Traffic jams & "riding the shoulder"

[burkbuilds]

Yesterday I got stuck in a major traffic jam on I-75 near the I-24 split. I don't know what was causing the problems but traffic was crawling for miles, stop and go maybe 5mph top speed at best. There were 4 highway lanes and a full shoulder on each side. The shoulder outside the "fast lane" has a concrete barrier wall separating it from traffic going the opposite direction. It was hot, mid 90's no breeze and 80% humidity and I thought about getting onto one of the shoulder lanes and riding down past the traffic jam until I noticed this. A man was riding the shoulder on a big bike with a girl doubled up behind him, they were probably going about 20 mph down through there and in about 1/4 mile I saw 4 automobile veer out and try to hit him or drive him into the concrete barrier wall. Man, how crazy are these people? Who was that guy hurting by riding down the shoulder? I couldn't believe these cars were trying to hurt this guy just because he wasn't going to sit in traffic with them because he had other "options". After seeing that I decided to just take my lumps with the heat and wait it out. Took me about 45 minutes to go a mile.

Any of you guys ever had cars try to make you wreck on purpose?

[Sarris]

Some cage drivers are assholes and just hate bikes and bikers. In 35 yrs. of riding I've seen it all.

My favorite riding phrase is "The best way to get someone in front of you to speed up is to try to pass them". They'll hit the gas 90% of the time to keep you from going around them. People pass me all the time and then slow down just because the don't want a motorcycle in front of them. Or the drag race to merge 2 to one lanes. Or block you with the cage to keep you from getting by. Or twitch the steering wheel when you go by (a REAL panny pisser). SOS.

I take the tact to just pull over and let the asshole pass and get some distance on me. It ain't worth starting a fight you can't win. The cage ALWAYS wins.

BTW, in most states it is illegal to cross the white line to use the shoulder to pass other traffic. How do I know?? I got a $125 ticket for the same damn thing two years ago. I tried to go around backed-up traffic to get to the right turn lane. I only passed 25 cars or so. OOPS. The 17 year old FHP ocifer was not amused.

:jo: :jo: :jo: :jo:

[burkbuilds]

I didn't realize that it was illegal to drive down the shoulder to get around a traffic jam, thanks for the heads up!

[Easy Rider]

I didn't realize that it was illegal to drive down the shoulder to get around a traffic jam, thanks for the heads up!

Been over this before.....maybe not on this board though.

The shoulders are EMERGENCY lanes....even in places where lane splitting/sharing or filtering is legal, driving/riding on the shoulder is NOT. WHY ?? Because when traffic is backed up due to an accident the Police, Ambulance, and Tow Trucks need some way to get to the accident. Having motorcycles in those lanes just encourages cages to do it too and soon........ALL the lanes are blocked. I've seen it happen in Chicago.......where we seem to have more than our fair share of total morons.

It might seem stupid if you are on a bike stuck in the backup. I doesn't seem NEARLY as stupid if you are IN the accident and your survival depends on getting rapid help.

Now if you can SEE an exit ahead and it is open, then I think that is another matter entirely.
Not within the letter of the law but in "most" cases probably wouldn't raise anybody's ire.......including the LEO's.

[alanmcorcoran]

I got a ticket in a cage going over a double line insulating a huge empty center lane to get to an empty left turn lane a few cars ahead. Basically, if california needs money, they just wait at poorly designed intersections and ticket all day.

(And these days, they need a LOT of money. Got a ticket in Feb for going 75 in a 70. Cost me $300 for the ticket, got a point on my license and my insurance went up. Thirty seconds after I got the ticket I was back on the same road driving 75 with people passing me on both sides. Short version, traffic tickets have become another form of taxes out here.)

[alantf]

Got a ticket in Feb for going 75 in a 70.

I sympathise. Last month I got a 100 euro ($140) fine for going 11 kilometers per hour (6mph) over the limit. It seems that every country in the world is learning that motorists are an easy touch. It's going to get even worse over here. I was reading in the newspaper, a while ago, about changes that are going to come into force from next year. One of them is that they will fine you for going ONE kilometer per hour over the limit. (don't forget that 1 km/hr is 1/6 of 1mph. Wish my speedo was as accurate as their radar!) What's the odds that the accident rate will soar when people start spending more time watching their speedo than the road ahead? BTW, the road where I was fined was clear of traffic (except for the police car hidden in a gas station entrance), the weather was perfect, I could see ahead for nearly a mile, & anyway, I didn't do it deliberately, the speed just crept up while I was looking ahead. O_o

[Easy Rider]

(don't forget that 1 km/hr is 1/6 of 1 mph.)

Typo ??
Without looking it up, my guess would be more like 5/6 of 1 mph. :)

[alantf]

yes, my mistake. 1 km/hr = 0.6214 mph, i.e. just over 3/5 of 1 mph

[Water Warrior 2]

The Metric system was forced down our throats in the late 70s and I still find myself mentally converting to the old system on a daily basis. I used to have to do conversions to liters, U.S. gallons and Imperial (Canadian) gallons as part of my job. We did lab work in Metric and various suppliers were still in Imperial or U.S. Equipment was a variety of everything for many years before it was all upgraded. Weights and volumes made a scientific calculator a must have item to be correct. All I really know is my Vstrom 650 is too heavy to pick up with one hand.

[magnum44270]

of course its illegal, and stupid. you are no different than any other vehicle on the road, dont be one of those a$$holes riding down the shoulder or cutting between lanes!

