Bikes riding breakdown lane

[isaac_]

Motorcycles that is. In stop and go traffic. How do y'all feel about this?

Sitting here on 495 and I see a few go by. Made me wonder.

[AEG]

I wish bikes allowed to legally split lanes.

[isaac_]

I would think riding breakdown lane is more illegal than lane splitting. Somehow I find that makes sense in My head.


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[aldend123]

I'm jealous that I don't have the guts to do it myself. More power to 'em. Keep to the right side of it should a car need to use the lane, and be prepared to go off-roading if emergency services are approaching from behind. Rider gets no right of way.

[SteveM]

Lane splitting should be legal.

But it isn't.

Riding in the breakdown lane on 2 wheels is exactly the same as doing so on 4. Cops generally don't give this a feee pass and it irritates the hell out of other drivers who are obeying the law.

If legal lane splitting would inspire 80% envy and 20% hatred, this jackass move inspires only hatred.

Doesn't matter how hot it is, I won't do it. Much easier to just grab the next exit, find a DD for an iced coffee and plan a different route. 99.99% of the time I don't really need to get anywhere that quickly.

[isaac_]

I'm jealous that I don't have the guts to do it myself. More power to 'em. Keep to the right side of it should a car need to use the lane, and be prepared to go off-roading if emergency services are approaching from behind. Rider gets no right of way.

This. I'd never have the guts.

[SteveM]

Also, if you're on 2 wheels, traveling at rush hour and file onto the highway like a sheep, it's your own damn fault.

We ride motorcycles to find the other roads not to sit on a backed up highway.

[Teamdineen]

Cops are complete cunts about illegal shoulder riding not to mention the speed limit is 0mph there. If you're caught the fine is astronomical and can be arrested. I believe it should not be done just as a courtesy plus it should be used as an emergency. Lane splitting on the other hand is a full go. Just don't ride like an asshole. Riding like a squid in hellish traffic is a problem for the rest of us who only ride like assholes on open roads.I was driving to the cape today saw a few bikes lane splitting and moved over because it's a must. 94* in traffic on a bike is HELL. I was in a truck with full pumping AC and its hell driving in traffic down to the cape.

Just watch out for the drivers who think they are Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. They can make a normally rational rider turn into Superbike street SQUID and nothing good will come of it.
Ahh cuu cuu tut!

[nhbubba]

SteveM's view of the universe has to be one of the most black and white I've ever heard of.

Yes, riding the shoulder is illegal. Yes, I believe you'd get yourself ticketed back to the stone age, as you would rightly deserve. No, no fucking way I'd do it, except in an emergency.

I frequent the stretch of I93 north of Andover south of the NH border where the breakdown lane is open for travel during certain hours. Or used to. It's still marked like a part-time travel lane, but they changed it a few years ago when they started that never-ending construction of the bridge over the Merrimack. The signs are pretty clear; no travel in this lane. Yet whenever traffic backs up to the 213 exit you see scores of ass-hats in every vehicle imaginable using it to skip ahead. Periodically-and not nearly often enough-you see a cop out there going through ticket books.

All that said, splitting should be legal. It's time has come. Stop being such a soreass and let splitters go on their merry way.

And some of us do have places to be.
And some of us have no damned choice but to step foot on that super-slab. In the case of that bridge on 93 I mentioned earlier.. that is pretty much the ONLY way from Andover across the river without going through Lawrence or some shit.

[SteveM]

I have no trouble with letting lane splitters get by, i just don't choose to do it myself.

IMO, cops are tough on breakdown lane use for a good reason.

As far as avoiding slab when it's backed up, sometimes there aren't better options, but i don't think being hot is justification to use the breakdown lane.

[Tekime]

Seen it a few times. Good for them. I don't do it, but the desire is sometimes strong.. Doesn't bother me though. I'm committed to not being annoyed by other people's asshattery.

A motorbike in the breakdown lane seems more sensible than a car though; if an emergency vehicle needs the lane a bike can (usually) get out of the way easily, not so much for a cage.

[Zolden]

In the more densely populated areas, you don't want to be riding there anyway. All the garbage, metal bits and the like such as nails and screws wind up there. Very easy to pick something up in your rear that will make your commute a lot longer than waiting in traffic until the next exit.

In the tri state region it's pretty normal to skirt around traffic to the right if you're taking an exit ahead though. Lanes and merges are so unclearly marked it's arguable that it's splitting in other cases.

