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What is the best position inside a left handed car pool lane


rolandj727

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rolandj727

I ride on Route 85 in Silicon Valley which is 3 lane highway with a car pool lane on the far left side. In CA motorcycles can ride in the car pool lane.

 

The question is what is the best location to be in inside the lane this single lane?

 

The right side of the car pool lane is closer to the cars in the #2 lane, which is bad, but cars can see you better in their side view mirrors. They are looking more straight back along the line of cars and can see you more easily.

 

The center is the center, but oil can be a problem in the position. I say that but I don't often see any oil on the road, so does it matter.

 

The far left of the lane has the most distance from the cars in land #2 and makes it easy to get off the road to the inside breakdown lane. The problem here is that it is harder for drives to see you in their rear view mirrors. There is a bigger dead spot on the left side of these cars.

 

Two other facts to process. I try not to have to great a delta speed between my speed in the car pool lane and the cars in the "normal" lanes. This is so if any yo-you pulls suddenly into my lane I have some reaction time. Second, if the traffic suddenly stops I either move to right side of the lane and then split between lanes. If I am on the left of the lane I get on left edge of the lane. This is so I don't get rear ended.

 

Every day I am wonder what the best lane position is.

 

What is the general consensus of the "borad" on lane position question?

 

Roland

 

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Danny caddyshack Noonan

In general I ride in the left tire track when there was room for a shoulder get off with margin. To me, this is at least 6 feet or so of good tarmac AND no wall at the 6 foot line. Most of 85 is good for that.

This position allows you a longer look into the #2 lane for sudden stoppages that might bring a Lop into your lane without looking first as well as the space margin for said Lop doing so.

When there is less room than that, I may use the right tire track and pay a bit more attention to hands on the wheel of cars I'm overtaking. The car pretty much cannot move without the hands moving first. Exceptions to that rule are usually audible....like crashes, etc.

 

Good practice for staying left with a greater speed differential. :thumbsup:

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I'm in the right wheel position in the #1 lane in heavy traffic. If things slow down to lane split speed, I'm ready to go.

If the freeway is flowing, I'm in the left wheel position of the #1 lane. This keeps distance from the threats on my right.

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Mister Tee

I normally ride on the right hand side of the #1 lane as well under most conditions. If the speed delta is great and the the #1 lane traffic is free flowing, I'll move to the left.

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Penforhire

Right wheel position for me as well. The left side feels closer to the center barrier is comfortable for me, mostly because of random debris not visible around even gentle turns. Most of the time there is a big gap to the right (#2) lane so I'm roughly centered in the available road if push comes to shove. I do pay great attention to slowed or stopped traffic in the regular lanes. Too many people won't wait for the entry/exit regions.

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Generally I ride in the #2 lane and only go to #1 for passing. I try and keep a good cushion of space around me and never tailgate the car in front of me or ride next to a car (or in their blind spot).

 

Whichever lane I'm in, I ride in the tire track that gives me the most visibility of the space in front of the car in front of me. I find some drives crowd one side or the other of their lane. I go to the opposite side they crowd.

 

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Husker Red

I ride in the right side of the HOV lane so the traffic in the #2 lane can see me coming. I feel like if I'm in the left side the cars in the #2 lane don't see me in their side mirror until the last second.

 

I routinely see traffic slowed cars in #2 watching in their side mirror for just enough space to get into the HOV lane. They are desparate to get into the HOV lane because it's still moving, so they take chances. When they finally see a little opening they slam into the HOV lane. I don't want to be in the left side of the space they thought was free.

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Mister Tee
I ride in the right side of the HOV lane so the traffic in the #2 lane can see me coming. I feel like if I'm in the left side the cars in the #2 lane don't see me in their side mirror until the last second.

 

I routinely see traffic slowed cars in #2 watching in their side mirror for just enough space to get into the HOV lane. They are desparate to get into the HOV lane because it's still moving, so they take chances. When they finally see a little opening they slam into the HOV lane. I don't want to be in the left side of the space they thought was free.

 

I do that if the speed differential is not great since I have time to react if someone does pull out in front of me, but if HOV traffic is going 70 and the #2 lane is stopped or at a crawl, I move over to the left to give me more of a reaction cushon. I don't trust that people will always see me.

 

(I don't go 70 if I'm solo in the HOV lane and the rest of the traffic is stopped, by the way.)

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I usually ride in the right wheel position as I was tought to protect my lane and not be in a position to let a car "share" it with me. If one does in fact try to move into my lane I can always scoot to the left.

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I'm the same way. More often than not I'm right-wheel when riding the carpool lane. If you're left wheel the vehicles in the #2 lane will not see you when they're planning to lane change into the carpool lane. Also, being right wheel always leaves you space to your left to move into should a vehicle begin to lane change into you.

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If there's a shoulder to the left of the HOV lane, I use the left tire track.

 

If left edge of the HOV lane is K-rail, I use the right tire track, switching briefly to the left tire track when passing a vehicle in the No. 1 lane, then switching back.

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I'm in the right wheel position in the #1 lane in heavy traffic. If things slow down to lane split speed, I'm ready to go.

If the freeway is flowing, I'm in the left wheel position of the #1 lane. This keeps distance from the threats on my right.

 

+1

 

Another reason to ride on the right side is that CA cage drivers are used to motorcycles being there and tend to pay more attention in my experience. I agree that it is prudent to move left when there is a big speed differential between the lanes and I cover the brake as well.

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Question begs the response, WHat did they say in the Safety course you took before riding the beemer? If not, when are you going to take the course?

Much good save your butt info in the course.

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The safety course discourages lane splitting. Most new riders are not ready fir what is an advanced riding technique. But this is a pointless criticism. If you are engaged in lane splitting in SoCal, the safety course is nit the place to get good, practical advice about the activity. A much better place is to pick the brains of experienced riders - perhaps on a motorcycle forum which specifically discusses advanced riding techniques.

 

Oh yeah, that's where we are!

 

JT

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In CA motorcycles can ride in the car pool lane.

 

OT... According to the US DOT/FHWA motorcycles can use any HOV (with caveat):

Motorcycles are permitted by federal law to use HOV lanes, even with only one passenger. The rationale behind allowing motorcycles to use HOV lanes is that it is safer to keep two-wheeled vehicles moving than to have them travel in start-and-stop traffic conditions. States can choose to override this provision of federal law, if they determine that safety is at risk.

Highway Administration FAQ

 

Straying further OT, I would think this same safety logic would apply to splitting.

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The question is what is the best location to be in inside the lane this single lane?

 

What is the general consensus of the "borad" on lane position question?

I think that the correct answer to your question is that there is no correct answer.

 

We as riders need to be continually evaluating our surrounding ever changing situation, taking into account things such as our visibility to others, our ability to best see and evaluate the unfolding situation, current and changing road conditions, what our current and next escape path is/will be, and other factors; then use all that information to decided where and how we are riding at the moment, and planning for how we will ride where we will be in the near and farther distance ahead future.

 

‘Always ride in the right lane...’, ‘always ride in the left track...’, etc, type mantras are counterproductive because they are an over simplistic view of a ever-unfolding situation, and are option limiting.

 

Bottom line – there is no single ‘best lane location’ rule for route 85 or wherever. Only the one that, after evaluation, and continuous re-evaluation of all the factors of your riding environment; is the one that maximizes your options, which in turn maximizes your safety. Subject to ongoing change at any moment.

 

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