I am moving to L.A. Soon. Would it be a good idea to have a motorcycle instead of a car?

Question

Is it true you are allowed to drive inbetween lanes on a motorcycle in california?

Answer 1

Better to invest into a shotgun.

Answer 2

If you already know how to ride, then having a bike in L.A. is a great idea.
The freeways are congested from 6:00am - 7:00 pm ( and yes lane splitting is allowed).
The surface streets are crowded as well and parking is often a pain in theass.
L.A. is also spread out and the public transportation is still not up to par.
All the above and gas at $3.50 a gallon make a bike in L.A. a very good idea.
All that said, the freeways and busy boulevards are not the place to learn.
I've lived in the San Fernando Valley area since I was a little kid and have ridden for 40 years and still believe it's a dangerous place to ride.

Answer 3

> I am moving to L.A. Soon. Would it be a good idea to have a motorcycle instead of a car?
You'll need a car. How else are you going to shlep around groceries and other stuff that's bulky and heavy?

> Is it true you are allowed to drive inbetween lanes on a motorcycle in california?
True. Watch your elbows.

Edit:
I live in Los Angeles, and use my motorcycle for my everyday commute. I use my car when I have to go shopping. I do not split lanes myself (I saw a guy on a dual sport bang his elbow on a car's protruding side mirror -- ouchie).

Answer 4

Karen is only half right. In CA you are allowed to drive in between lanes. It is really dumb though. LA has some of the worst traffic in the country and I think I read last week they are top 3 in road rage. If you don't have a car, get one. You will be glad when you have to carry something bigger than a back pack. However, motorcycles are really fun and the weather is always nice there.

Answer 5

If I were you get a bike. I live in LA and I must tell you, the 405 freeway is terrible. The 10 freeway is just as bad. Spliting lanes saves time on your commute and I ride everyday to work. In LA you can split lanes but you can only split them 10 mph over the flow of traffic.
Not to mention the increase in gas prices. When I fill up my car which is a 4 cyclinder I spend $50. When I fill up my bike it takes $10. You do the math. If you get a sport bike look me up.
www.myspace.com/wantedridaz

Answer 6

Its up to you, based on where you're traveling to, how much money you want to spend

Lane splitting is legal in California , and can be done only up to 10 mph above traffic's current speed. Always keep to the inside lanes on the freeway when you plan to lane split. IT IS dangerous, but if you're an attentive rider, you'll learn to spot those situations quickly.

I have both a bike and car. I ride the bike when its a good weather day and I have the car if I need on bad weather days and if i need to hit the store on the way home. 50/50 is how much i use both my bike and car.

Answer 7

My first motor vehicle was a motorcycle. I used it to commute to college on the East Coast. During the winter I took about 20 minutes to dress in windproof and layers of clothing. On rain days I would have to add a layer of waterproofing that never seemed to work perfectly. After about a 30 minute commute I would take about 3 hours to warm up and this certainly had an effect on my studies. I considered myself fairly tough but nevertheless this might not have been the right approach for what I needed at the time. Your environment and your traveling requirements might be different so it is hard to judge what you should do. If you are driving to get somewhere and the environment is not rain/snow/cold free then you might adjust your priorities to include all that you have to accomplish. If your destination is less important than the travel then perhaps you might enjoy your first love.

Answer 8

Okay, I’ll try to be factual and without subjecting you to emotional and judgmental viewpoints. On the California government web site you can get the Driver’s license manual for automobiles. On page 44 and 45, it specifically states that lane splitting / lane sharing with a motorcycle is not ILLEGAL. It states it is legal but “unsafe.” California paid the University of California to perform a study into lane splitting and safety. The finding was that lane splitting is safer than remaining in line in heavy stop and go traffic – be that marginal or whatever. The United States Department of Transportation has also taken the stand that lane splitting is safer than remaining in traffic jams.

Now, with that info in mind, understand there are two additional factors involved. One is the viewpoint of local enforcement. San Diego city police (as well as other jurisdictions) refuse to honor CA Vehicle Code source of the California Department of Motor Vehicles and will cite for lane splitting. Second is the issue of safety. As a neophyte in traveling the roads in Los Angeles, it would be best to approach lane splitting extremely cautiously. With experience comes knowledge and wisdom.

Lane splitting at 5 or so miles per hours greater than the traffic flow – while combating stop-and-go traffic – is quite safer than sitting there waiting to be rear ended. Lane splitting at 80 miles per hour is another thing. Lane splitting on surface streets verses lane splitting on interstates is another issue that best comes with experience and exposure.

Equally important is equipment, and that is not just the motorcycle. You should read California Vehicle Code 25251.2 and 25251.5c for lighting options on motorcycles for more visual presence and awareness.

Having driven and ridden in all states but 8, I have over 20,000 recent miles in southern California traffic experience by motorcycle. I have well over quarter million miles on motorcycles and find that every one’s viewpoint is more important to them than fact when it comes to giving advice. You make the decision yourself and be wise enough to consider safety and experience as good instructors.

Parting comment, since this is a Deal's Gap forum, I started riding the Gap in 1981 and have made many trips through it. I've ridden Angeles Crest, Big Bear, Sunrise Hwy, Palomar, Rim of the World (all in CA), Blue Ridge, Great Smokies, nearly all of New England and much more -- Deal's Gap is the one for me

Answer 9

I think a car would be the best choice, I don't know about the inbetween lanes thing, but get a nice car, people will love you.

Answer 10

Driving between lanes is not only illegal, it is EXTREMELY dangerous. Especially in LA freeway traffic!
Go with a car, I sure would not want to go down on a bike on the freeway, you'd be run over 18 times before you figured out what hit you first!