Riding on shoulder of Interstate

[carolinarider]

There was a terrible accident this morning on I-26 just south of Columbia, SC. Westbound lane was shut down all day, traffic backed up for miles. I was on my RT riding west from Charleston when I got caught in the stopped traffic. There was a rest area about 1 1/2 miles from where I was stopped that I knew had a dirt road that ties into a frontage road to avoid the interstate for a couple exits. My question: when you're stuck in traffic on a motorcycle do you feel it's OK to use the shoulder to go past stopped traffic ? I was shutting off the bike when I could but the traffic would inch forward a few feet every 5 minutes or so..the bike got hot but didn't overheat. What are the opinions on this?

[Tony_K]

Driving the shoulder is illegal. Pay to play if caught.

[russell_bynum]

The shoulder is often filled with debris, gravel, broken down cars, etc. People are also prone to dive in there without looking when traffic gets snarled.

 

I would be unlikely to ride on the shoulder. I would, however, lane-split up to the rest area and then bail out.

[carolinarider]

Lane splitting..now that we can't do in SC!

[Paul Mihalka]

A few years ago I was riding to work (Bob's BMW) in winter on a nice overcast day with the roads clear. Suddenly unforseen unforcast a ice rain started. I went onto I70. It was almost unrideable. I went onto the shoulder in part to be slow (10/15 mph) in part because the debris gave some traction. I saw 3 cars spin out. After a few miles full traffic stop, a accident way ahead. I keep riding on the shoulder, not going to stop under icy rain. I come up to the accident, with a trooper standing right there. I was curious what he'll do. He steps away a bit and when I ride by quietly says "be careful". Good guy with common sense!

 

Other occasion: Riding home from the spring BRR (or was it El Paseo?) when we got the snow storm in Asheville, on I 95 north of Richmond. A full traffic stop. Somebody in a car hears that the accident is miles ahead. I wanted to get home! Far ahead I see a connection to the other side, "authorized vehicles only". I slowly ride up to it on the left shoulder, make a U turn and ride back to a exit. Rode home on rt.1/rt.301. There getting caught would not have been good.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I've done it and even on that road. I've been ticketed for it a couple of times as well. Won't stop me if I feel my safety is compromised. The longest one was about 30 miles of riding in the center divider on my GS Adv on the FL Tpke. Escaping north from Hurricane Wilma. Passed a couple of troopers and they just waved me onward.

 

I've also just pulled over to the shoulder and parked it. Get the gear off and enjoy a cool beverage from the cooler in the top box. Check out alternate routes on the GPS or just read a book on the iPad. Depends on how destination bound I am.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

I had two flats on a KZ1000P.

One was from the chain throwing its master link into the tire.

The other was the only time I rode down the shoulder to get thru traffic to a call. I won't do it again. But, we can split in CA.

[notacop]

In cold weather you may have a safety consideration argument. And you may get away with riding the side of the road.

Most states are just too lame to see the value of lane splitting. Without it we remain part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[frenchwv]

I don't like to do it, but I've done it. I know it pisses people off, but when you've got to get somewhere you've got to get somewhere. No tickets yet.

[russell_bynum]

Lane splitting..now that we can't do in SC!

 

Yes you can.

 

It isn't legal (neither is riding on the shoulder), but you can certainly do it.

[rad]

Lane splitting..now that we can't do in SC!

 

Yes you can.

 

It isn't legal (neither is riding on the shoulder), but you can certainly do it.

 

Lane sharing for any vehicle,including motorcycles, is not illegal according to the Calif Vehicle Code. Riding/driving on the shoulder by any vehicle, including motorcycles, is illegal.

 

 

[russell_bynum]

Lane splitting..now that we can't do in SC!

 

Yes you can.

 

It isn't legal (neither is riding on the shoulder), but you can certainly do it.

 

Lane sharing for any vehicle,including motorcycles, is not illegal according to the Calif Vehicle Code. Riding/driving on the shoulder by any vehicle, including motorcycles, is illegal.

 

 

That is correct.

[outpost22]

If riding on a shoulder, or lane splitting, or riding in a dirt drainage swale keeps me alive vs. being the center part of an automobile accordion, then I do it, legal or not. The price of a performance award is cheap compared to the cost of medical bills.

