Commuting - Motorcycle in the bike lane

On my way in to work I come down a bike lane for about a mile and a half leading up to a busy intersection. The light is always WAY backed up. It's one of my favorite parts of the commute because I get to ride my bike along a virtual two lane parking lot. One of the things that keeps me going.

Today there was a car way over into the bike lane. He moved over again as traffic moved and was out of my way before I got to him. When he pulled back I saw why he had moved into the bike lane. He was watching the guy on the motorcycle that was riding in the bike lane. Not a little bike, not a moped that could be confused with a bicycle, but a fully faired 650 cc sport bike. The guy on the motorcycle would ride in his normal lane when traffic was moving, but when it stopped because of the light he would just keep going in the bike lane. Unfortunately he was too far ahead of me and moving too quickly, so I couldn't catch him.

What would you have said to this guy if you encountered him? I'd love to scream "Get on the sidewalk!" at someone from my bicycle :D

don't worry, he'll pass a cop soon enough...

seriously i'd just hope he gets what's coming to him as confronting him probably won't do any good. he KNOWS what he's doing is wrong.

I have mixed feelings about this. Certainly we can't have motor vehicles taking over the bike lanes. That being said, I have a feeling of solidarity with the bucketheads. I mean, we're all trying to get by on two wheels in a four-wheeled world, aren't we? We get mopeds and scoots on some of the bike infrastructure around here, and it doesn't really chafe me. If it got to be an epidemic, that would be bad. Hope my ambivalence is helpful.

If he lived in CA he would not have to do that; he could split the lanes.

Hey, if he's not causing any issues, what's the problem? Now if you caught up with the guy and needed to get around him, then you've got a grievance on your hands.

On my way in to work I come down a bike lane for about a mile and a half leading up to a busy intersection. The light is always WAY backed up. It's one of my favorite parts of the commute because I get to ride my bike along a virtual two lane parking lot. One of the things that keeps me going.

Today there was a car way over into the bike lane. He moved over again as traffic moved and was out of my way before I got to him. When he pulled back I saw why he had moved into the bike lane. He was watching the guy on the motorcycle that was riding in the bike lane. Not a little bike, not a moped that could be confused with a bicycle, but a fully faired 650 cc sport bike. The guy on the motorcycle would ride in his normal lane when traffic was moving, but when it stopped because of the light he would just keep going in the bike lane. Unfortunately he was too far ahead of me and moving too quickly, so I couldn't catch him.

What would you have said to this guy if you encountered him? I'd love to scream "Get on the sidewalk!" at someone from my bicycle :D


Had you caught and passed him you could have yelled "Left" to really irk him off

seriously i'd just hope he gets what's coming to him
As a motorcyclist (see avatar) and bicyclist I take offense to this. :mad: We're all on two wheels, just because you don't have an engine on your bike doesn't make you high and mighty. If a driver can't even see a loud & lit-up motorcycle, he's sure as hell not going to see you on a bicycle. Pretty much the same safety hazards that bicyclists face from cars, trucks, and SUVs, we motorcyclists face as well. Sure, we can gun the engine to escape some close calls and can flow with traffic, but there are plenty of times drivers just don't see us as well.

What's the big deal? Webster's "bike n. vt. vi. biked, biking. [informal] 1. bicycle 2.motorcycle. "

He probably decided using the bike lane is safer than splitting lanes. Give the guy a break. Why can't "bike lane" be dual purpose bike lane.

FYI 650cc with fairing is a SMALL bike. It's not a fully tripped out Harley or Goldwing.

As a motorcyclist (see avatar) and bicyclist I take offense to this. :mad: We're all on two wheels, just because you don't have an engine on your bike doesn't make you high and mighty. If a driver can't even see a loud & lit-up motorcycle, he's sure as hell not going to see you on a bicycle. Pretty much the same safety hazards that bicyclists face from cars, trucks, and SUVs, we motorcyclists face as well. Sure, we can gun the engine to escape some close calls and can flow with traffic, but there are plenty of times drivers just don't see us as well.

Amen, brother. That's what I thought made this an easy switch for me (from a motorcycle to a road bike recently) - still have the solidarity of hating cagers and loving twisties :)

Was he wrong to be in the lane? I don't think so - I agree if you were caught up to him or if he cut you off pulling into the bike lane, then sure. But if he's not in your way, understand that it's actually quite a bit safer to keep moving in an "illegal" lane than to keep staring at your mirrors wondering if Mrs. Soccer Mom in her Ford Expedition Tank-Edition is paying attention to every stop/go transition.

