In-car driver... motorcyclist......merging driver?

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by ScottinBend, Mar 19, 2017.

  1. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
    Supporting Member

    May 4, 2009
    8,767
    2,547
    113
    Bend, OR USA
    Ratings:
    +2,678 / 1 / -0
    #1 ScottinBend, Mar 19, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 19, 2017
    I say in car driver started this by moving over the yellow line to give room for the cyclist to illegally pass him on the right.
    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x1pib4NIko"]Biker Accident - YouTube[/ame]
     
  2. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 4, 2009
    25,021
    13,497
    113
    Burbs of Philly, PA
    Ratings:
    +14,644 / 10 / -4
    Looks like the driver was on the HOV lane with only him in the car.
    Biker should know better than to try that move.
    Last car driver was just stupid.

    In the end they are all at fault.

    You can't fix stupid,
     
  3. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
    19,424
    10,031
    113
    Retired old fart
    Hooterville Ohio USA
    Ratings:
    +11,656 / 2 / -0
    I think there is blame for all. Glad the biker survived this.
     
  4. minirab

    minirab Well-Known Member

    May 6, 2009
    3,243
    777
    113
    Hagerstown, Md.
    Ratings:
    +851 / 0 / -0
    I blame the classical music.
     
  5. Steve

    Steve Administrator
    Staff Member Articles Moderator

    Apr 23, 2009
    12,154
    3,164
    113
    Maryland, USA
    Ratings:
    +3,166 / 0 / -0
    A chain of events always starts somewhere.

    If his poor decision hadn't enabled the biker to act on his poor decision, the biker wouldn't have smashed into the car piloted by the person who made poor decision #3.

    So, yes, he started it...but he didn't cause it all by himself.
     
  6. rkw

    rkw Well-Known Member

    May 7, 2009
    1,253
    443
    83
    San Francisco
    Ratings:
    +449 / 0 / -0
    Hard to say who really started it without the rear view. My guess is that the biker had been gaining fast on the car and once behind began to push through, splitting lanes, and the driver was uncomfortable with how close he was and moved over. Just speculating.

    In the end, the law and insurance will place the blame on the last driver.
     
  7. Steve

    Steve Administrator
    Staff Member Articles Moderator

    Apr 23, 2009
    12,154
    3,164
    113
    Maryland, USA
    Ratings:
    +3,166 / 0 / -0
    Good point rkw.

    I wonder whether it's typical in CA to move over to give room to lane splitting bikers. Pretty sure it's not on the list of guidelines published when they made splitting legal.
     
  8. minirab

    minirab Well-Known Member

    May 6, 2009
    3,243
    777
    113
    Hagerstown, Md.
    Ratings:
    +851 / 0 / -0
    Lane splitting is legal in Ca., I ride 4-5 times a week and even if it was legal in Md. I would never do it.
     
  9. rkw

    rkw Well-Known Member

    May 7, 2009
    1,253
    443
    83
    San Francisco
    Ratings:
    +449 / 0 / -0
    No, it isn't typical. In this case, it doesn't look like usual lane splitting (between two lanes of slow moving traffic), more like using lane splitting as an excuse to pass on the right.
     
  10. Steve

    Steve Administrator
    Staff Member Articles Moderator

    Apr 23, 2009
    12,154
    3,164
    113
    Maryland, USA
    Ratings:
    +3,166 / 0 / -0
    You're always going to be passing on the right of one lane if you're splitting - left of one, right of another - otherwise you're passing on the shoulder. Or is that considered splitting as well? Serious question, I have no idea, just assumed using the shoulder is always illegal except in an emergency so not an option for splitting.

    You hit it on the head anyway with "between two lanes of slow moving traffic". Traffic in the HOV lane was moving quickly outright plus considerably faster than the lane to the right; not legal splitting given the circumstances...assuming I understand the rules.
     
  11. Red Bull

    Red Bull Active Member

    Aug 9, 2014
    525
    208
    43
    Ratings:
    +229 / 0 / -0
    In stop and go traffic I usually move over if I see them approaching as they are coming through regardless, even when space is a little tight. I don't need any damage to my car, or more importantly, being blamed for hitting the biker if they misjudge the gap.

    An interesting thing I noticed is when you move to the left the rider will acknowledge this about 80% of the time with a friendly hand gesture, but if you're in the right lane and move to the right to give more room, an acknowledgement is almost never given.
     
  12. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
    Staff Member Articles Moderator Supporting Member

    Jul 31, 2009
    11,164
    6,170
    113
    Male
    Ratings:
    +7,876 / 10 / -3
    #12 MCS02, Mar 20, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2017
    The driver in the car pulled out on both the motorcycle and the driver of the car with the camera. The dud pulling into the left lane was a brain dead jerk!!! He is lucky the guy with the dash cam didn't hit him too. The guy on the bike should know cars are full of brain dead cell phone users out to get you and ride accordingly. But it was still the guy pulling into the left lane fault.
     
  13. gjxj

    gjxj Member

    Jun 16, 2015
    32
    11
    8
    Ratings:
    +11 / 0 / -0
    I blame the biker for the exact same reason. Maybe the guy who pulled out wasn't from CA and didn't know to expect bikes to come blasting between lanes at 40mph faster that the rest of the traffic.
     
  14. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
    Lifetime Supporter

    Sep 18, 2010
    7,820
    3,327
    113
    Retired CAL FIRE Battalion Chief
    The Great Irrigated Desert of Central CA
    Ratings:
    +3,328 / 0 / -0
    #14 Firebro17, Mar 20, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2017
    Lane splitting bikers, albeit legal out here, is merciless for me. Well, not entirely I guess... that was kind'a harsh.

    I'd rather they don't sideswipe me, so I guess I give a bit more room than some when I can. But, if by chance they manage to somehow flop it, it's all on them.
     
  15. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

    Nov 7, 2012
    2,433
    879
    113
    Automotive Photographer
    Dallas
    Ratings:
    +1,059 / 1 / -0
    Yeah, I see it all the time in Cali. However, you can only go 15MPH over the speed of the cars in the lanes you are splitting. This biker appeared to be going faster than that. At a slower speed, I think he could have avoided the collision.

    I'm glad he was wearing protective clothing and a helmet. Here in Texas, it is not unusual to see bikers in shorts and t-shirts, and no helmet -- 100-percent legal here.

    CD
     

Share This Page