Car drivers have a hard time accepting motorcycles lane splitting, but apparently motorcyclists should also use caution when wandering off the lane they were supposed to be on.
At the same time, ask any biker what he fears most when riding on the open road and most will say car drivers, wet asphalt or wild animals. We’re willing to bet none will ever name other motorcycle riders among the potential hazards.
Back to lane splitting, it’s easy to understand why car drivers are upset about it, especially the older ones. They were used to driving in a certain way their whole lives, with lanes being lanes and cars sticking within the confines of those white markings on the road surface. As long as you stayed in your lane, you were free to move slightly from left to right at will without having to check constantly the side mirrors.
But now, a motorcycle could pop out from behind another vehicle and whizz by at any moment, so you have to pay attention. And this practice is almost legal (or, rather, it’s not illegal) in several States, so complaining to the authorities won’t solve anything. The only way to go about it is to be considerate and do your best to protect those around you.
The two guys in the clip below aren’t lane splitting, though. They’re performing what most would call a blind overtake. And they’re overtaking a long flatbed semi, nonetheless. Right before a bend in the road. Will people in these Internet clips ever learn?
They will, but they’re the ones doing it the hard way so that we don’t have to.
And as if overtaking while seeing absolutely nothing ahead, as if riding on a one-way street, weren’t bad enough, riding right behind another motorcycle (or scooter, in this case) at speed is also a big no-no. But there are some positives to take out of this.
The driver of that small black truck coming the opposite way is the perfect example of that safe and considerate driving we were mentioning before. He braked and pulled out of the way of the two-wheelers, just in case they wouldn’t have sufficient time to stop. If there’s anyone who deserves a nice round of applause in this clip, it’s that guy.
Oh, and just so it doesn't confuse you too at first, yes, they are driving on the left.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News