Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
Every California driver who has been stopped in traffic gridlock has probably felt a little jealous to see motorcycles zipping through the traffic jam. California is unique in allowing cyclists to engage in this practice, which is called "lane sharing." Even though it is legal, lane sharing is often unsafe, and can result in some potentially fatal motorcycle accidents.
First of all, many people may be wondering why motorcyclists get this special treatment on the highway. Why are the rest of us stuck in rush hour traffic while they cruise in between and alongside cars? It is because cyclists face more danger in traffic, including slow-moving traffic. A motorcycle driver who is surrounded by idling cars faces greater risk of breathing in tailpipe emissions. This exposes him to dangerous fumes such as carbon monoxide.
If motorcycles are allowed to move through stopped traffic they face less danger from inhaling noxious fumes. However, motorcyclists face other dangers from lane sharing. Many cyclists move too quickly through traffic and ride through spaces which are too small to be safe. Cyclists are also harder to see when moving between cars. This means that riders who are lane sharing are more likely to get hit when other vehicles attempt to change lanes.
If cyclists are driving at unsafe speeds between cars they also run the risk of injury and property damage from hitting things such as protruding rearview mirrors. When collisions occur during lane sharing, the motorcycle driver is not only more likely to get hurt, he is also more likely to be held at fault for the accident.
Lane sharing may be legal, but motorcycle safety advocates still discourage it. It may save cyclists from exposure to exhaust fumes, but it exposes them to more immediate dangers which can be far more deadly.