[Bronx Cheer]

I did it this Summer coming home from the MOA. Traffic on I-15 South in Utah was backed up for miles and it was 98 degrees. I rode for about 10 miles on the shoulder. I went very slowly as not to piss people off. If I was stopped my excuse was that my bike was over heating and I was afraid of a breakdown. Fortunately I was not stopped.

 

A week later it happened again on I 70 Westbound in Colorado. This time, I parked the bike as there was an accident up ahead and traffic was stopped dead. There were probably 6 Highway Patrol cars on scene and I thought this would be pushing my luck.

[russell_bynum]

If riding on a shoulder, or lane splitting, or riding in a dirt drainage swale keeps me alive vs. being the center part of an automobile accordion, then I do it, legal or not. The price of a performance award is cheap compared to the cost of medical bills.

 

Absolutely.

[upflying]

Lane splitting..now that we can't do in SC!

But exigent circumstances exist due to the road closure, overheating and collision investigation. Not suggesting you do something illegal but rest assured any fear of LEO enforcement of lane splitting is unnecessary since they are all busy at the collision scene.

If we have a repeat of a 9/11 type incident where mass evacuation is required, you can bet motorists will be trying to drive wherever they can..including the shoulder. Do what you need to do to protect and save #1.

[ratfink]

There was a terrible accident this morning on I-26 just south of Columbia, SC. Westbound lane was shut down all day, traffic backed up for miles. I was on my RT riding west from Charleston when I got caught in the stopped traffic. There was a rest area about 1 1/2 miles from where I was stopped that I knew had a dirt road that ties into a frontage road to avoid the interstate for a couple exits. My question: when you're stuck in traffic on a motorcycle do you feel it's OK to use the shoulder to go past stopped traffic ? I was shutting off the bike when I could but the traffic would inch forward a few feet every 5 minutes or so..the bike got hot but didn't overheat. What are the opinions on this?

 

I will use the shoulder sometimes. Road debris can be a problem.

No tickets or interference yet. It might be partially cuz of riding an RT-P with wig wag flashers and a modulating headlight.

 

It's been my experience that any police that were present were pretty much focused on other things.

[MotorinLA]

There was a terrible accident this morning on I-26 just south of Columbia, SC. Westbound lane was shut down all day, traffic backed up for miles. I was on my RT riding west from Charleston when I got caught in the stopped traffic. There was a rest area about 1 1/2 miles from where I was stopped that I knew had a dirt road that ties into a frontage road to avoid the interstate for a couple exits. My question: when you're stuck in traffic on a motorcycle do you feel it's OK to use the shoulder to go past stopped traffic ? I was shutting off the bike when I could but the traffic would inch forward a few feet every 5 minutes or so..the bike got hot but didn't overheat. What are the opinions on this?

 

I will use the shoulder sometimes. Road debris can be a problem.

No tickets or interference yet. It might be partially cuz of riding an RT-P with wig wag flashers and a modulating headlight.

 

It's been my experience that any police that were present were pretty much focused on other things.

 

Just don't ride through the flare pattern if you're passing a CHP collision scene, that usually will draw their attention to your presence...

[ratfink]

Just don't ride through the flare pattern if you're passing a CHP collision scene, that usually will draw their attention to your presence...

 

Yes, and I would also be careful to not impede the progress of any emergency vehicles enroute.

[scout6]

Done it a few times due to stopped traffic. Just getting to the next road to let the bike run and cool down. Traffic west of Chicago just shuts down some times. Once, it cost me a tire due to derbies in the road including a huge nail. My hope, if stopped, was to be able to point at the temp gauge. I did do this once approaching the Blue Water Bridge. Pulled up to the next official directing traffic and explained that I was close to overheating and asked what they wanted me to do, pull over and possibly block traffic, or use the express lane to get up near the front and cool down. They moved me along.

[bentnail]

I’ve done it once: On a Sunday afternoon coming east on I70 from the

Eisenhower Tunnel to Idaho Springs which is about 20 miles

the traffic will go from 0 to 10 mph.

