idea

Only bicycles or motorbikes can lane split.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Only bicycles or motorbikes can lane split.

Well some bicycles seem to do whatever they want anyway.

[CliffFletcher]

As a cyclist who rides in traffic, lane splitting is a bad idea. Far safer to take your lane and stick to it. Drifting past stopped cars up to the light, and then making the cars pass you again, is a total dick move.

Basically, roads are safest when everyone on them has the same rules and behaves predictably.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Yeah, if there is enough room a smart car should be allowed to lane split too. Hey, if there's a big enough gap, take your mini van between a couple of other vehicles. But people's stupid entitlement issues are keeping us from having a progressive highway system like they have in Bangkok or North Africa.

And have you ever noticed how many people stop at red lights, even when there aren't any other vehicles crossing? It's just a light! Let's get traffic moving here.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/...n-agency-finds

According to official statistics, 14,059 people were killed on Thai roads and highways in 2012, translating to a road-death rate of 36.2 people per 100,000, a rate only surpassed by war-torn Libya, where 73.4 people per 100,000 died that same year, according to the WHO's 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety (download for free here).

The only countries near Thailand's huge traffic-death rate were Iran (32.1 per 100,000), Togo (31.1) and nine African countries that posted rates between 30 and 35.

Yeah very progressive...

[Swift]

The guy's post was obviously sarcastic. He talked about ignoring red lights.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Firebot

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/...n-agency-finds


Yeah very progressive...

I don't think that's a fair conclusion. The vehicles driven aren't exactly Volvo quality crash test comparable. I am sure a collisions at 20kph would probably be deadly. I mean, you have one large dump truck go through a bunch of mopeds and bicycles, there is bound to be a lot of casualties.

[Ryan Coke]

So, if a motorcyclist is hot, they should get to ignore certain rules of the road? What temperature should this be allowed at? What about if my cars AC isn't working, or doesn't have it? What if I really need to go to the bathroom? Is it ok for a smart car to squeeze through then?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

So, if a motorcyclist is hot, they should get to ignore certain rules of the road? What temperature should this be allowed at? What about if my cars AC isn't working, or doesn't have it? What if I really need to go to the bathroom? Is it ok for a smart car to squeeze through then?

I was riding my bike home yesterday, uphill into the wind in 33°C through thick smokey air. I should totally be able to blow through red lights so I could have ended the suffering sooner. Or something.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

So, if a motorcyclist is hot, they should get to ignore certain rules of the road? What temperature should this be allowed at? What about if my cars AC isn't working, or doesn't have it? What if I really need to go to the bathroom? Is it ok for a smart car to squeeze through then?

In an emergency situation if your car could fit I would say sure, lane split if it is safe to do so, unfortunately it's not possible for a car, but it is for a motorcycle so what is the issue? If traffic is flowing in the heat then the wind keeps the rider cooled, it's only in gridlock where this becomes an issue and in gridlock it really makes no difference to drivers if bikers lane split.

If you really need to go to the bathroom and it's an emergency you have the option of pulling to the shoulder and doing your business, so does the motorcyclist, they just would also have the option to lane split instead. Most cops wouldn't ticket you in those circumstances anyways but if that is the main reason you oppose lane splitting I would happily support gridlock bathroom breaks being legalized. Just like I don't want a biker to suffer from heat stroke, I'd hate for anyone to suffer from uromysitisis poisoning.

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I was riding my bike home yesterday, uphill into the wind in 33°C through thick smokey air. I should totally be able to blow through red lights so I could have ended the suffering sooner. Or something.

You knew the air was smokey, you knew that it was hot outside and I'm assuming you know your way home from wherever you were riding from (meaning the hill didn't just magically pop up) so none of these things should have been a surprise to you. And cyclist lane split or have a designated lane to begin with, so even though your post was probably meant to be sarcastic it's kind of a poor example to use in the first place.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

You knew the air was smokey, you knew that it was hot outside and I'm assuming you know your way home from wherever you were riding from (meaning the hill didn't just magically pop up) so none of these things should have been a surprise to you. And cyclist lane split or have a designated lane to begin with, so even though your post was probably meant to be sarcastic it's kind of a poor example to use in the first place.

You must be a blast at parties.

[Northendzone]

as a cyclist, I don't really want to lane split, I would just like to have my two or three feet from the curb ont eh right.

in stop and go traffic I may pass a motorist and then he will pass me and then the game is afoot.