Here in England and in fact in 90% of the World we are allowed to ride between the lanes of cars who are obviously stuck in traffic...

Apparently, its legal in just ONE STATE out of 50 in USA, maybe this video could be shared with local authorities in your State...

Watch, and all will become clear...

To each their own. Just wait until the first non caring moron cuts across in front of you, or I have even seen these non-seeing, texting, etc morons open their door just in front of you.
I will never split lanes, I am 61 years old and want to enjoy riding for as long as I am able. Too many bikers think they are in complete control of their riding, only to have the above happen to them.

Again your choice, but with all the morons texting, phoning, reading, eating your time may come.
You wish to take a chance, be my guest, but do not bitch when you get cut off.
You may be in control, but that doesnt stop you from being hit.

Great post.
Something I take for granted,yet I now realize that this valuable tool is denied to riders in the majority of the country.It seems insane that motorcyclists are denied the ability to protect themselves from harm in traffic !!!
Another reason why I love my state !!! Lots of LEO's support it here,who have ridden the freeways,n realize how usefull a tool it is.
While it does seem somewhat overwhelming at first,with practice it becomes a natural part of your defensive riding abilities.Also a lot of the car drivers out here are aware of it,and often make room for folks splitting lanes.
If you have ever tried getting into San Francisco in a car on a Saturday night,you know how much better riding the bike is for splitting lanes in any heavy traffic in the city.

Actually it is "legal" in few states states only because the law in some states does not specifically address whether two vehicles can occupy the same lane in the vehicle code.

Personally I split lanes here in California quite often, especially when not doing so would require me to put my feet down on a highway or major road, and it is safe.  Pretty much if the traffic is moving more than 10 mph under the speed limit (which is quite often), I go through it.  Most drivers here are pretty accustom to it, and a lot of them are courtious enough to move over slightly when they see you coming.  Of course there are quite a few who never look in their mirrors, especially when they are stuck in traffic, and others who just don't care if you are coming, so I am always at max attention when doing so.  Right hand covering brake lever, right foot on brake, radio is off and I tell Laura not to talk to me (like that works :-).  Oh yeah... don't forget to put the highway pegs up!!!

You can see lots of other opinions on this in thes topics...

http://www.cyclefish.com/forum/Bikers039-Topics/Legal-Issues/lane-splitting-96128-1.html style="font-size: larger;">

http://www.cyclefish.com/forum/Biker-Chat/Bikers039-Topics/Lane-Splitting-Yea-or-Nea-21480-1.html style="font-size: larger;">

http://www.cyclefish.com/BikerNews/blog/2096/ style="font-size: larger;">

I think there are enen a few more out there... popular topic!

It's legal here in Ohio but I've done enough stupid sh*t in my life. Although, I WILL go onto left shoulder to escape a traffic jamb. However, I really do avoid the interstates as much as humanly possible anyway.

Peace

I got to roll with Doclubo on this one. I know here in Texas there are a lot of Pick-up Trucks with mirrows that stick wayyyyyyy out to see behind their horse trailers. Not saying I haven't done it but I try to keep it to a minumn.

Ride safe
Dragon

 Academic to me, almost never ride in traffic but this vid being discussed on another board, have not watched it myself. - View - Discus
 Oh never mind, Jetman already posted

First time I split lanes was in Florida where it is not legal. Wooly and I was there for biketober feast and we coming from an antique meet to visit family in St. Cloud. Well we got stuck in rush hour traffic. To make a long story short the fumes almost made me pass out, I weanted the hell out of there before I passed out. So I went
The first time I did it legally was in San Fransico, well about 30 miles north of San Fran. Traffic was stopped, bumper to bumper going no where. I went and it was nerve racking seemed like the trucks grew bigger as I started passing them. It was a white knuckle ride but when I got off I 5 and on to my exit. I looked to see that the traffic was still just sittting there. By the time i finished my work there it was no big deal. Funny when I thought I was going to pass out from the fumes it was instinct to lane split and get out of there. And after riding in San Fran for a couple of weeks it was natural.

In VA it's not legal, actually it was just this year they passed a law stating that two bikes could share a lane. It used to be we would get a ticket for wreckless if two of us were sitting side by side at a traffic light.

After being a paramedic for many, many years and riding for even longer I think the inconvenience of getting stuck in traffic is a much better option then getting killed trying to get through the traffic.

I can't see the video above but from the comments I have a pretty good idea of its content.

Stay safe, whatever option you choose.

Just a note,to my knowledge I do not know of any lane splitting accident that resulted in a fatality locally,tho I am sure there could be a few.Typically the accidents where the details are published,riders are cut off at freeway riding/ or solo accident descriptions or late at night deer encounters,often times the newspaper gives little to no detail.
One memorable time stuck in traffic on HWY 1,.. 7-8 milebackup,followed a Calif HP riding on his Harley on the shoulder all the way thru the mess,gotta love having a good escort LMAO, my sweetheart on the back was blown away.
Lane splitting is a perfectly sensible way to ride provided you follow those simple tips already given here,and another of mine which is share the lane w/fellow riders,if someone approaches moving at a higher rate of speed
make way for them,then resume your own lane splitting.Heavier bikes require more stopping distance.Which is why my lane splitting is never above 25.