 

It was hot and I could hardly ride the bike as slow as the traffic was

moving. The clutch was getting a good work out and I finally had had enough

and hit the shoulder. I was willing to pay the price if I got caught but I

didn’t. Usually it takes about 1 hour to 11/2 hours to do that stretch of

20 miles. Some day maybe Colorado will join the 21st century

 

[MotorinLA]

Done it a few times due to stopped traffic. Just getting to the next road to let the bike run and cool down. Traffic west of Chicago just shuts down some times. Once, it cost me a tire due to derbies in the road including a huge nail. My hope, if stopped, was to be able to point at the temp gauge. I did do this once approaching the Blue Water Bridge. Pulled up to the next official directing traffic and explained that I was close to overheating and asked what they wanted me to do, pull over and possibly block traffic, or use the express lane to get up near the front and cool down. They moved me along.

 

We are talking about passing on the shoulder, so clearly there is a shoulder. This being the case, the overheating argument is pretty weak. Just pull over and stop. Your only problem would be getting run over by some idiot passing illegally on the shoulder .

[SageRider]

Just pull over and stop. Your only problem would be getting run over by some idiot passing illegally on the shoulder

Which, unfortunately, happens all too often...

[Quinn]

I think the unspoken agreement is that, if you're going to ride on the shoulder, you need to be getting off at the next ramp.

 

---

 

 

[moshe_levy]

Some good thoughts in here so far. Last Friday I was commuting home, and went though a 10 mile backup on the NJ Turnpike. Once traffic slows or stops around here, the cell phones and PDAs come out like clockwork. People figure they're going slow anyway, so why not check e-mails and so forth? After the 4th guy behind me took his out, I got fed up, and took to the shoulder at 15 mph. I rode like that for about 7 miles until I got to the clear and joined the lane again. There is a great deal of debris in the shoulder, let me tell you!

 

Fines here in NJ for shoulder riding are enormous. I believe 4 points minimum and many hundreds of dollars, not to mention the insurance surcharges (already the highest in the nation by far). But the bottom line is, I'll takes my chances and pays my fines rather than have some moron drive up my rear because he's busy texting "where RU now" to his girlfriend for the 13th time that day.

 

-MKL

[Mike]

I've done it on occasion, but probably not for more than a half mile to a mile, at most. There's always a bunch of debris, and I've also encountered the occasional self-appointed deputy sheriff--usually an 18-wheeler--who will intentionally swerve to cut you off. You gotta love that.

[sundaeman]

I've split or rode the shoulder maybe once or twice a year, it was well over 90f and traffic is at a stop or crawling for a extended period of time. Toss in the heat being thrown off the cage & truck engines and I'd rather pay the fine than stroke out. I've also had a few experiences like Mikes.

[Id's_OK]

One of my favorite (true) road tales is getting stuck in a combination construction/accident mess on I-65 in the middle of a hot and humid Alabama summer. Started down the shoulder, made it less than a mile before I breezed past an Ala state trooper...I stopped. He came up with his clipboard:

 

Trooper: "this thing's air cooled, isn't it?"

Me: "why, yessir"

Trooper: "I figured that's what you were worried about"

Me: "why, yessir"

Trooper: "well, I have to look like I'm giving you a hard time and writing you a ticket, OK? So, how do you like your Beemer?"

 

 

 

[pmdave]

Whether or not riding/driving on the shoulder is legal depends on state law. And sometimes the laws are obscure.

 

In WA, it's not simply that driving on the shoulder is illegal. But if you are passing other vehicles by driving on the right, that is probably illegal. The WA laws say it is illegal to pass on the right if it involves going off the roadway. And roadway is defined as the traffic lanes not including the shoulder.

 

If your state laws are similar, and you're stuck in a jam, just be very observant of other vehicles that might contain LEOs.

 

So, is it illegal to ride in the dirt outside of the shoulder?

 

Out here in WA, it seems we have a whole new crop of pimple-faced state patrol officers who have been trained to enforce the letter of the law--but don't have the experience to know how to enforce the spirit of the law. The governor has been trying to balance the state budget. I would suggest cutting the state patrol budget. They aren't doing much that I think is necessary.

 

pmdave

[ratfink]

My experience with WSP has been largely positive. I agree that it is illegal to go off the pavement to pass on the right. I think it is also illegal to cross a solid white line to pass on the right. Rules are made to be broken, if you can convince the zit faced trooper you were trying hard to do the right thing, maybe their discretion will kick in. If they are specifically assigned to traffic enforcement their job is to write tickets and you might be screwed.

