riding on the shoulders during traffic hours

[tiatool]

[dbuck]

Witnessed someone in FULL black leathers, with BRAWP stitched across the flying down the left shoulder of 610 south (Galleria) this morning while traffic was moving around 25 mph. Keep up the good work....is it bad that I hoped you picked up a nail? Who's the ?

[Solracer]

Originally Posted by dbuck

Witnessed someone in FULL black leathers, with BRAWP stitched across the flying down the left shoulder of 610 south (Galleria) this morning while traffic was moving around 25 mph. Keep up the good work....is it bad that I hoped you picked up a nail? Who's the ?

What bike?

[dbuck]

black/red tail? maybe a gsxr by the end.

[JayRSXS]

Word

[Adamrides]

Originally Posted by xpider2

Hey guys, I am a new rider (less than 2000 miles). I recently started commuting on my bike, and I constantly see other riders riding on the shoulders during peak traffic hours (610, 8,) but I am personally afraid of getting a ticket. I just wanted to know where most riders stand on this topic; shoulder, or law abiding citizen?

Thanks guys!

Don't ride the shoulder, lane split when you get more miles under your belt like others have said. It's not legal but it's also not illegal, if traffic is crawling (under 20mph) then I do it. I've been stopped a few times with no tickets. It's a gray area in the law so as long as you do it safely. People will try to block you so just pay attention and try to anticipate when people will switch lanes quickly and with no signal. Honestly it's not worth it if you can stand the heat.

[sbfuller]

I've had way too many flat tires in a vehicle from just pulling over onto the shoulder that I'd NEVER actually ride any sort of distance on the bike on the shoulder. a car tire is a $5 plug to fix the flat. On the bike, it's a new tire at $150 each. If you have the money for that, then go ahead. I'd prefer lane splitting but RARELY did that. I just chose to avoid the traffic times. If you have to ride in traffic, plan ahead and leave a little earlier so you don't have to lane split. Lane splitting just adds more risk to an already risky commute. I'll maintain my position behind a car but I'll tend to stay towards the edge of the lane so if i get hit from behind, i don't get squished between cars. That way i still get some of the benefits of the lane splitting argument but without the added risk of actually splitting lanes

[Repth]

Originally Posted by sbfuller

I've had way too many flat tires in a vehicle from just pulling over onto the shoulder that I'd NEVER actually ride any sort of distance on the bike on the shoulder. a car tire is a $5 plug to fix the flat. On the bike, it's a new tire at $150 each. If you have the money for that, then go ahead. I'd prefer lane splitting but RARELY did that. I just chose to avoid the traffic times. If you have to ride in traffic, plan ahead and leave a little earlier so you don't have to lane split. Lane splitting just adds more risk to an already risky commute. I'll maintain my position behind a car but I'll tend to stay towards the edge of the lane so if i get hit from behind, i don't get squished between cars. That way i still get some of the benefits of the lane splitting argument but without the added risk of actually splitting lanes

It's not risky to split lanes at low speed in dense traffic. It's safer.

[dbuck]

Originally Posted by Repth

It's not risky to split lanes at low speed in dense traffic. It's safer.

I've never understood how people think it's more dangerous. It's the doing it at speed (or when traffic is actually flowing) that give lane splitters a bad name. In dense (i.e. dead stop or stop n go) traffic, the only worry you really have is some opening a door. I mean, hey, if it's worth me taking out your door go right ahead. When it's dead stopped, I'm doing what...5-10mph? I can stop on a dime at 10 mph and crashing at 10 mph ain't all that bad. If I can't stop in time, I have insurance and now your "issue" with splitting has really become a much bigger inconvenience. I just wave and press forward when I come across the .