I would take issue as the type of cyclist that would do this would probably enter the lane going too fast. A generalization I know, but I have seen some pretty stupid moves made by sportbikes and I know these will eliminate them from the gene pool sooner or later but I would rather they not take me out when they jump into the bike lane at speed and proceed to remove me from the gene pool as well. As a motorcyclist I would never pull this move as I value my hide and jumping a curb is not a good idea on a sport bike.

I would tell him he needs to shut his engine off and Fred Flintstone it in the bike lane. :):):)

You'll find that most states are quite specific about differentiating between motorized vehicles and human-powered vehicles. If you reason that because it is on two wheels then it is equivalent to a bicycle, then you are saying that it is okay for a Harley to come barreling down the bike trail at your favorite park. Wouldn't that make for a wonderful day out with the family? "Kids, when you hear the rumbling engines coming, be sure to ditch into the trees."
This is a law that should be enforced. Allowing motorcycles into the bike lanes is a disaster waiting to happen. I also hope he gets what's coming to him.

It may be illegal, it may by annoying, it may be usafe for the motorcyclist (if travelig above 5-10mph) But is it unsafe for bicyclists? Surely if the motorcyclist approached a bicylist already in the lane they wouldn't rear end them.

Like said or implied above, ignore it and the the police take care of it.

I've actually seen high powered motorcycle using sidewalk when traffic was backed up!

Al

As a motorcyclist I would never pull this move as I value my hide and jumping a curb is not a good idea on a sport bike.

How would a motorcycle be more likely to jump a curb than a bicycle using the bike lane. I've never once jumped a curb on my bicycle when using the bike lane, or even come close to doing it.

Al

All good from here. I safely split lanes when I was in England. I don't make it a habit in DC,but have done it. DCPD pretty much don't mess with you unless you're really brazen about it(read:split past a cop car) or you cause an accident.

Here's my view:I will occationally split lanes,try to be first at the light,and will speed and pull away from lights quickly. Not because I don't care about laws,but because I care much more about my hide. I use my speed and maneuverability to get away from cars. If there are no cars near me,then they can't hurt me. The absolute best defense on a motorcycle is to keep a generous space buffer. FYI,the reason I've never had a drop of alcohol and gotten on a motorcycle has nothing to do with the fact that it's illegal;I've always had nice bikes that I don't want messed up and I don't want to get hurt.

If he lived in CA he would not have to do that; he could split the lanes.

I LOVED that when I lived in CA, and I honestly think it should be legal in all states. Sure, you're always going to get some idiots that abuse the situation, but by and large it's a great thing to be able to do. Heck, maybe then more people would look at a motorcycle as a more viable form of transportation (since it'd be faster than a car), and the next step is the bicycle...............I can dream can't I?

But seriously, if he wasn't impeding your right of way or endangering anyone's life (other than his own), just brush it off. It's not an excuse, but motorcyclists deal with a lot of junk from cagers just like us bicyclists.

Not a little bike, not a moped that could be confused with a bicycle, but a fully faired 650 cc sport bike.

Sorry to be pendantic,but it was prolly a 600cc. The only 650's I know of are the modern Laverdas,and they're rare here in the States. ;)

Also,600cc sportbikes usually have a higher 'squid factor' than others. They're relatively cheap,so you get more younger,inexperienced riders.

As a motorcyclist (see avatar) and bicyclist I take offense to this. :mad:

Not to be a jerk but isnt' riding a motorcycle in a bike lane illegal? How many of us would ride our bicycles in a carpool lane? This guy was obviously knowingly doing something illegal that's what bothers me.

In California it's illegal. Not saying it's unsafe or unfair, just illegal. Motor vehicles, defined to include motorcycles, are prohibited from using the bike lane unless they're entering or exiting the roadway, parking, or preparing for a turn within 200 feet. Cal. Veh. C. Sec. 21209.

I'd imagine it's the same in Florida but you'd have to check your vehicle code.

Not to be a jerk but isnt' riding a motorcycle in a bike lane illegal? How many of us would ride our bicycles in a carpool lane? This guy was obviously knowingly doing something illegal that's what bothers me.
I was taking offense to this comment in general directed towards motorcyclists:



seriously i'd just hope he gets what's coming to him

You know, it's also illegal to roll through a stop sign on a bicycle. Do I support it? No, you can get broadsided. Do I "hope that bicyclists get what's coming to them" for rolling through a stop sign? Not at all.

The real question on all of this is, what does the motorcyclist do when he comes up on a cyclist in the bike lane. Everyone keeps saying that it's cool as long as the motorcycle doesn't hold up the cyclist. My only concern would be that the cyclist moves back to the traffic lane when overtaking any cyclists as it is a bike lane and they do have priority.

How would a motorcycle be more likely to jump a curb than a bicycle using the bike lane. I've never once jumped a curb on my bicycle when using the bike lane, or even come close to doing it.