[pmdave]

In WA, it's illegal to pass on the right by going out of the "roadway", and "roadway doesn't include a paved shoulder unless there is a sign allowing "shoulder driving." Would it be legal to cross the paved shoulder and ride down the ditch?

 

I haven't been nabbed for anything for several years, but a friend was recently ticketed for exceeding the speed limit in a passing zone. Highway 101 on the Peninsula is the one and only way to get from A to B. Mostly it's a two-laner, but here and there we have short passing zones to get around the loaded trucks, gawking flatland touristers, and motor homes.

 

However, the law says it's OK to temporarily exceed the speed limit to pass, but only on a two lane highway. Where the passing zone occurs the highway is four lanes, so exceeding the limit is not legal. The conundrum is that if the creeper is doing 43 and speeds up to 49 in the passing zone, it's impossible to get by at only 55 within the zone.

 

Here's the rub for me: the passing zones are created to allow for passing, to avoid the potential for head-ons, sideswiping, etc. But to avoid a ticket, the ticket-avoiding tactic is to hang back in the passing zone, and zoom by the slower vehicle where the highway is only two lanes. Not as safe, of course.

 

By issuing speeding tickets in passing zones, the LEO turns the motorist into a criminal, and sets the tone of "us" against "them." It's not just a matter of enforcing the laws equally. We have trucks with illegal wheel covers, slow moving vehicles holding up more than six others, truckers using unmffled jake brakes, unsecured loads, drivers not signalling, etc. etc. So apparently, speeding is selectively enforced as the high priority offense.

 

pmdave

[russell_bynum]

 

By issuing speeding tickets in passing zones, the LEO turns the motorist into a criminal, and sets the tone of "us" against "them." It's not just a matter of enforcing the laws equally. We have trucks with illegal wheel covers, slow moving vehicles holding up more than six others, truckers using unmffled jake brakes, unsecured loads, drivers not signalling, etc. etc. So apparently, speeding is selectively enforced as the high priority offense.

 

pmdave

 

Remember...it's all about safety. It has nothing to do with revenue and the fact that its easy to issue and prosecute speeding tickets is merely a coincidence.

 

 

[MotorinLA]

 

By issuing speeding tickets in passing zones, the LEO turns the motorist into a criminal, and sets the tone of "us" against "them." It's not just a matter of enforcing the laws equally. We have trucks with illegal wheel covers, slow moving vehicles holding up more than six others, truckers using unmffled jake brakes, unsecured loads, drivers not signalling, etc. etc. So apparently, speeding is selectively enforced as the high priority offense.

 

pmdave

 

Remember...it's all about safety. It has nothing to do with revenue and the fact that its easy to issue and prosecute speeding tickets is merely a coincidence.

 

 

I'm sure the fact that speed is generally the overwhelming primary collision factor in most states has nothing to do with the selective enforcement...

 

Oh, and "By issuing speeding tickets in passing zones, the LEO turns the motorist into a criminal" is a pretty silly statement. I agree that this sounds like a pretty stupid place to issue tickets, assuming the speeds we're talking about are not excessive, but to claim that LEOs are turning motorists into criminals is just as stupid. If the speed limit is 55 mph, LEOs are not turning anyone into criminals, unless they're sitting in the seat next to them with a gun to their head telling them to exceed that limit. Otherwise the motorists are turning into "criminals" all by themselves. I understand your frustration, but at least take responsibility for your own actions.

[Paul Mihalka]

"I'm sure the fact that speed is generally the overwhelming primary collision factor in most states has nothing to do with the selective enforcement..."

 

Sure thing. If there is no speed there is no collision...

[Danny S]

 

Typical cop statement. Goes to show they're not really concerned about what's safe, only what's legal.

[russell_bynum]

"I'm sure the fact that speed is generally the overwhelming primary collision factor in most states has nothing to do with the selective enforcement..."

 

Sure thing. If there is no speed there is no collision...

 

[pmdave]

MotorinLA:

 

I'd like to be respectful of all officers, but it's a two-way street. When I am treated as a scumbag by a LEO, he or she not only loses my respect, but I think of all other officers from that perspective.

