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Crash merging into carpool lane

domingo3

domingo3

Newb
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Location
Albany
Moto(s)
2016 Zero SR
Name
:emaN
Location: Just north of the Bay Bridge right after 580 merges with 80.

Situation: I'm in #2 lane, which is moving ~ 10 mph fairly dense, #1 lane is maybe 20 mph. Wanting to merge over, cars are easy to keep track of. I'm concerned about some of these moto that fly off the bay bridge and split at like 50 mph. I turn my head to do a shoulder check and decide I'm clear to move over. As I'm turning back to the front, I'm right on top of the car in the #2 lane in front of me. I make slight contact and drop the bike. Car drivers tail light is cracked. My shift lever broke. Thankfully nobody ran me over after I fell. I apologize and the guy is very friendly. We exchange info and move along.

Analysis:

1. I was in a rush. My wife had her first class that day and I need to be home to watch the kids before she can leave. Lesson: Leave earlier and remember that 30 seconds isn't usually going to make or break you.

2. I had shitty mirrors. Lost the previous mirror, so I ordered some junk on Ebay. They were smaller and poorer quality than what I expected, but I was too cheap and too lazy to get around to replacing them. They've been replaced now. With decent mirrors, I can look a long way back while keeping an eye out forward. Lesson: I was damn lucky that there was little cost and no injury in this incident. $$ on safety is well spent. Don't cheap out.

3. High delta lane splitters. Maybe controversial to say this. First let me say that I accept full responsibility for the accident. If it weren't for #1 and #2, it wouldn't have happened, and those were fully in my control. But...if it weren't for the threat of getting ass-packed by some insane splitter, it wouldn't have happened either. I like to keep a good space cushion between me and the car in front of me, but when traffic slows down, it's impossible. You give space, and someone fills it. Trying to look back far enough to see someone half a mile back while following too close for comfort is hard. Better mirrors alleviate a lot of that problem, so, as I said, it was my fault.
 
Well, I understand why you need to be careful about high speed splitters. I worry about riders with poor judgment and worse handling that think splitting at high speeds is predictable.

I would try to merge into lane 1 like a car, i.e. merge over when there is a gap between vehicles. If you have to slow lane 2, so be it.

What I think is challenging is trying to squeeze into the "split lane", the gap between lane 1 and 2. Then you need to watch for now 3 lanes of vehicles, lane 1, 2, and the motorcycle splitters.

If you merge like a car, carefully with the large gaps, it is safer when there is a lot of slow traffic.
 
Looking behind you is not any splitter's fault, you are essentially doing a lane change so IMO a head check is necessary. There's a bit of an art being able to look back and forth quickly... situational awareness requires practiced attention. In this scenario you were going too fast for conditions, faster than you were able to react to traffic slowing in front of you basically. The fix here would have to just gone a bit slower.
 
Speed and distance were your issue....I do a daily 25min commute to Berkeley on hwy 80...something I do in this situation is position myself as close as I can to the edge of the #1 lane before I look back....that way if the car in front decides to do a stoppie, I won't plow into him because I'll be riding dam near on the line......also you must practice looking back...I noticed that if i maintained my chin perfectly horizontal when i look back it's very awkward and uncomfortable ...I do a diagonal motion down..this is what works for me..now I do this very quickly and yes I agree you must be very cautions of other riders....now I am one of those riders who lane splits at 50+ and no I don't ride with mirrors I guess it forces me to be more alert..I found myself looking in the mirrors to often instead of what was Infront of me...be alert remember fuck what your late to focus on your riding because if you don't there's a possibility you won't ever reach your destination
 
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Sounds like you crashed into the car from doing a head check?

: you may be following too closely,
: riding directly behind the car in front
: no escape route planned,

even with the best mirrors, you should always do a head check.
 
Plus you need to see what the traffic is doing 5-10 cars forward before looking away, it's like looking through a turn, anticipating what you might encounter, and get some mirrors that you are comfortable with.
 
I have good mirrors and ALWAYS do a head check.

The most challenging section for my merging is coming on to 101 SB from Cesar Chavez and trying to get over towards the #1 lane with cars merging right to get to 280 SB. I will ride a long time without merging if I can't find a long opening in front of me so I can turn my head. In very heavy traffic, I've even had to bail and just go with the flow onto 280. But if I can't safely do a quick head check, I'm not changing lanes. Mirrors, can't always show you the car two lanes away from you headed toward the gap you want to merge into, but a quick glance can take that in.

And to Youngthrill: if you mean you're splitting at a 50 mph delta, then good luck to getting to "Oldthrill"!
 
You either need to increase the speed of your head check or increase the safety cushion in front of you, or both.

During rush hour most people, generally, are following too closely and one set of brake lights can set off a chain reaction that goes 10 cars back.

Seriously, next time you are in rush hour traffic in a car, check out the following distances. Almost everyone is depending on the premise that no one will slam on the brakes. As a motorcyclist, you can't be part of that equation, because you'll be dead if something happens.

I understand your frustration with high-delta splitters but they are just one more kind of asshole on the road that you need to look out for.
 
kongjie said:
You either need to increase the speed of your head check or increase the safety cushion in front of you, or both.

During rush hour most people, generally, are following too closely and one set of brake lights can set off a chain reaction that goes 10 cars back.

Seriously, next time you are in rush hour traffic in a car, check out the following distances. Almost everyone is depending on the premise that no one will slam on the brakes. As a motorcyclist, you can't be part of that equation, because you'll be dead if something happens.

I understand your frustration with high-delta splitters but they are just one more kind of asshole on the road that you need to look out for.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
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