I think you're underestimating the amount of crap in that area. All that shit is there because that's where the shit ends up. It won't just go away after a few hundred riders sacrifice tires and safety to pick it up, as you seem to think—it'll keep building up. I'm not interested in riding a minor minefield to get out of traffic, especially since I can split.
You're also underestimating the required work: signage, education, etc. There are costs involved. It isn't a matter of "hey, no one is using this spot, ok? We're going to take it."
Also consider the backlash from drivers, many of whom are already upset about the "unfairness" of lane splitting. Do you really think the driving majority will get on board with another way for us to "cut in line?"
I'm curious as to what you the benefits of this will be—do you envision riders just sailing along in this un-used space while everyone else is barely rolling? What happens when you're hauling ass up this space and a driver decides "since they can do it, I'll just pop out here and move up a few spots?"
Rather than asking for another, specific exemption, I think we as a community should be educating drivers about lane splitting and educating riders to take it a bit easier. or is splitting at a 10 MPH differential just not fast enough for you?
Papi, you've made comments like this about lane splitting before—why do you think it's a done deal that it goes away?
Okay, I concede there is a lot of stuff there in that lane, and maybe riding over it till it's gone IS a bad idea. You're right about that. To combat that issue, you run a street sweeper over the mother trucker one time and voila, clean roadway. You're wrong about it getting dirty again. It's just like the lanes we already have. Those stay generally clean because anytime a piece of debris falls onto the road it is kicked over by cars until it can't be kicked any further and ends up in the emergency lanes. If riders were constantly riding there it would kick the crap even closer to the wall and be just as 'unsafe' as riding on the normal lanes in terms of debris. Yes there is a cost involved with a street sweeper but not as much as you would think. In fact I know a rider who operates a street sweeping business with his own truck that would probably do it for free.
In terms of signage, there doesn't need to be any. Just like there isn't a sign to tell riders/cagers it is legal to lane share, we don't need a sign telling riders/cagers it is legal to use the emergency lane. Same thing.
In terms of "backlash" from drivers, you're right, some would be pissed. But they already are! When they decide to do something about it and cut me off when I am safely lane sharing I get pinned between two cars or blocked, resulting in a possible emergency stop scenario. At least in the emergency lane I have a buffer of space to avoid the accident or crash and then not get run over by the 3 other cars around me.
And no, I don't envision a space where riders are doing 65mph past dead stop traffic. That's wholly unsafe and I hate seeing people lane share like that as it is. Put a 30mph speed limit on the lane (the CHP recommended max speed for lane sharing) and enforce it, just like they already do for lane sharing reckless riders. I have known people who have gotten reckless driving's due to crazy lane splitting.
monkeyneck; said:
"I'm curious as to what you the benefits of this will be"
The benefit, in a nutshell, is to move the rider as far away from the cage as possible in the interest of all parties involved. Once we merge over we can ride in a lane and be at a much greater reduced risk for injury and damage to property. Increased ease of commuting would equate to that so called better education you speak of. Instead of cagers getting mad and retaliating at us as you allude to, some might take up riding since they see that it is now safer than splitting. Also think about the mechanical benefits to your bike; fewer shifts, revs, fuel consumption, braking, suspension (it's smoother in those lanes).