 

Do LEOs get any training in balancing the letter of the law against the spirit of the law? Are you trained to evaluate the situation and determine the safety, or are you trained to simply enforce any laws you see being violated?

 

And, are you seeing more young LEOs entering the force? Do you see a problem with younger officers taking a harder line on offenses, regardless of the situation? I think of older officers having a better attitude about the balance between legality and safety. Maybe just my experiences.

 

pmdave

[russell_bynum]

And, are you seeing more young LEOs entering the force? Do you see a problem with younger officers taking a harder line on offenses, regardless of the situation? I think of older officers having a better attitude about the balance between legality and safety. Maybe just my experiences.

 

That's a good point. Most of the time, when I've had encounters with LEOs and they've been d*cks, they've been pretty young. The older officers seem more likely to give a warning, or even just flash the lights and give you a finger wag if you're not doing anything too over the top.

 

That said, my last ticket (~3 years ago) was from a middle-aged CHP sitting at the bottom of a hill just past a reduced speed limit sign. He wasn't interested in seeing my insurance or anything...just wrote me a ticket and that's it.

[EffBee]

Typical cop statement. Goes to show they're not really concerned about what's safe, only what's legal.

 

Danny, 11 posts. You're pretty new here, so take a piece of advice. We've got a fair number of officers on this board. They have a job to do. They also ride and they understand the fun factor. Balancing that with their sworn duty is something that isn't particularly easy. Sure, most feel the last cop who gave us a ticket was an "Asshat." But if he failed to ticket someone else whose speed caused an accident that killed our child, we'd be screaming to end their careers. To an extent, they can't win in the court of public opinion. They can only make a positive contribution, unappreciated as it often is. It comes with the job and they accept it. We can only help by trying to understand what they're charged with doing and how it can conflict with what they'd sometimes like to let people slide by with.

 

I speed at times. I'm also dad to a couple of Deputies, and we don't always see eye-to-eye. But we respect each other and acknowledge that overall, motorists get away with far, far more than that for which they're ever cited. I imagine you're among those as well.

 

I suggest taking the personal vinegar out of your tone with the officers around here. Disagree? Fine. Argue strongly? Absolutely. Don't like how they do their job? That's your opinion and society supports your right to it. But society has also given them the authority to do what they do, human flaws and all. Dislike it all you want. But pissing in someone's Wheaties isn't what we're about. Keep the personal attacks to yourself.

 

Let's see if we can't turn this around and add some constructive exchanges to this discussion. Danny, it would be nice to see you lead the charge.

[Danny S]

 

I think riding on the shoulder is a bad idea. There's always a bunch of junk there to flatten your tires or crash you. Also, people don't expect you to be there and can pull over and take you out.

 

If you got caught in weather and think you have to ride there because of it, you should have paid more attention to the weather report.

 

That's just my opinion.

 

Oh, and right now I'm taking Hough's advice about how to control anger. I'm thinking of the Worlds Most Interesting Man in a chicken suit...

[MotorinLA]

Typical cop statement. Goes to show they're not really concerned about what's safe, only what's legal.

 

Typical not because we're not concerned with safety, typical because we hear excuses from motorists all day long, with very few people taking any responibility for their own actions.

 

I have investigated hundreds of traffic collisions, so I think I'm more qualified to speak as an expert on the matter, than many of the participants on this board. As such, I can tell you from personal observation that excessive speed contributed to, or caused, most of the fatality collisions I have been part of investigating. Excessive speed is also a common cause in many of the serious injury collisions I've investigated. Directing enforcement toward speed is therefore a typical way to force motorists to reduce their speed.

 

On rural highways there are few stop sign and red lights, as such speed becomes an even more prominent factor in collisions. The fact that LEOs may be enforcing the speed limit more strictly on certain stretches of roadway, may be linked to recent collisions attributed to speed violations on that road.

 

To make accusatory claims without knowing all the facts is unnecessary. Nobody likes to get a speeding ticket. LEOs understand this as much as anybody else, however, it is currently the way our society has chosen to change drivers' behavior on the road.

