motorcycling in California, plus traffic in general

[solipsistnation]

Okay, so SOMETHING is majorly different about how motorcycles are treated out here than in Massachusetts.

It seems like anytime there's a motorcycle anywhere near me in traffic, they're doing dangerous things-- the sorts of things about which my motorcycling friends in MA have said things like, "Oh wow, that's too dangerous" and "No SAFE cyclist would EVER do anything like that!" They cut between cars, ride up the center line between rows of vehicles at stoplights, zip around in traffic, and generally don't act like I've seen bikers act in other states-- that is, they act like they're tiny and manouverable as opposed to acting like cars who just LOOK tiny and manouverable.

So, CA and/or MA motorcycle people-- what's the deal here? Stuff that's illegal in MA isn't in CA? The sun baking their heads inside their helmets? (At least everyone seems to wear them.)

I also note that my Boston-area driving skills serve me well in the Silicon Valley area. I'm not usually the fastest person on the road; nor am I the slowest. I am usually the first out of the light, but that's because I have the car with extra vroom in it and I like to accelerate. California drivers do seem to be mostly pretty sane-- saner than the average Massachusetts driver, which means I'm a little more aggressive than the average Californian. But the BAD drivers, holy CRAP, they're TERRIBLE. Schmucks on cell phones all over the road, hyperaggressive zoomy cars, guys in Porsches who think that means they own the road, guys in Beemers who DO ACTUALLY own the road and have paperwork to prove it... Definitely in a minority, but definitely very present.

Anyway. Loads of fun.

Comments

[zonereyrie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, in CA motorcycles are allowed to split lanes.

[brynndragon.livejournal.com]

We were talking about lane-splitting in MA on my mailing list and the general consensus is "the cops almost never ticket (the only time it happened it got dropped in court because the officer didn't show), but they will harass you about it". Legal or no, it's considered bad manners out here and MA is the sort of place where road etiquette is more important than the letter of the law in terms of not getting hurt or dead (accidentally or road-rage-wise).

[brynndragon.livejournal.com]

In California, people expect that sort of thing and accept it without minding much. Out here, people are more likely to take offense and do something that could seriously injure or kill a biker (from opening a door into them to running them off the road to taking out a gun and shootin them). So things that I consider extremely dangerous out here are no more dangerous than riding in general is out there. Then again, earlier today I blew past someone doing 30 in a 45 at about 60 on a road marked for one lane (passing on the right because that's where there was room), so I'm not immune to the hooligan urge even here.

In general, people in CA ride like Massholes drive (or would drive if their cars were small enough). It's kinda weird.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

I cannot accept that. Motorcyclists here are nowhere near as insane as MA drivers.

Everyone here wears helmets because there's a helmet law.

Californian drivers do not know how to merge.

[brynndragon.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's just the riders in San Fransisco then. Besides, MA drivers aren't crazy, they're just following the unwritten rules of the road (the written rules are pretty much ignored, as I noted above). Once you know what the rules are, you can see that there's a certain sort of sense to it. Or maybe you go crazy learning them ;P.

Is there anyone who actually knows how to merge? Maybe New Yorkers. Certainly not Connecticutians.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

I dunno, i think that the unwritten rules are easier to figure out in New York. Boston... it's just crazy. Or, as you say, go crazy from learning them.

Riders in SF could well be problematic. I'll have to ask my stepson.

[pir.livejournal.com]

I disagree, Massholes may not be strictly crazy but they are obnoxious, very impatient, have anger management issues and are largely incompetant. The effect is basicly the same; unpredictable, dangerous behaviour.

The best one I saw in my last trip to Boston was someone doing a Boston right on red: small road, stop light, 3 road star junction. Car stopped at a red light, going straight. Car behind is turning right, so goes around to the left of the car in front into oncoming traffic, then turns right in front of the car stopped at the light. Classy.

There are at least two sets of "rules" that get followed, the major two being those for the more obnoxios/impatient end of the spectrum and those for the timid/scared end of the spectrum. Anyone who tends towards the middle will get pushed towards one end or ther other depending on if they get scared or annoyed by the other drivers the most, that's my theory on how new Boston drivers get made and the cycle perpetuates itself. The closer you get to downtown city of Boston the worse they get (Somerville is somewhat better, western MA is much better).

Riding motorcycles in CA (SF and the bay area at least) I've found drivers are far more likely to expect other vehicles to be around, don't seem to have road rage as an artform (like Boston does) and hae a much higher average driving skill level so lanesplitting is much safer as well as being legal, people actually get out of your way. After doing it a handful of times early on I won't lanesplit in Boston; if someone doesn't knock you off accidentally, eventually someone will get you intentionally because they're pissed off that you are passing them.

