Stupid people on motorcycles.

meanwhile, the bikers going by at 2AM are thinking "oh shits, it's that crazy guy's house! i better punch it or he might catch me!"

also, this is malarky:

you're mistaking arguments concerning why lanesplitting should be legal with reasons why people lanesplit. people do it because they want to get where they're going more quickly, and they don't care (or know) about a law that's stupid in the first place. people argue that it should be legal because it's a dumbass law that decreases road safety and increases emissions. your prattling about self-importance is a false argument.

But, without spamming, how else would we know he wants to be a stupid person on a motorcycle?

Every vehicle has its strengths and weaknesses, and no vehicle I think is ultimately superior to another, they're all good for different things. This "us vs. them" mentality is kind of silly and it exists with every vehicle type, which is why I associate with none of them.

Personally, I ride my bicycle or take public transit for most trips, ride my motorcycle for highway or time sensitive trips, and use a car sharing service for hauling people or cargo. I love cars, and I love driving them, but I don't feel the need to own one. If I had kids or regularly hauled stuff it'd be a different story.

Bicycles aren't the alpha and the omega of transportation either. In fact, electric bicycles are 2-4 times more energy efficient (I can't find the study I read this in right now, but a bicycle uses about 25 calories per mile, which is less energy than an e-bike uses). They're great for many things, but best used as a complement to other forms of transport.

Stiles is right that most people can suffice with a scooter or motorcycle for most trips. The carbon footprint of a new Prius is obscene compared to a similarly fuel efficient motorcycle. A new, relatively cheap 250cc motorcycle can easily get 80 mpg and it's all the power most people will ever need and pays for itself in savings fairly quickly.

I agree that lane splitting isn't a black and white issue. Douchebags that fly by you on the highway at 120 mph are a danger to themselves and others; both my father and a former coworker have been in accidents due to their negligence. Still, I'm guilty of riding by stalled traffic (always on the shoulder) when it's raining or ridiculously hot. I don't have the luxury of car drivers with roofs and AC, so I want to get where I'm going faster.

And of course, as everyone's mentioned, driving without proper protection is a Darwin award waiting to happen. Someone mentioned Florida's repeal of the no-helmet law, but failed to mention that motorcycle fatalities have increased 81% since then.

Regarding people who split lanes on their bikes: I feel the same way about them as I do when I'm stuck in gridlock and there are jackasses shooting down the shoulder of the highway in their cars. When I see it, it just seems to embody that same self-important, self-absorbed attitude that some of the other posters have criticized.

I don't own a motorcycle (though I'd like to) and realize there may well be some far less selfish reasons for lane-splitting. But honestly, you'd have a hard time convincing me that most people do it for any other reason than the fact that they can. Maybe if self-indulgence was a bit less prevalent in our society, filtering would bother me less.

As far as the helmet laws go, I won't touch that one until I've been here for a little longer than thirty seconds.

-ReAct
"First-post-tastic!"

Someone on a bike filtering through stopped traffic is one less car with a single occupant making the traffic you're stuck in just that much worse for everyone.

that's understandable. gridlock is a frustrating experience, and if someone else appears to be getting out of it when you can't, it can piss you off.

but there's a difference between an asshole speeding down the shoulder and a guy on a motorcyle filtering. that difference is that one is stupid and dangerous and illegal for good reasons; and the other is not particularly more dangerous than riding a motorcycle in the first place, and is illegal in many places for dumb reasons.

Iv actually gone up to 16yr olds on mopeds and scramblers. They'd been speeding around, weaving in and out of traffic. When they stopped at the traffic lights i was crossing, i just warned the passenger on the back, that if he stayed on that bike wearing only a tracksuit he'll be skinned alive or dead.

When i had my bike, I literally fell over (ya im a jackass) and i destroyed my ankle, tore up my leg and hand.

I loved driving my bike but i always wore leather and tough clothes. People are idiots for not wearing protective gear.