Al

If it was one of the sportbike riders I see everyday, they would get to the backed up traffic and jump into the bike lane at a rate of speed that was too fast for that type of maneuver. If it was a matter of every motorcyclist being a defensive driver who edged cautiously into the bike lane and then slowly filtered to the front I would have no problem with it. Having seen too many idiots on Sportbikes though I have no confidence that this is how they would do it though. I can see them assuming no one was in the bike lane and then coming down on top of a biker before they had sufficient braking room, thus they could either hit a car, a bicyclist, or jump the curb. If traffic is that backed up the motorcyclist's view of the bike lane is likely to be obstructed unless he has been eyeing it for some distance back. I for one have seen just as many morons on motorcycles as I have behind the wheels of cars. It gave me great comfort when I rode a motorcyle as I new that they were the statistics that everyone talked about (when telling me I was crazy to ride a motorcycle everytime one was killed), Kind of like wrong way bikers giving me comfort every time I hear an accident and 9 out of 10 times it is a wrong way biker. Not that I am happy with anyone getting killed or hurt, it is just nice to know that usually the statistics everyone use to tell me not to do something are filled with people doing unsafe things as opposed to people following the rules.

I was taking offense to this comment in general directed towards motorcyclists:




You know, it's also illegal to roll through a stop sign on a bicycle. Do I support it? No, you can get broadsided. Do I "hope that bicyclists get what's coming to them" for rolling through a stop sign? Not at all.

I understand. I agree, I wouldn't wish anyone any bodily harm.

...Hope my ambivalence is helpful.

Not at all. I ride both types of two-wheel vehicles, each according to the laws that apply to them. Seeing this guy in the bike lane would have p!553d me off good! But, I agree with others - confrontation would not avail.

As a motorcyclist (see avatar) and bicyclist I take offense to this. :mad:

if you got a motor you gotta follow the traffic rules in my world.

and by get what's coming to him i meant a ticket... i would never wish harm to anyone (even a hummer driver).

...get what's coming to him i meant a ticket...

Same here. Avoidance of bodily harm is partly why the laws differentiate between motorcycles and bicycles.

...jump into the bike lane at a rate of speed that was too fast for that type of maneuver.
OK, I see, your assuming they would enter and travel in BL at an unsafe speed. Similarly a pedal bicyclist could enter a BL and travel next to stopped cars at 25mph which would also be unsafe.

Riding close to (i.e. about 3ft clearance, sometimes less) a line of stopped or stop and go traffic is dangerous at just about any speed. I'd speculate ;) the risk increases exponentially with speed. Pretty much anything over 10mph is beyond what I'd do, although I avoid the maneuver on bicycle as much as possible.

Al

As long as the motorcycle doesn't go too fast??? As long as the motorcycle doesn't come across a bicycle???

Is this how we decide which laws to obey or enforce?

You know, driving without a seatbelt is NOT stupid... unless you have an accident.

Sorry to be pendantic,but it was prolly a 600cc. The only 650's I know of are the modern Laverdas,and they're rare here in the States. ;)

Also,600cc sportbikes usually have a higher 'squid factor' than others. They're relatively cheap,so you get more younger,inexperienced riders.

The Suzuki SV650 is quite a popular (and for good reason) 650cc bike in the states - gotta love that v-twin growl on a sportbike. But only the OP knows what size it was! Sorry to derail, back to bicycle talk :rolleyes:

I don't know the exact make/model. Like I said, I couldn't catch him... I do ride a motorcycle too, and my guess is about 650cc from what I saw. He never caused me any harm or danger, and may even have sped up to get out of my way. I'm also not about to say that I have never broken a traffic law, whether on a bicycle, motorcycle, or in a car.

I'm not sure what I would have said if I had caught up, but it did give me something amusing to talk about at work.

"On your left" would have been great.

bike lanes are usualy by the shoulder so unless it was a very short distance to pass a disabled or otherwise stopped vehicle I would avoid it, I find splitting in between lanes better because I only have to be worried about being overtaken by another MC and even if you do pass a cop unless it's another MC (MC cops split lanes too and quite well so your not going to pass another) there not going to care much because ther's not alot they can do other than radio ahead, and the ticket is only for lane sharing which isn't that major, NYC doesn't have much lane discipline and bicyclists split lanes wrong way down avenues at night so I don't lose sleep over passing a truck or bus in the bike lane every now and then, I imagine the reason MCs aren't allowed in most bicycle lanes is because the lobbying groups that got them approved were for bicycles only and MC groups in most stated only really want to focus on helmet laws which is a shame because MCs are suitable transport for up to two people and share some of the advantages of bicycles and cars, it should be important that advocacy groups for bicycles and motorcycles become involved with each other to be more effective in changing laws to improve the quality of life of both, also a big goldwing would be an excellent derny,