[net.cycle] Letter in net.auto

toddv@copper.UUCP (Todd Vierheller) (02/19/86)

[EAT ME]

The following appeared in net.auto by a poster I'll call "Bob" (not his name):
(I changed his name so all flames or comments can be directed towards me.)

> I ride a motorcycle part time (weekends/when my car is in the shop).  If
> you every want to be scared out of you wits, try riding a bike for awhile.
> I feel real *naked* without alot of steel around me.  I am also a most
> curteous driver of both cars and bikes.  I don't ride between lanes, except
> when coming upto a stop light, when the cars are already stopped.
> 
> Taking advantage of the gaps between cars, while the cars are moving, is
> a real good way of shortening ones life.  I, for one, like my life, so I
> don't do that.
> 
> note:	If we could pass a law requiring everyone to ride a motorcycle
> for awhile, their would be fewer accidents.  The people I know who ride
> or have ridden bikes are the best drivers I know.
> 
> Bob Smith
> -- 
> These ramblings are my own, and are surely not those of my employer.

(I wrote him a letter  such as you see below and copied it to myself, but alas
I didn't receive it.  So here is a quasi reproduction of it:)

I agree with the point of making everyone ride a motorcycle for a while; it's
certainly made me a more defensive driver even in my car.

(Here comes the flame)
However, I have to recommend against the practice of pulling up between the 
lines of stopped cars at a stoplight.  Certainly a motorcycle will out
accelerate ANY car, so the bike will in no way impede the progress of the 
car drivers.  The pinhead car drivers unfortunately don't realize this and
get mad as h*ll at the "G*d D*mned F*king Motorcyclist etc etc idiot" who
drove up between the lanes.   I certainly don't want pinheads who hate
motorcyclists driving around on the road with me.

Another (perhaps better) reason to avoid this practice is the chance that the
light may change before the motorcyclist reaches the front of the line.  Then
the biker is between two lanes of moving cars driven by irritated pinheads.
Not a safe position to be in.

                                      Todd Vierheller
                                      Tektronix Inc.

Me?  Express opinions?  Was I rambling?  My fingers typed this without my
company's or my brain's knowledge.  Honest.

hodges@ucla-cs.UUCP (02/23/86)

A number of years ago I was riding on the ventura freeway
with a woman and the temperature outside was maybe 105, and
we were in b/b traffic.  Being a basically considerate
driver, and not too experienced on a bike at the time I was
sitting there in the traffic.  The WOMAN finally said to
me "if we don't get going soon both us AND the bike are going
to burn".  She was right, and slowly but surely I began to split
lanes.  Many years later, I can only say to those who criticize
lane splitting: fine, don't do it.  But to REALLY criticize the
practice you have to experience it, and you have to know what
you are doing when you make that criticism.  All this blind
b.s. doesn't make it.  There are dangers in EVERY aspect of
biking, and splitting lanes has some I suppose.  But think of it
this way: we all know that they aren't looking for us anyway,
so being where they don't expect us to be is no more dangerous.
In L.A. the roads are good enough to trust some of the time, and the highways
are conducive to this type of practice.

Another point, which is basically unecessary is that I hate traffic.
Riding the line enables me to stay cool-headed in a high stress
situation.  I agree that drivers hate you for lane-splitting,
because they are stuck in traffic and you are not, or because they
are frightened by your proximity, or because they've had a bad day,
or whatever.  I have certainly had my run-ins with these types.  But
that doesn't get me off a bike, or out of the lanes.

I agree about lane splitting in town.  There is a lot going on and
usually more than can be handled easily.  I none-the-less split in
town as well; sharpens my senses.  But this is borderline and I
admit it.  Not for novices!

By the way, I ride an '83 interceptor (blue) w/ burnt sport elites
to the rim, but not from riding in town.

darryl@ism780c.UUCP (Darryl Richman) (02/23/86)

I live in LA also and commute from the valley to the west side every day
(about 20 miles each way).  I don't split lanes on the freeway;  if the
traffic is too tough, I get off and travel the surface streets.  It's
never any faster, but a lot more enjoyable.  Have fun,

	    --Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp.
	    ...!cca!ima!ism780!darryl
	    The views expressed above are my opinions only.

jparnas@vger.UUCP (John M. Sully) (02/25/86)

In a study done by Prof. Harry Hurt of USC on motorcycling hazards
lane splitting in heavy traffic was found to be a "negative hazard."

This means that the study (done in the late '70's early '80's and at
that time the most extensive study of the hazards facing the motorcyclist)
found that lane splitting ON THE HIGHWAY had a negative correlation with
accidents (vs. not lane splitting).  In fact, if I remember correctly,
the study did not find one accident that could be directly attributed to
lane splitting, while it found several involving riders who were not lane 
splitting.  

Hurt attributed this to the kinds of skills involved in the
two practices.  Lane splitting involves what Hurt referred to as
"path control" in which the most important thing was to keep going in
a straight line, he contrasted this with the more difficult "speed
control" which involves constant, sometimes sudden, adjustment to the
speed of the traffic around you.  

I would add that you are also at the mercy of the bonehead in the 
Caddilac 5 ft. behind your rear wheel when you do not split lanes 
in heavy traffic.

=====================

John M. Sully

BITNET : suzuki@ucscc.BITNET
ARPA   : ucscc!suzuki@ucbvax.berkeley.edu
UUCP   : ...!ucbvax!ucscc!suzuki

hodges@ucla-cs.UUCP (02/27/86)

Regarding the USC article: sounds interesting.  My experinece on the highway
concurs (empirical as it is).

1.   Splitting (for me) involves a defocusing of the cars in my immediate
vacinity toward a larger view of what is happening between 3 and 10 car lengths
ahead.  As a result I can sense any sudden motion (head jerks, etc.) in time
to react.

2.   Being aware of the "big picture" allows you to see potential situations
ahead before the drivers around you, and to react accordingly.

3.   The middle of the lane (between lanes 1 and 2 especially) is the least
used and so the path ahead and behind is usually clear, making speed
control much more consistent.

4.   Your mention of removing the potential of cars too near from the rear
also includes those who might slam on their brakes in front of you as well.

5.   Additionally, because "they" see a car on their left/right they generally
don't swerve toward you from the side.

The motorcycle cops I've talked to about lane splitting agree that it can be
the best place to be in traffic (that's where they hang out) as long as you
don't get out of hand with it.  The gist of the above items is that you have
a clear, predictable and controllable path in all directions, which is exactly
what you want in any driving condition.