Blurplebuzz, I am sorry to say that there are actually a LOT of deaths from accidents while lane splitting here in CA. The majority that I read about though are when people are splitting lanes at highway speeds. Just plain stupid to lane split when cars are going 65 mph and you are going 70+ between them... but I see it all the time.

We got them down here to.  Normally they are raised trucks so my handlebars will go right under the mirrors

Living in Southern California like we do means that lane splitting is a necessary evil some times.I will only lane split if the traffic is completely stopped and i ride less than 20 mph. One of the problems I have alot of times is not with the cars but with other bikes who want to ride at 50 plus thru the traffic. I just pull over and let them go by, I guess their bodies are a little more durable than mine. I will never be comfortable lane splitting but for those of you who say you never will have never been in LA traffic at 5pm so lets just say never say never until you come out west for a visit.

Although it's legal here in CA. I typically don't.

Only when something is amiss - with the bike or with the traffic (like wheels said). More often than not it's in the summertime where it is REALLY hot here on the freeways. Don't want to inch along at an idle in 100+ degrees. Scared for the air cooled.

I typically only do it when traffic is going less than 20mph on the freeway and I only go a little faster them they are going. Before I started doing it, one day Traffic was stopped and a CHP on his bike rode up and stopped next to me and told me to follow him , he moved over to the shoulder and we rode about 5 miles on the shoulder passed all the traffic (and the accident that was just clearing). That was a very cool experience.

What irks my craw are fkn truckers who, for some freakin' reason, can't stand to see a biker taking the right shoulder to get by the jam. Some of those s.o.b.'s actually pull their cab onto the shoulder so ya can't get by 'em. What's up with that anyway. Just because the rest of the world has to sit for an hour doesn't mean I have to. And a trucker doesn't have the right to stop me.

Peace

That's strange for truckers, I normally find the the truckers to be the most courteous drivers on the road, especially on the open roads. Most of them out here when the see me splitting lanes will slide over to give room between lanes. Might be because lane splitting is legal here and they are used to it.

Well I wasn't exactly talking about splitting lanes; more of going around a severe backup via the right shoulder.  Now I don't have a problem with all truckers because I know what a toll it takes to be a truck driver.  What bothers me are the dumbasses who have this freakin' monstor in their possession and abuse it.  One trucker killed my sister and her unborn.  He KILLED my sister; it wasn't an accident.  It was fkn' bravado and reckless behavior.  A trucker also killed my brother.   He KILLED my brother, riding his ass in heavy traffic and then pushing him into a concrete wall. But I don't hate all truckers.  Just as#hole truckers; like those that drive an empty rig in 45 mph+ winds on the highway, or those who drive so fast they overturn their rigs..

Enough of that.  I'm just getting upset.  My sister was 19 and I was 13 at the time, my brother was 34 and I was 39 at the time.  I have a number of friends who are truck drivers and even pick guitar with a couple of 'em.  But even they can't tell me why a dumba@@ truck driver would try to prevent me from moving my motorcycle out of a traffic jamb.   But they did tell me what to do when that happens.  Sshhhhhhhh, it's a secret.

Peace

  What I see is that owner operators seem to be the most courteous.  Not all, but the greater percentage of them. 

Here in the NY NJ PA area I find bus drivers and non owner operators the biggest a holes as far as them using the size of their vehicle to "bully" their way around.  Then again anyone that is texting on the phone, including some moron police out here are the real problems.

Richie

Like others I normally only split lanes when the traffic is stopped or almost stopped.

I always split lanes to get to the front of the line at a Red Light!

Always go to the front of the line at red lights!!!!

I do it when it's plenty wide enough andtraffic is relatively slow but it's not only those who don't see you who you need to watch out for but morons who deliberately move their cars or vans over to block your way!!! The mentality becomes "if I can't get ahead neither can you!"

Also = why is it that I always breathe in! Makes me feel smaller so I can get through lol (o:

Lane Splitting as stated in the video is legal all over, but it has been legal there for a long time, so no drivers are surprised by Motorcycles coming between cars, they expect it. Try that in Chicago today and your chances of dying will go up really quickly. In Europe cars actually move over to let you pass, to make it easier to split a lane, at least in Germany, Austria etc. Still once in a while you see some person thinking they own they road and will actually close up when they see you coming. Here in the US, I think is is suicide, you cant control what cars do and many cant drive cars properly to begin with. Many groups we bitch about their ability to drive to begin with, throw a bike between them and ... I have had many close calls just last year from cars next to me trying to run me over - cell.