As I understand it the CA driving test is rather more difficult than the MA test. As my MA test was round the fricking block is could hardly be much easier...
</american-driving-rant>

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

If you thought Boston was bad, DC is much, much worse. The combination of people from all over the place trying to mix driving styles, the speed limits that are ignored inconsistently (on a 55mph highway there will be someone doing 80, and someone doing 45) and "anger management issues" that are seriously scary. In my whole time commuting in Boston I got held up in traffic because of an accident maybe twice. It's a daily occurrence here, which means there must be too many stupid people. Driving back in Boston is now a *relief*--I never thought I'd say that.

[pir.livejournal.com]

Ew.

Driving in Boston was nasty when I was there in January compared to London... I'll skip driving in DC, then.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

My comparison of Boston to DC driving (having done a fair bit of both):
* Boston drivers want to get where they're going, do not get in their way or you will become part of the road.
* DC drivers will go out of their way, on their way to get where they're going, to make you part of the road.

In DC I was losing the Boston driving hive-mind because it just doesn't work there.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

A friend suggests that a novice to Boston driving ride with an experienced Boston driver for six months. This will allow the novice to observe traffic and the experienced driver's reaction to it -- and also to ask questions.

There is a hive mind to Boston driving. Somewhere along the way, I acquired it. Novice Boston drivers do not have it, and can really foul things up...

[j-on-lj.livejournal.com]

Somehow this is forking off into merging (and motorcycles.)

For the record, my CA drivers manual advised that it's the law
that, when someone puts on a signal to change lanes or merge, the
person in the destination lane is *required* to slow down and
let them in.

If I tried that on 128, I'd become a part of some SUV's front end.

The scary part is that, for the most part, they *DO* this!
I can't believe the number of times - even in heavy traffic - where
I signal and a space magically opens up, as if courtesy was a
law that people actually *listened* to! Sure, there are
exceptions, but overall, I'd rather drive on the narrower lanes
out here than on the wider (albeit fewer) lanes on roads in MA.

The traffic lights here are also more intelligently engineered,
as a light actually changes quickly if no one else is around,
and they're predictable. (Having grown to most of my current
age while waiting for traffic lights in MD and VA in 2004,
it's a refreshing change.) Of course, that also means that
sneezing causes you to miss the light, and running one here
will cost you $371.

Oh, and I took (and passed) the motorcycle test in CA to maintain
my motorcycle license I had and used in MA. Everyone else has said
that lane-splitting is legal, but I might as well say, "It's
twue! It's twue!"

[air-hadoken.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember having rĕad something recently about bikers splitting lanes, and the presenter was making the argument that there is nothing inherently unsafe about it, and some circles prefer it to riding in series with car/truck traffic.

At least you haven't yet encountered the California stereotype douchebag whose salutation to you is "What kind of car do you drive?"

[lyadann.livejournal.com]

Derek confirms, absolutely legal in CA and Washington State, but no where else in the US. Probably no more dangerous than sitting in traffic waiting to get rear-ended by an SUV, so the arguement goes, but he likely wouldn't do it anyway.

[arcticelf.livejournal.com]

Lane splitting used to be legal in ME, with no more then a 5mph delta on the actual traffic. I don't know if it still is though.

AE

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

In September 2006 the Governator signed SB 1613 prohibiting people from driving while using a hand-held cell phone.... effective July 2008.

\o/

just wish it would happen everywhere...

Riding in such an exposed fashion has always terrified me when much bigger vehicles are likely to run you over... (personal experience from my younger years)

That said... having cycles zip past my door usually scared the shit outa me and I was always afraid that I would swerve at the wrong time and kill one the speedy lunatics!

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

Having seen lane-splitting motorcyclists, I must admit that the temptation to deliberately door them is nigh-overwhelming at times.

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it would be SO messy...

[blackcoat.livejournal.com]

Hey, just because you gotta ride in the cage...

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

Easier to get rid of the crotch rocket.

[blackcoat.livejournal.com]

I only split lanes when traffic is bumper to bumper, and moving at < 10MPH, and I'm usually just tooling along at ~10MPH delta. I think it's perfectly safe, having had *multiple* people rear end me, and a number of people try to merge *into* me, once only stopping when I reached out and knocked on their window.

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, that's my point... being in big metal cages encourages drivers to be stupid... erm, oblivious ... they're looking for what they expect... which can be deadly dangerous for vulnerable bikers, pedestrians, critters, whatever...

Bikers weaving in and out of very slow traffic? ... not as bad... and safer than sitting still in traffic when the stupid/oblivious factor rises, with impatience and latent road rage rising as a secondary condition...

You just be careful and watch out for those moron drivers! ::said in nagging motherly voice::