guy thought I was splitting lanes my perhaps at fault?
 

So I'm riding in fairly heavy traffic in Las Vegas. There's a lot of construction and My lane is coming to an end so I merge into the left lane. To be honest I can't remember if I signaled. Normally I always signal but I'm not sure if I did this time. Anyways I'm hanging out in the far right-hand of my Lane. I like this position because I can see over traffic and see what's happening in front of me. We come to a stop sign and we're only going slow because it's stop and go traffic. It's a temporary stop line at a pair of traffic lights that are out. So I stopped at the stop sign and then proceed when it's safe Because there's people coming from all directions at the intersection. Then I noticed the car behind me is trying to overtake me on the left in the middle of the intersection! He had blatantly ran the stop sign to accomplish this. This pisses me off so I speed up to get out of his way. Anyways down the road I come to a stop and I flipped him off as he drives by and he yells at me. So I took off to follow him to give him a piece of my mind stupid I know. Anyways doing arguing with him it came out that he thought I was lane splitting. Anyways after a big argument we both went our separate ways but my question is Am I in the wrong here and anyway should i not been hanging out in the right-hand off the Lane and giving him the false sense that I was splitting?

No, you're not in the wrong. If that asshole doesn't understand why motorcycle lane position is fluid, that should be his problem, not yours. And even if you were splitting, he does not have the right to take the law into his own hands and endanger your life for an alleged traffic violation.

This!

I don't think lane splitting is legal in LV. I know lots of Cali peeps often visit but probably don't know that.

Besides bikes split lanes, not cars.

ps like you said chasing the guy down is not worth your time.

I agree with the others that the other guy was wrong. But, IMO, there are several advantages to being left of center of a lane whether going slow in traffic, or out on a highway. Since owning a RGS, which has minimal rear lighting, I've gone back to the old way of using hand signals along with the directionals. As you mentioned, I wouldn't suggest following a jerk like him just to give him a piece of my mind.

Did you have your "get back whip" ready?

You are in the wrong - for losing your temper and chasing him down. It doesn't really solve anything and will do nothing but crank up your blood pressure. Not that I haven't lost it myself a time or two... Nor am I trying to point a finger. Really, I'm trying to remind myself! Although, as I get older, I've kinda gotten oner my ego and don't give a crap. So, I rarely let myself get worked up someone else's BS. I'd have flicked him off and let it go. Then, within a minute or two, calmed down and laughed at his need to stress himself out.

But, at the same time, he's an asshat and was completely in the wrong. Sounds like he broke several traffic laws and also let himself get worked up.


I tend to hang to the right in a lane when I'm by myself. But, I am rarely on the fringe. Usually I am closer to the center than the lane lines. But, as everyone has already stated, it is a fluid situation.

should have stabbed him!

Escalating the situation is never good, right or wrong. When it's two wheels vs. four, four has the advantage. Just curse him out under your breath.

If you did that around here you might get shot.

My take as well.

Just understand that everyone is trying to kill you, once you figure that out you will be a better rider. Expecting other motorists to follow the law, respect your space and care about you is a path to your demise. Getting pissed just puts you in more danger.

Yes, best to let that stuff go. Some blame falls on both. But to the initial infraction, he was wrong. That said, Vegas isn't far from California so my guess is he spends time driving there and is unaware of the motorcycle laws in NV. Frankly, he just doesn't sound too bright.

Keep doing what you're doing. Never line up with the center of a car - especially at a stop. Doing what you did gives you an escape route.

I tend to stay in the left side of the lane. When you're approaching an intersection your lights are right in the eyes of anyone who wants to turn left (in front of you). If you stay to the right side of the lane you are way more invisible to that driver.

To the OP, when there's a jerk on the road, it's tuff not to give them a piece of your mind. I force myself to ignore them and let them pass so they are in front of me where I can keep an eye on them.

Not worth it going against a cage, you cant win. When you are spread out all over the road, they will tell police they didn't see you.

If that DIDN'T happen to me on a daily basis...
I can sympathize, but confrontation is not advised. When I'm on the bike, I tend to take stupid attempts on my life more personally. For that reason, I don't usually bother to ride to work any more. It's only a 3-mile commute anyway, and if they want to play like that, I would rather they bounce off my truck, than run me over and wreck a perfectly good Harley.

Exactly!















In all reality the guy was an asshat about the situation,but remember you're still on a bike,and even a smart car wins against a bike. Ride like you're invisible to cages out there.

You weren't in the wrong. Guy was just jealous that you were riding and he was stuck in a box. That, and he was an ass.

Thanks for all the replies. I realize I was an Idiot to escalate the situation. I really must learn to let stuff go.

