For the California crowd - filtering on Freeway ramp

[OCMagnum]

Hi California Guys & Gals,

Would like your opinion on something I am not currently doing, but have been considering. If you are on a one lane Freeway on-ramp with the lights on, do you filter to the front?

My team recently got relocated to one of our other office buildings, doubling my commute and making the Freeway a viable option as it cuts about 10 minutes of my commute. The thing is that the closest on-ramp on the way home is one of those 360 degree tight turn ramps with a fair amount of banking. It is one lane and of course the light is on at around 5pm. So far I have not filtered to the front as I don't believe lane splitting rules would apply here as it technically is only one lane and I think it might be viewed as a douchy move. On the other hand, I am not entirely happy sitting on the ramp, especially since it is descending too and there is very limited visibility until you are right on the first stopped car, it might be easy for somebody to "oversee" the motorcycle just behind that last car.

What do you do?

Cheers and ride safe!

[Alex]

I think it depends on how wide things are, and how soon you can get past all cars and be on your way. It's never OK to run on the shoulder (on either side) to pass stopped traffic; CHP gets quite sensitive about that. But that doesn't mean you can never filter in places that are only one lane, as long as it's wide enough to support it safely.

If it were a toll plaza, filtering all the way up to beat the line than cutting in front of another car to get in is almost universally hated. So if you are slowing any cars down by filtering than cutting in front to wait for the light, it's inevitably going to piss some drivers off. Is it one of those lights that only lets one vehicle go at a time?

[OCMagnum]

Thanks Alex.

Yes it is one of these "one car on green" lights and that is why I personaly do not think it is a good move. As you said, I would in essence cut in front of somebody. I think the safe move is to not filter but stay offset from the car in front to allow quick escape on the shoulder if a car is coming too fast.

Nevertheless interested to hear how others are handling.

[tcbmellowd]

I wouldn't chance it unless I was in an emergency rush. The main on-ramp that I take is a two lane "one car per green" ramp. I always wait my turn or take the streets depending on traffic. Unless there is a huge line, any time wasted will be made up lane splitting once on the freeway.

Besides, filtering in a tight and sloped turn can easily result in an accident or tip over if you have to stop suddenly or react to other cars/debris/etc. I'd play it safe and smart.

*On a side note, does anyone filter to the front at stop signs? I all ways filter to the front at intersections with lights, but I can't recall doing the same at a typical stop sign with no light.

[OCMagnum]

Originally Posted by tcbmellowd

I wouldn't chance it unless I was in an emergency rush. The main on-ramp that I take is a two lane "one car per green" ramp. I always wait my turn or take the streets depending on traffic. Unless there is a huge line, any time wasted will be made up lane splitting once on the freeway.

Besides, filtering in a tight and sloped turn can easily result in an accident or tip over if you have to stop suddenly or react to other cars/debris/etc. I'd play it safe and smart.

*On a side note, does anyone filter to the front at stop signs? I all ways filter to the front at intersections with lights, but I can't recall doing the same at a typical stop sign with no light.

Agree with you on all points; thanks for your reply Daniel. And to your question, I do not filter at a stop sign.

[alex.s]

i always split (i've even followed CHP bikes) through on-ramps. if theres a carpool for the onramp, i'll take that or split it and the next lane. i also don't wait for the traffic meter... my logic is since i don't take up extra space (since i'm splitting) i don't have to be metered to get on. plus going between metered let-ins means i get to join the split in a gap which is always handy.

i also always split coming up to checkpoints and the border checkpoints. they are illegal according to most laws, so i also have 0 patience with them and their illegal causeless stops.

[80MPHdownhill]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i always split (i've even followed CHP bikes) through on-ramps. if theres a carpool for the onramp, i'll take that or split it and the next lane. i also don't wait for the traffic meter... my logic is since i don't take up extra space (since i'm splitting) i don't have to be metered to get on. plus going between metered let-ins means i get to join the split in a gap which is always handy.

i also always split coming up to checkpoints and the border checkpoints. they are illegal according to most laws, so i also have 0 patience with them and their illegal causeless stops.

Yep, that's what I do too.

One lane or two, doesn't matter to me. If there's room to filter (and stay in the lane, I don't ever go over the line onto the shoulder even by an inch, that's a slippery slope I don't want to go down), I'm going to filter up on a metered onramp.

I don't run the light, though. I wait next to the car that's waiting, and go with it when the light turns. My logic is the light really is "one lane per light" and since the car and I are sharing the lane, we can both go. I have no idea of that would hold up, though.

It seems to less offensive to the other motorists, though, since I'm not actually cutting anyone off or making anyone wait even one second longer than they would have if I wasn't there.

As far as filtering at stop signs, I don't think I've ever done that. But mostly because it's rare in my area to have a line of cars at a stop sign.

[OCMagnum]

Thanks for the perspective guys!

[broilmebk]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i always split (i've even followed CHP bikes) through on-ramps. if theres a carpool for the onramp, i'll take that or split it and the next lane. i also don't wait for the traffic meter... my logic is since i don't take up extra space (since i'm splitting) i don't have to be metered to get on. plus going between metered let-ins means i get to join the split in a gap which is always handy.

i also always split coming up to checkpoints and the border checkpoints. they are illegal according to most laws, so i also have 0 patience with them and their illegal causeless stops.

I'm pretty much on par with this. I've also filtered up to stop signs. All splitting/filtering is done on a case-by-case basis depending on how much space is available.
There was one time I waited for the onramp traffic meter. Nobody else was there, and it never changed for me. Since then I've never bother waiting for the light.

[Daks]

Metering lights are constantly on and off and people do stupid **** on them.

Not worth the risk.

[CycleCam303]

Daks I love your sig. Thanks for the laugh. I'm with Alex and prefer the more passive approach in those kinds of one lane situations.

[anacron]

Originally Posted by tcbmellowd

*On a side note, does anyone filter to the front at stop signs? I all ways filter to the front at intersections with lights, but I can't recall doing the same at a typical stop sign with no light.

I do for some very specific stop signs in my area where the traffic backs up for 1/2 a mile (mostly during rush hour).