[Easy Rider]

of course its illegal, and stupid. you are no different than any other vehicle on the road, dont be one of those a$$holes riding down the shoulder or cutting between lanes!

OK, you'll fit in here just FINE !! :biggrin:

While I personally agree with you 100%......in California and some "foreign" countries, lane splitting or lane sharing (at low speeds) is perfectly acceptable and quite common.

I don't know anywhere in this country that riding or driving in the emergency lane is acceptable, however.....unless it is YOU that has the emergency.

P.S. While we have our "moments" of harsh disagreement, it might be best not to characterize other users here as "stupid" or "a$$holes". :roll:

Not TOO often, anyway. :popcorn:

[magnum44270]

by sharing lanes, you mean 2 bikes side by side?.. oh ya that is perfectly fine....but cutting between 2 auto's in a traffic jam, or taking the shoulder in a traffic jam, just because you can . poor poor choice. just asking for trouble..............

you are what you are. call it like you see it.

[Easy Rider]

by sharing lanes, you mean 2 bikes side by side?..

you are what you are. call it like you see it.

No, it means sharing the lane with another car or truck.....or splitting lanes BETWEEN 2 cars.
Like I said, in many places it is considered "normal". I personally don't do it but lots DO.

If you are in the habit of "voicing" all the thoughts that pop into your head regarding what people "are"...........then maybe you WON'T fit in here too good after all.

I suggest that you cool it a bit. That's how I see it.

[magnum44270]

grain of salt.

[Easy Rider]

grain of salt.

I am about to leave for a 2 week bike trip and I will NOT let this upset me.........
I WILL NOT.......... :skull:

[magnum44270]

ok, im not meaning to upset anyone, sorry i got you rilled up. i will watch my opinion . enjoy the trip. ride safely.

[blaine]

Hope you have a good trip,Easy.Were are you headed?

[alantf]

.but cutting between 2 auto's in a traffic jam, or taking the shoulder in a traffic jam, just because you can . poor poor choice. just asking for trouble..............


NO!........Over here it's perfectly LEGAL, & with the amount of traffic I need to do it EVERY DAY. Drivers will often put their arm out of the window & give you a little wave, to say they've seen you in the mirror, & won't pull over to close the gap. (or even move over to the right of their lane, to give you more room)

The traffic congestion is so great that A LOT of people ride bikes/scooters, & the car drivers (mostly) realise that we use them to get through the traffic jams. The attitude to bikers seems to be totally different here, because a bike/scooter is seen as a legitimate form of transport, & not just for hobby riders. :)

[Fish Baseball]

Aussie law states that at "low speed" traffic conditions, splitting the lane ie: riding between the gutter and the row of cars is totally legal and an acceptable form of transit. Althou those in steel cages are usually too scattered left and right to make this impossible at most times.

That being said, yes I split lanes frequently, and I accept that its possibly a very elaborate form of suicide, but hey, I didn't get on the bike to wait in traffic, I got on it to reduce the time wasted waiting for traffic to move.

A mate of mine (big honda scooter rider) swears against splitting, another (gladius 650 rider) does it as a matter of course. Yet another rider (Hyosung GT250R rider) does it occasionally, and finally we all know a crazy bird (CBR1000RRRRRRRRR or something) does it at full tilt down the freeway, and the mate who got his permit this week (Kymco Venox 250...yuck) is terrified of the thought. With all this in mind I reckon its up to the rider themselves to determine what they are comfortable with, and as long as they're not breaking the law of the land...alls good.

[Easy Rider]

Hope you have a good trip,Easy.Were are you headed?

Atlanta and northern Florida (Gainesville)......and other points along US 231 and 41.
Wanted to leave today (Friday) but stuff happens and now it won't be until tomorrow.

[blaine]

Hope you have a good trip,Easy.Were are you headed?

Atlanta and northern Florida (Gainesville)......and other points along US 231 and 41.
Wanted to leave today (Friday) but stuff happens and now it won't be until tomorrow.

Enjoy your trip,ride safe. :rawk: :rawk: :2tup:

[mrlmd1]

You riding the bike down there?
Take a side trip from Atlanta down to Tallahassee first, or going back from Gainseville (on 27 W to over here [south of Tallahassee] on the Gulf) then we can cuss each other out in person while sipping a few brews watching the sunsets. :biggrin:

[Easy Rider]

You riding the bike down there?

Yes, otherwise I wouldn't be going at all.
Rained today; leaving tomorrow morining at 9AM.

[patrick_777]

then we can cuss each other out in person while sipping a few brews watching the sunsets. :biggrin:

:ghey:

[burkbuilds]

Hey Easy Rider, I can't remember exactly what route you usually take, but be aware that I-24 between Nashville, and Chattanooga is not currently completely open due to a 24' deep pothole 18' across that opened up the other morning closing all lanes. The state patrol is recommending travelers going from Nashville to Atlanta, go through Birmingham, Alabama or take the mountain roads through Tennessee, but be aware that those roads will probably be extremely congested with others trying to go around I-24. Apparently those heavy rains they had in the Nashville, region a few weeks back did a lot of undermining of the interstate.

[Easy Rider]

but be aware that those roads will probably be extremely congested with others trying to go around I-24.

CRAP. :cry:
Don't care about 24....except for all that traffic that might bleed over to MY roads !!!
Thanks for the heads-up.
41 will probably be a real mess.
I was thinking about 231; that pretty well cinches it.

[burkbuilds]

I think that would be a better choice. Have a great trip!