Annoyed by Motorcycles on the Roads? Police Sting Set for Weekend
Causing excessive noise, speeding, splitting lanes dangerously, motorcyclists can sometimes be exasperating. Not only that, statewide statistics show that motorcycle fatalities are on the rise, increasing 51 percent in the past eight years. In L.A. County, deaths have increased 62 percent in the last four years, most drastically in the 21- to 24-year-old and 55 plus age groups.
Add to that this interesting fact, according to the LAPD: "Thirty-six percent of the motorcyclists killed in California are not properly licensed. Improper licensing is a greater problem among younger riders, where 63% of the 16- to-24-year-old operators killed were not properly licensed."
With all that said, this is why on Saturday the LAPD will be deploying extra officers to areas frequented by motorcyclists where crashes often occur. They'll be writing lots of tickest and not just to motorcyclists, but other drivers who do things that can endanger riders. Stay safe out there!
Filed in News and tagged lapd, motorcycle, statistics, ticket, traffic
Ride like you're invisible, because you are.
Don't aspire to be a Ghost.
Be careful out there.
Good advice.
And DO split lanes, because if you don't the typical auto driver will check his mirror, not see you and TAKE the lane you are in. Also your motorcycle should be loud so the motorist will hear you when they don't see you.
Do NOT split lanes (drive between two cars in adjacent lanes) when traffic is moving. This is incredibly dangerous. Also folks, if you not going to buy leathers, at least wear pants. Wearing shorts will result in a much more gruesome accident when it happens. And yes, it will happen.
Sorry db, but when I rode regularly I had more close calls trying to take up the same space as a car in a traffic lane, but splitting a lane some how they seemed to see me.
Good to see departments finally paying more attention to motorcyclists... It's become a huge problem in recent years and I think it has more to do a higher percentage of motorcyclists being new riders. Too often I see people splitting traffic that is moving at 60+ miles an hour and all I can do is shake my head and hope I don't see them buttering the pavement a few miles up.
I'm not usually a proponent of throwing money at a problem and pushing more education, but I think this is one issue it could make a big dent in.
The rule for splitting lanes is no passing 10 mph faster than traffic. In that sense, a lot of riders are eligible for tickets. Passing on the right (up the right lane) will probably be another highly ticketed offense.
I can't f-ing stand illegally loud pipes, but within the law I agree, they're safer.
Pants won't help you in a fall, knee and hip protection will. Riding pants are equipped with them but you can build your own for cheap.
PS I don't like the tone of the headline, as though "Motorcyclists are going to get what they deserve" this weekend. It's unhelpful for the majority of safe motorcyclists sharing the road with aggressive cars who don't know the law and treat us as nuicances.
If you're annoyed by motorcycles on the roads, as with cyclists, it's often because of your own ignorance.
That tone is a common thing in Zach's headlines. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed previously.
I'm annoyed that a lot of cyclists have illegally modded their bikes so that they are deafeningly loud and routinely disturb others. They know who they are. Has nothing to do with ignorance and everything to do with annoyance.
I also hate leaf-blowers.
I don't see that same tone when LAist warns us about an upcoming sobriety checkpoint. For drunk drivers it's more like "Be on the lookout good buddy."
Like I said, I hate the loud bikes too. Hopefully they'll fine heavily for that as well this weekend?
I found the tone oddly antagonistic as well.
I hate super loud bikes but hate even more insane lane splitters and just overall stupid behavior. I drive the 405 down into the OC and if I kill any crazy lane splitter. I almost killed a guy lane splitting between my lane and a lane full of trucks at 65 mph in the early morning. If I hit him and didn't kill him - propably would have tempted to finish the job myself for ruining my day and causing my insurance to rise.
Every time they are stupid, they cause us to wait for their dead ass. let's Just get animal control to scoop their carcass and get traffic moving.
Did you just say you would murder an injured person because they inconvenienced your day? Woah psychopath.
Other than the excessive noise aspect, I don't think I've ever found motorcyclists "exasperating" as a motorist. I find car drivers *far* more infuriating. If you have a problem sharing the road with motorcyclists, you'll have a problem sharing it with bicyclists as well. The challenge is to work *with* alternate forms of transportation, rather than seeing them as nuisances.
