I have been reading this thread with a lot of interest. It obviously contains more emotional than actual "facts" and "information".
[quoteFor me it is quite simple actually: if bikers stop lane splitting, they will be more visible and easier to spot at all times, i.e. if you want to be "seen" as a car, behave like a car?
The only reason bikers lane split, is so that they can get the full value out of biking during peak traffic: not being stuck in traffic, which is fair and completely understandable.
But I don't think bikers can have their cake AND eat it?
EVERYBODY is inconsiderate on the roads nowadays, so if you use a mode of transport that makes you more vulnerable than the "normal" road user, you should be extra diligent. Riding your back right behind my car at all times where I can see you, is preferable to you lane splitting and subsequently continuously moving in and out of my blind spot.
My 2 cents.........[/QUOTE]
It seems you are the one lacking facts and responding with emotion.
Bikes are LESS visible riding like cars due to their narrow profile. FACT.
When riding like cars they are in more accidents and hurt more seriously. FACT.
Riding right behind you makes the bike visible to you only. Invisible and in the blind spot of the person in the next lane who will try to turn into that lane, whereas as a car in the same position would be quite visible and not cause this problem.
There is no cake and eating it. We get there quicker sure at the expense of massive risk and also weather conditions.
Beyond safety and visibility to actually ride like a car is near impossible firstly because the bikes themselves overheat standing in traffic.
Further the riders will overheat standing in traffic. Clutch hands will eventually give in and some people's backs might not survive. Bikes were never made for standing still.
In contrast taking the car is very easy and comfortable at the expense of time.
I could very well argue that the cars are having their cake and eating it by forcing congestion on all of us through their mere existence. If everyone was on a bike there would be no congestion.
So who is really in their comfort zones causing the problem?
Why are more bikes on the road a problem for car drivers? Each and every bike out there allows YOU to get to work faster. You should be embracing the bikes and jumping out of the way as a thank you for getting you to work faster, not being stubborn as all hell because you are jealous for being stuck and not doing the same thing.
*****
But you are quite right on the diligence factor.
There is a right way and a wrong way to lane split and many many bikers get it very wrong.
At the same time if car drivers just took driving more seriously and applied the same diligence many issues could be avoided.
Simple future planning and traffic flow understanding being one of them. I can't get over the people who move from one lane that is going nowhere to another lane that is going nowhere and in the process messing it up for everyone 5km down the line.