"my question is Am I in the wrong here"

I didn't read the whole thread, but IMO, yes - you were wrong. Why waste your time and risk a potential confrontation over something that we ALL deal with on an almost daily basis? You let some moron interrupt your good ride vibe. Christ, if I took the time to chase down every cager that pissed me off, I'd never get any riding done! Leave the attitude at home and you'll have a much better time out there.

How could you be lane splitting, if you're in the lane? If you're ON the line, I might see why he might think that. Either way, he made the first goofball move following you through the light like he did.

Since we were not there and only have your side of the story, we can only summize that you did nothing wrong until you chased and flipped him off.

That said, do you know which side of a cage drips water on the pavement at stops, yes, the right side is where most air conditioning condensation finds it's way onto the oily pavement.

I choose the Left side of the lane myself.

I'm on the thruway the other day. Car beside me starts to come into my lane. I lay on the horn. Car swerves back and then again comes into my lane. I'm on the horn and hit the brakes as this car ends up in my lane. The trucker that was behind the car gets along side the car and lays on his horn I guess in support of me as he saw the whole thing.


I pull up along side the car, a couple probably combined age closing in on 200 LOL. I didn't do anything because like WTH. Besides, what if the old guy stopped the car and kicked my ass :D

You'd be lucky if that was all that happened. With my luck, some moron would be there to record the whole thing and put it on youtube.

I don't give cagers the time of day for an argument- it's their problem, not mine.
I don't pursue an idiot in a car.. (weight difference in our vehicles)
I don't engage them..(getting shot is not in my itinerary)
I just do what I need to survive, enjoy my ride, and get ready for the next challenge.

Stopped off-set in a lane is not lane splitting. It's the safest place to be IMO when stopped in traffic.
I think every road construction traffic cone in the USA must be on LV roadways.

People split lanes everywhere anyway. Sure it's illegal, but so is half the stuff we all do daily!


OP: I won't bust your balls at following him and confronting him. I've done dumber things and lived to tell about it! I get worked up about people trying to kill me or mine as well.

Maybe so, but I see you're in Florida. More likely to get run over by a bluehair who just "didn't see you".

No matter where you are in the lane, there's always some idiot going to put their vehicle into the part of the lane you're not in.

Splitting lanes is illegal here in Vegas, but I see it done everyday - 95% of the time it's a sport bike doing it.

I've been in the left part of a right turn lane and had some idiot try to turn on my inside of the turn. She thought that since I didn't fill the whole lane - she could take it.

I usually stay on the left side of the lane, unless there's no escape route on that side and there is on the right. After my accident, I'm always on the lookout for a way out of wherever I'm at.

So much of this "am I right/was I wrong" stuff.
Here's the thing, it isn't going to matter a damn bit who was right and who was wrong when you chase down the moron who had a bad day/is fighting with the significant other/is off the medication/is on the booze and they knock you off your bike with the cage they're driving. And for all the, "he'll get caught/I'll shoot him/he can't do that" crowd...
talk to someone who's been the victim of road rage. Righteousness doesn't stop bones from breaking last I checked.

When I'm out riding, I want to be as far away from every other vehicle on the road as possible. The last thing I want to do is engage with someone. You never know who will be the next Darla Renee Jackson

I learned a long time ago, rolling in the far "right" side of the lane in traffic is an invitation for a car to share your lane, Cagers do not like bikes in that position, it confuses them. especially rolling thru an intersection, as obvious by this thread, cager probably thought the OP was turning right.

When changing lanes in front of a car, I'll make sure I take enough of the lane, maybe moving left, then right, to clearly establish position ahead of it, and encourage that driver to accept the situation. I don't want him thinking that there's a possiblity of sneaking by. Checking the mirrors often before, during, and after the process will give you a read on the attitude of the driver of that car, and a clue to possible danger from him.

I always ride in the left "tire track" of my lane. When you're way off to the right, you're asking for trouble.

What's sad is how cars don't realize that bikes lanesplitting save them time too by eliminating another vehicle in the cue.

Bang his wife.

You're right and you sure need to find a cure for that....:icon_slap:

In general I agree. But I have found myself in 2 situations where I end up in the right track -

1. Riding second behind another rider. First rider left track, second in the right. I don't like it, but that's the way it is.

2. Changing lanes in traffic from right lane to left to get a better position before a stop light. Found myself in that position just the other day. A truck pulled around the corner in my lane a couple hundred feet before a stop light. I didn't want to be behind him so I simply moved left and came to a stop in the right track of the left lane. I know I'm not doing the description justice, but it's a common move in high density areas.

I was going to say "except when riding staggered" but I (incorrectly) assumed that people reading my post would understand that. And yes, I know that there are going to be times when I'll be in the right half of my lane for some reason when riding solo but generally I ride in the left half of my lane. I'm not one of those guys who refuses to ride on the right side in a group ride.

Hahahahahaha!!!