Substitution of the neonym
lane sharing for
lane splitting brings with it an unintended change in meaning.
Lane splitting has always implied (at least in my 25 years of doing it) riding between lanes of traffic moving in the same direction.
Lane sharing OTOH, doesn't suggest that. It can also mean riding alongside a single lane of traffic or to the far left or far right of lanes moving in the same direction.
The change in meaning has a critical safety implication. Riding between lanes offers some measure of protection for a rider, especially when both lanes are occupied and cross-lane movements aren't likely. A driver in the right lane probably isn't going to attempt a left turn if there are cars in the lane to his left. But
lane sharing seems to include riding to the left of the leftmost lane or to the right of the rightmost lane, and a driver could easily make an unexpected turn without looking for traffic in a non-existent lane.
That's why I like
lane splitting. It may not be a big deal to experienced riders who know that riding to the outside of a traffic lane is dangerous. But n00bs may not be aware of that danger. They know it only as
lane sharing--riding in the same lane as another vehicle--and that is legal and usually safe. They may not make the distinction that could be the difference between life and death.
goldylocks303 wrote: I actually feel better lane splitting next to big rigs than cars, provided there is room, of course.
I researched lane-splitting crashes last year via news media accounts (admittedly not the most reliable source, but the only one available), and the two most common scenarios were a car changing lanes into a gap in traffic as the rider approached and splitting next to a large truck.
A truck of maximum legal width is 8.5 feet wide, compared to 6 feet for a typical car. In a standard 12-foot-lane, that leaves less than 2 feet per side if it’s centered. But if the lane narrows or if the truck drifts just a little, your space cushion can vanish. Consider too the truck’s length. When splitting between two cars, if one car drifts toward you and the lane splitting slot narrows uncomfortably, a quick burst of acceleration will take you past the problem. But a tractor-trailer might be 70 feet long, so before you enter the slot alongside a truck, be sure you have escape opportunities in the other lane.