That said, I'm all for making sure motorcyclists are licensed. I'd even take the added step of more challenging skills tests or requiring the CHP motorcycle course for all new riders. I took it last year and it was great.
http://www.ca-msp.org/
I'm the guy who moves my truck over into the gutter while stuck in traffic on the freeway so motorcyclists can pass by more safely. They have my respect.
But I'm also the guy who mumbles "douchebag" whenever I hear a loud motorcycle drive by after 9PM at night.
As a cyclist of the pedaling sort I typically find a more common bond with the motorcyclist on the road as we deal with a lot of similar problems. However when I lane split on boulevards the stakes are not as high as they are at highway speeds. The few occasions I am driving on the highway I always keep an eye out in my mirrors and give extra passing room.
One request though, if you are on a motor driven cycle, technically you don't belong in a bike lane, and while a little fibbing of that here and there in and of it self doesn't bother me that much for a short stretch, please do not assume the bike lane is clear without looking and signaling intention first, be considerate of others. Bicyclists do not expect a vehicle to enter a bike lane from the left in congested traffic and I once nearly slammed into a motorcyclist that decided he would sneak up the block a little in tight traffic by moving to the front of the line using the bike lane with no warning. Don't be a jerk.
I hear a lot of "I hate" this and "annoying" that... but I think it is likely rare that any motorist- on two wheels or four sets out to make everyone else's life uncomfortable when he or she hits the road.
Some riders have loud pipes because they think loud is cool (ugh), and other have them because it serves as an additional warning to other motorists. I myself would be of the latter. From a motorcyclists perspective: too many cell phones in hand, texting, nails being polished, eyeliner applications, meals at the wheel, shavers in the morning, ignored limit lines at stops, rushed left turns, and those who think they can change lanes or pull out because they don't see a 12-foot long 2 ton chuck of metal in their peripheral vision (mirrors aren't enough... look over your shoulder as well please!).
I would LOVE to have quiet pipes, but in practice I must say that the number of scary incidences increases tenfold when they are. In addition are the drivers that change lanes or close in on us while we are splitting traffic in an effort to police the roads because they think they know the laws and that what we are doing is wrong or illegal (and dog-gone they're gonna stop us!). But by endangering our lives or safety? Come on guys, let the motor cops do their jobs (if we are wrong). I have on countless occasions either split lines behind or in front of a motorcop. I have a friend who got a door opened on him DELIBERATELY on the freeway in a 5 mph crawl and he went down with a passenger on the back who suffered a broken pelvis and him a shattered ankle. The driver's remark was "you're not allowed to split lanes, so that's what you get when you pass my truck" That kind of activity is not only mean, but life-threating as well.
As for Zach Behrens' headline, it is both biased and extremely leading. I wonder how many motorists will be cited for distracted or lousy driving during the operation? If drivers just drove and focused, a lot of bikes wouldn't need loud pipes or to split traffic. In addition, there is so much traffic in LA, that if bikes sat in traffic with cars, most would overheat (air-cooled). Bikers may enjoy a privileged ride, but safety is the #1 compromise... so next time you mutter your disdain for loud pipes, think about why they are there in the first place. Maybe just ease to the side and let us by when traffic is at a crawl? It's a start...
To the riders who split lanes at high-speed, and especially through fast moving traffic: you are a hazard as well. In addition, also a nuisance. Ride with respect if you wish to be respected. If you seek a thrill, take it on the track. When a card does give us room to pass, give a polite wave when it's safe... show your appreciation.
I can't even count how many times I've seen a lane splittler almost get clobbered by an SUV trying to change lanes not being able to see a motor cycle. Today while trying to change lanes in traffic (which is tough on its own) a motor cyclist made it extra frustrating cause as I was about to get in i see him coming right up in between my lane and the lane i was trying to acces causing me to swerve back into my lane which could've potentially caused an accident. I had my blinkers on for awhile before finally getting a chance that this motor cyclist ruined.
I think the bottom line is that some people are not smart enough to be out on the road with 4 wheels under them, much less two. Even then, many riders that do have the intelligence to ride do not have the experience to be on the road....A rider should have to earn the privilege to be on the road on a motorcycle...EVERYONE can not ride a motorcycle, FACT....I would say at least 48 hrs riding time at a minimum prior to licensing...The police force has many experienced riders that could spend their days teaching rather than writing the accident reports...A massive motorcycle safety center should be built to teach people, where not only will you be learning to ride but it could be fun and of no cost...It is for the safety of everyone