[breakdirt916]

I wouldn't do it on 495...if traffic is getting that bad put there, then seriously start looking for a job closer to home or home closer to work or move out of MA.

Only momentarily to avoid getting hit

So when ya guys gonna move out of country? Lane split, lower costs, (depending on where you move) better weather

[isaac_]

I wouldn't do it on 495...if traffic is getting that bad put there, then seriously start looking for a job closer to home or home closer to work or move out of MA.

Only momentarily to avoid getting hit

Funny... I'm moving TO mass (Marlborough) soon . Currently working near 495/pike. Commuting from Central CT so I don't have an option.

If I'd significantly better than 95 or 93 South

[breakdirt916]

that's great...you actually picked up and moved closer to work. win

not like many that live in the burbs and commute Boston. eek

[Garandman]

Been commuting out of Boston for years, up Rt 1, 93, and out 90 (different offices). Used to take me 48 minutes to go 55 miles to Manchvegas.

God love the commuters into Boston and 128 belt and now even stretches of 495. One snowflake, one rain drop, or a crash and things get mega-ugly fast.

Lane splitting in traffic, or filtering to the front I consider reasonable solutions. Breakdown lane travel, no way.

[JohnnyV]

The breakdown lane is typically where all of the shit/debris from the highway winds up. Next time you pull onto the breakdown lane on a major highway just take a look around and I'd put money on you finding at least 3 tire-puncturing objects within arms reach. I have no desire to cruise any distance through that

[Tricky Mike]

Also, if you're on 2 wheels, traveling at rush hour and file onto the highway like a sheep, it's your own damn fault.

We ride motorcycles to find the other roads not to sit on a backed up highway.

If anyone has other roads between Boston and the lovely lowell area I would LOVE to hear about them. Live traffic, Waze, etc... Seems there are no more secrets. Back roads I used to use now have more traffic than the main roads.

[Teamdineen]

If anyone has other roads between Boston and the lovely lowell area I would LOVE to hear about them. Live traffic, Waze, etc... Seems there are no more secrets. Back roads I used to use now have more traffic than the main roads.

Ask the cat he has a birds eye view to the lay of the land assuming he's still alive.

[orion899]

In heavy backed up traffic I have no problem going up the shoulder, I realize it's a decision that could bite me in the ass . I've been in a car in traffic and envied the guy shooting up the side. Going to Petty tonight and wanted to bring bike ( from Albany ) just in case of extreme backups, I need to make that show! girlfriend nixed idea saying her back hurt.

[xxaarraa]

Treating lane splitting and riding on emergency lane, weaving through stopped traffic, etc. all together, I am in favor.

The goal of any road transport network should be to empty the drivers on the road as quickly as possible. i.e., throughput. People not being on the road is the entire point, i.e., get them in and out as quickly as possible. Higher throughput means lower fatality rates, lower greenhouse gases, lower frustration and general wellness (lower healthcare spend on system) all around.

No reason to hold riders and vehicles on the road network, if they can safely make their way through to their destination, regardless of perceptions and laws around lanes.

As long as they are not being asses and being considerate of how they do it, I am all in favor of motorcyclists taking advantage of being on two wheels. I usually make room for them and wave them by with a thumbs up.

[number9]

I lane-split in stopped traffic if it's a really hot day (because ATGATT) or if I'm in a real hurry. I don't have the balls to ride in the breakdown lane, though.

Also, on a highway where breakdown travel is never legal, the breakdown lanes often look full of trash and debris. I could handle hitting some of that shit in my dirty old Subaru, but I'd want to avoid it on a bike. I guess that's different if you're on somewhere that's permitted, like I-95S.

[feralchimp]

Lot of "it depends" factors for me. Overall, not against it if the rider is maintaining a low closing speed and watching out for (copious) hazards.

[isaac_]

that's great...you actually picked up and moved closer to work. win

not like many that live in the burbs and commute Boston. eek

funny - that's what I'll be doing come November... doh!

[nhbubba]

No reason to hold riders and vehicles on the road network, if they can safely make their way through to their destination, regardless of perceptions and laws around lanes.

Except when other users fill that "emergency lane" as well, thus blocking emergency responders, and further exacerbating the situation.

Splitting is one thing. But keep it between the solid lines. California has this right.