Gettin my Swrrrve on in the 'bike lane'

[buickyouth]

It's been a constant question in my mind about if its unethical for a motorcyclist to use a bike lane in the city. I mean they call it a 'bike lane' I call what I ride a bike most of the time. If they wanted us to stay off it, they'd at least call it a bicycle lane or put up a fence right?

A couple weeks ago I was on my way to work. Traffic was backed up and I was within a half block of the building. Everyone is stopped. I see no other 'bikers' in the bike lane and I decide to make a run for it.

I pop my collar and my throttle and lurch past one, two, three, door? Apparently neither of us knew the other was on their way. He, exiting his car, me barreling off to work.

This is great because my front fork seals have been leaking like a sunnovayaknow and I think are the reason why my front brakes don't have the conviction that they used to. So I make like a ballerina on my pedal and lock up the rear wheel.

When I was working on my 750 last summer with Erik, a friend of mine from Detroit who used to street race, he would tell me how he would lock the rear wheel while in a turn to get the bike to corner tighter. I told him he was insane and I'd never do a stupid thing like that.

I'm sure the ground below me was resembling someone's underwear after doing a decathelon with diarrhea. I'm sure from the look on that guy's face, seeing all eight hundred pounds of us squealing right at him, his shorts were probably on their way to getting just as soiled.

I never believed Erik about being able to lock the rear wheel in any sort of a turn and be able to control it. I'm not saying that I was in control. Still, my rear end just kind of mooned him like that rebellious kid would in the back of the church youth group van. The back end slalomed out the other way like it was laying down an invisible chalk line saying 'this could have been you.' Or me for that matter.

I didn't realize exactly what happened until I parked my bike outside my work, about 150' past where I was gettin my swerve on in the bike lane.
The guy gettting out of his car was still standing there frozen to the spot. I waved, locked the fork and went inside.

I think I'll stay off the bike lane for a while. Not that I feel I have to.

[Pat Kelly]

I know that here in CA the "bike lane" is for bicycles. Motor vehicles are not allowed to travel in this lane until the last 100 or 200 feet before an intersection and then only to be used for making a turn (the appropriate section that can be used for turning has a dashed line as opposed the the solid line in the middle of the block).
When I use the bike lane (on my bicycle) I stay to the left of it when there are cars parked on the right. Doors and people walking from between cars to get in are quite a hazard. I have no qualms about moving into the "car" lane to my left to avoid doors and such. The cars can just deal with it (and I'm usually going between 25 and 30 MPH anyway).

[Czekus21]

I feel that it's awfull stupid to have a bike lane right next to parked cars. At least a motorcycle makes a little noise. When I'm on my bicycle, I ride it just about everywhere and anywhere. ( SWMBO calls me an overgrown, 38 year old kid ) Up curbs, down sidewalks. with traffic, against traffic. Doin wheelies. Bunny hoppin over little stuff. AND I don't whear a stupid dorky lookin bicycle helmet. %ell, after ya fall off a bicycle enough times, ya kinkda learn how to fall. I fell off my old bike when I was a kid, holding on to the side of a buddies car, got up to around 45 mph and munched it hard.( teaches me to "NOT" do that with no hands and try to drink a beer) Indoughing over a car door would probably hurt a little but If I could get up, the guy who didn't look in his mirror would be hurting about as much.( not that anything like this has ever happened to me ) ( That would not accomplish anything but self satisfaction anyway )