[sbfuller]

Originally Posted by Repth

It's not risky to split lanes at low speed in dense traffic. It's safer.

risk is all relative. Is it more risky to pass within inches of a car at 10 or 15 mph than to be stopped with them? Assuming you are keeping an eye on the car behind you I don't think it is. How many stops you make where they could hit you versus how many cars you pass at that speed determines the exposure. the exposure goes up more with a less skilled rider splitting lanes because they will have more close calls and less experience for evasive maneuvers but the risk is still there. the severity of the hazard i'd consider about the same if not less hazard being hit from behind at 10mph than head on with a door at 10mph. hit from behind you'll decelerate and roll of the back of the bike, 10mph head on and you come to an almost instant stop with a narrow object.

IDK... maybe it's just the Safety Engineer in me over-thinking this, after all, that is what i do for a living.

In the end, i think it's close enough to consider them even since the probablilities are so low on both that it's really negligible... but riding on the should as OP stated definately ads more risk because of the unknown items on the shoulder that should not be there but we all know are there on Houston roads

[Repth]

Originally Posted by sbfuller

risk is all relative. Is it more risky to pass within inches of a car at 10 or 15 mph than to be stopped with them? Assuming you are keeping an eye on the car behind you I don't think it is. How many stops you make where they could hit you versus how many cars you pass at that speed determines the exposure. the exposure goes up more with a less skilled rider splitting lanes because they will have more close calls and less experience for evasive maneuvers but the risk is still there. the severity of the hazard i'd consider about the same if not less hazard being hit from behind at 10mph than head on with a door at 10mph. hit from behind you'll decelerate and roll of the back of the bike, 10mph head on and you come to an almost instant stop with a narrow object.

IDK... maybe it's just the Safety Engineer in me over-thinking this, after all, that is what i do for a living.

In the end, i think it's close enough to consider them even since the probablilities are so low on both that it's really negligible... but riding on the should as OP stated definately ads more risk because of the unknown items on the shoulder that should not be there but we all know are there on Houston roads

It sounds like we are very close to agreement here. I feel it is close enough that it comes down to a personal decision. I also understand that currently, my decision is in opposition to the historical interpretation of the Texas traffic code, and I accept any consequences this may bring.

[FastLife1K]

When in a traffic jam (traffic moving less than 10mph) I seem to notice more people whip out their cell phone and start facebooking or whatever...thats when I like to split.

[Crossfits]

Originally Posted by FastLife1K

When in a traffic jam (traffic moving less than 10mph) I seem to notice more people whip out their cell phone and start facebooking or whatever...thats when I like to split.

Exactly!

I'd avoid the shoulder and stick to lane splitter after you gain a few more miles under the belt, as other have mentioned.

[pbfoot]

Originally Posted by dbuck

I've never understood how people think it's more dangerous. It's the doing it at speed (or when traffic is actually flowing) that give lane splitters a bad name. In dense (i.e. dead stop or stop n go) traffic, the only worry you really have is some opening a door. I mean, hey, if it's worth me taking out your door go right ahead. When it's dead stopped, I'm doing what...5-10mph? I can stop on a dime at 10 mph and crashing at 10 mph ain't all that bad. If I can't stop in time, I have insurance and now your "issue" with splitting has really become a much bigger inconvenience. I just wave and press forward when I come across the .

I am not lane splitting, I am slaloming.

[Repth]

Originally Posted by pbfoot

I am not lane splitting, I am slaloming.

Most people call them cars. Some call them cages. I prefer the term "rolling chicanes".

[SwitchTX]

i take 610 every morning from the north through the galleria. I only split when trafiic is at a stand still and i only go about 10-15. In the several months since i moved to the heights i had had people cut me off, not use signals, and flat out swerve in and out of lanes not paying attention on the road.

while splitting everything increases 10X. I have had people even open up their door on me in traffic...to which i just laugh. but still, not for the faint of heart.

i still do it yes. but you have to keep your head on a swivel. i look at front tires fro the them start to turn into the lane next to me, look in side mirrors for people doing the erroneous side check but not shoulder check, and sudden braking for people to swerve....