Swerving in your lane. It is legal?

[gixxeranyone]

Swerving in your lane. Is it legal?

The other day, I drove over some dirt and mud in a construction zone area. I began to swerve within my lane to get the dirt and mud off my tires, as I'm doing this a cop is driving the opposite way and I found myself stopping swerving immediately. The cop didn't do anything but I began to wonder if this is legal or can you get some type of ticket for this. I see several people doing this in an attempt to warm up their tires, although I heard that doesn't really do anything to warm tires. Is swerving within your lane legal?

 

[250 Matt]

I'd go with legal. Sometimes if I end up in the middle lane somewhere with cars beside I go back and goth so they knower I'm still there. Sometimes I do it when I'm bored lol. if you get stopped you can always say dodging potholes

 

[JZ67]

You own the lane you are in and can swerve inside that lane if you desire. Helpful to do around potholes and manhole covers too.

 

[Salos Dafee]

You own the lane you are in and can swerve inside that lane if you desire. Helpful to do around potholes and manhole covers too.

Right on! There are many reasons to swerve: roadkill, running critters, shiny (probably sharp!) debris, grease, rocks, holes, rails, sticks, bricks, etc.
When you see something in your lane that you do not want to hit or run over, you swerve. No explanation is needed, because you are riding legally.

 

[wearelopey]

Where safety is concerned, legally the lane is yours to navigate and thus, in the name of safety, you can swerve to avoid objects or get mud off your tires etc.

However, my buddy and I were stopped and almost charged with reckless driving for swerving in our lane aggressively for no reason.

We had just passed our m1 exits and were trying to get a feel for push steering. Technically it makes us look like we can't control our vehicle. It also must be a little disconcerting for oncoming traffic as well...

 

[Rob MacLennan]

That's certainly a risk; an officer could interpret your actions in a number of different ways. If he interprets it as trying to pass as closely as possible to other traffic, then he could pull your bike and license under HTA 172.

Swerving around an obstacle is one thing, but constantly swerving back and forth is quite another. I'll do it, on rare occasions, to clean sand or mud off my tires after parking, and prior to hitting a corner, but that's about it.

 

[LiNK666]

That's certainly a risk; an officer could interpret your actions in a number of different ways. If he interprets it as trying to pass as closely as possible to other traffic, then he could pull your bike and license under HTA 172.

Swerving around an obstacle is one thing, but constantly swerving back and forth is quite another. I'll do it, on rare occasions, to clean sand or mud off my tires after parking, and prior to hitting a corner, but that's about it.

Try explaining that to a police officer where it's easier to charge to with HTA 172. A lot of them don't understand motorcycles and the importance of clean tires in relation to safety. They'll think you're trying to make a lame excuse.

 

[FitzR6]

Sounds like ur stunting to me.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Try explaining that to a police officer where it's easier to charge to with HTA 172. A lot of them don't understand motorcycles and the importance of clean tires in relation to safety. They'll think you're trying to make a lame excuse.

Which is precisely why I only use it judiciously.

 

[Jayv]

We had just passed our m1 exits and were trying to get a feel for push steering. Technically it makes us look like we can't control our vehicle. It also must be a little disconcerting for oncoming traffic as well...

A corner or a parking lot would be more suited for getting a feel for push steering lol.

 

[Rayzorman1]

I got pulled over for doing EXACTLY this a few summers back. The cop asked why I was riding in an erratic manner which from his perspective I can totally understand. Like Rob mentioned above, I had just exited a dirt parking lot and was trying to get dirt off the sides of the tires as much as reasonably possible. When I explained this, he looked at me like I had horns but let me go without incident.

He did though, run me through all the checks and told me not to do that anymore because it was a residential street and there could be kids, puppies, unicorns etc around. I guess he had to get a little "listen to me good citizen" into the whole thing.

 

[nobbie48]

Try explaining that to a police officer where it's easier to charge to with HTA 172. A lot of them don't understand motorcycles and the importance of clean tires in relation to safety. They'll think you're trying to make a lame excuse.

Unless the cop rode as well he might have a problem understanding. To the unknowing, push steering practice looks like goofing around.
I disagree with parking lot practice as the speeds are not practical. The hard part is finding a way of practicing emergency maneuvers at realistic speeds without endangering one's self or getting a 172. Some day you will need that skill. Unlike a cage you don't have the seat belts, air bags, door beams and crumple zones.
Track day without the racing connection?

 

[jefflthomas]

legal or not with the road conditions in Toronto you've got no choice unless you want your teeth loosened

if they wanted to test the Moon Buggy today there'd be no need to go all the way to Sudbury

 

[Maverick95]

I don't really swerve in my lane i just weave. I find that i can determine the balance of the bike better. I mostly do it when i'm bored riding on a long straight road. I will also do it in traffic around big trucks because i'm so small compared to them, then they can notice me. I've done it right beside cops and they don't seem to care as long as i'm in MY lane and not getting close to the edges of it.

 

[rafiki911]

I do the SMIDSY thing, not really swerving more of a weave.