From: blockedofcourse@foo.invalid   
      
   On 12/4/2025 3:10 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:   
   > On 2025-12-04 12:47, Don Y wrote:   
   >> On 12/4/2025 3:58 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:   
   >>> On 2025-12-03 23:03, Don Y wrote:   
   >>>> I find this unnerving.  Mainly because you don't EXPECT people   
   >>>> in those places!   
   >>>>   
   >>>> How widespread is this, elsewhere?   
   >>>   
   >>> I had to google the expression, "lane filtering". Ok. But where   
   >>> does the expression come from?   
   >>   
   >> "Lane splitting" refers to operating a motorcycle BETWEEN   
   >> established traffic lanes.  Effectively riding *on* the painted   
   >> lines on the pavement that separate said lanes.   
   >>   
   >> This happens "at speed" -- the motorcyclist imagines an arbitrarily   
   >> thin lane between the "automobile lanes" and exploits it to move   
   >> through traffic more quickly.  Of course, still (?) obeying posted   
   >> speed limits, etc.   
   >>   
   >> Lane *filtering* addresses the same practice but in the case where   
   >> the traffic is stopped (like at a traffic signal) or barely   
   >> crawling.   
   >>   
   >> Here, motion is allowed if not exceeding 15MPH (whereas the speed   
   >> limit on most roads "in town" is 45MPH).  The thinking being that   
   >> the motorcyclist should be exercising caution as he moves through   
   >> the stopped traffic.   
   >   
   > Yes, I understood that, but where does the expressions come from, how   
   > did they originate?   
      
   "Splitting" because the driver is splitting a pair of lanes (by riding   
   "on the dividing line")   
      
   "Filtering"?  Maybe the driver's motion through the *stationary* vehicles   
   is seen as passing through a filter (composed of stationary vehicles)?   
      
   > AFAIK, both are prohibited here. Maybe Lane filtering is permitted (it   
   > certainly happens), but there is still a risk of a car opening a door. There   
   is   
   > another variant that was permitted recently, which is a bike slowly driving   
   on   
   > the shoulder during a traffic jam, but still yielding to emergency vehicles   
   > using the shoulder.   
      
   Here, a more significant hazard comes from multiple turn lanes.   
   E.g., if there are two lanes that *can* turn right at an   
   intersection, a motorcyclist splitting (filtering) between   
   them is at risk at the leftmost of those two lanes MAY turn right   
   INTO his travel.   
      
   Likewise for left-turns.   
      
   [And, of course, the morons who make turns from improper lanes]   
      
   We also have stop that isn't a real stop -- when the (car) drivers   
   have discretion as to whether or not to proceed (based on "observed   
   conditions").  This is intended to expedite turns through intersections   
   where oncoming traffic may have significant gaps that a driver could exploit.   
   A solid "red" (stop) would prohibit the driver from exploiting those   
   gaps.  The "discretionary" stop leaves a motorcyclist at the mercy   
   of a driver that he is about to slip past *suddenly* turning into his   
   path from a (discretionary) stop.   
      
   I just don't see the merit of allowing either behavior (split/filter)   
   as there doesn't seem to be any evidence that lots of motorcyclists   
   are "hit from behind WHILE STOPPED" at such places.   
      
   And, it's hard to imagine letting the few motorcyclists weave through   
   such stopped traffic makes an appreciable difference in traffic flow.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)