 

As stated at the beginning, I don't really have a problem with people choosing to speed. I do have a problem with people wanting to blame someone else when they get caught doing something illegal.

[Quinn]

Here's an unpopular view of speeding, as long as we've wandered off subject this far. There isn't enough enforcement. The result is that, when someone does get a ticket, they don't really relate it to their behavior but to bad luck. If you exceed the speed limit thousands of times with no problem and see others doing the same, getting a ticket once is like winning a bad lottery or getting hit by a meteor. On the other hand, if everytime you and everyone else runs ten miles over, you get zapped with a hundred dollar fine, you learn not to speed.

 

Having said all that, I think I know the reason that big cities don't enforce limits very often. You just can't move the required volume of people to work and back within those limits.

 

---

 

 

[Danny S]

 

Sorry I digress here....

 

Quinn, I agree with you 100 percent. They know they have to let people speed to move the volume. The limits are for revenue generation.

 

Shoot, they're automating everyone else job, they could automate their job too and in some cases they do. But they won't make any money doing it.

 

A city near where I live put the cameras up at intersections. At first people got tickets. Then when everyone figured out they need to quit running the lights, they quit. Now the city is going to take them down because they aren't getting enough tickets to justify the cost of managing the system. LOL, Who's worried about our safety?

 

I also think there's no way society can afford enough traffic cops to make them effective at increasing public safety. It's like finger nails on the chalkboard when I hear someone say they increase our safety.

[DiverRay]

Danny S,

Have the city just leave them up, but take out the working part! It will keep the drivers from running the red lights, and make the roads safer for all! If they move the lights to different intersections, and then just rotate the one they are using, it would probably cut down on a LOT of fender benders and pedestrian accidents!

 

[MotorinLA]

A city near where I live put the cameras up at intersections. At first people got tickets. Then when everyone figured out they need to quit running the lights, they quit. Now the city is going to take them down because they aren't getting enough tickets to justify the cost of managing the system. LOL, Who's worried about our safety?

 

I suggest you read your own statement. "Then when everyone figured out they need to quit running the lights, they quit."

 

Is it me, or did you just write that the cameras made people not run red lights anymore? How does that not increase safety? Would you rather they increased your taxes to keep the cameras operational when they no longer pay for their own operation?

 

I don't get you :confused:.

 

I also think there's no way society can afford enough traffic cops to make them effective at increasing public safety. It's like finger nails on the chalkboard when I hear someone say they increase our safety.

 

I agree that it is like sticking your finger in the hole in the levee to stop the flood, but it is certainly better than doing nothing at all. Unless you feel that anarchy is an improvement.

[outpost22]

If you got caught in weather and think you have to ride there because of it, you should have paid more attention to the weather report.

 

 

Do you live in the mountains? Weather conditions can change in 20 minutes and unexpectedly. Weather reports are like economist projections...

[gottago]

Did it once coming home from Utah. Sunday traffic stopped a couple of miles from Stateline, NV. Temps near 100. Stayed in lane until me and the bike started to overheat. Rode down the side until I reached the exit. Was more than willing to pay the fine if I got stopped.

 

Second time was just leaving Denver heading east. Major traffic accident up ahead. Again high temps. This time we were just a few feet past an "on" ramp. Both of us jumped the curb and rode back down the on ramp. TV news truck was headed up, stopped and waited until I got down to the end of the ramp. Don't know if I showed up on the evening news.

 

Last time was on a secondary road in Minnesota. Train was blocking the road and having trouble coupling. Watched some locals in a four wheel truck ride down the side, pop over the curb and cut down over the bank to a dirt path that ran parallel to the train tracks. We're on GSs so figured why not. Scooted around the train and was on our way. All three times was at low speed and respectful of the situation. Well except for Minnesota. That was just for fun.

[Pat Buzzard]

... with very few people taking any responibility for their own actions.

 

Every time I have ever gotten pulled over for any infraction I have always taken full responsibilty for my actions. I figure if the Officer felt I was violating sufficiently to spend his time stopping me, I at least owed it to them to be honest and not waste both of our time with excuses. That being said I have never gotten a ticket. <> I think that in many cases the rarity of a motorist actually owning up to their errors is such an oddity that it may have earned me some leniency. That being said I don't make a habit of being a fool on the road either...