🏍️ Ride Between The Lines, Not Into A Grave

🚦 That One Time I Got Kicked by a Minivan…

I was somewhere outside Tucson, cooking in triple-digit heat, inching through a traffic jam that moved slower than molasses in January. I split lanes for 3 glorious car lengths before some Karen in a Chrysler Town & Country booted her door wide open like she was in a Bond movie. Why? "You were cutting in line," she yelled. 🙄

Moral of the story? Lane filtering ain’t just about the law—it’s about respect, reaction time, and not eating side-view mirrors for lunch.

🔥 The Pros: Why Filtering Isn’t Just for Rebels

🕒 Save Time, Save Sanity

Traffic sucks. You know it, I know it. Lane filtering—when done right—can shave off enough time to get you home for a cold one instead of stewing behind a Corolla with a "Baby on Board" sticker.

🧊 Keep That Engine (and Ass) Cool

Your bike’s air-cooled, your patience isn’t. Sitting still in August heat? Say goodbye to your cylinder heads and your inner thighs. Filtering = airflow = survival. 🔥

💀 Avoid Rear-End Roulette

Filtering means you ain’t a sitting duck waiting for some TikTok zombie to rear-end you while scrolling memes. Ever been sandwiched between a Ford F-250 and a Civic? I have. Still twitch when I hear brake squeals.

💩 The Cons: Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should

👮‍♂️ The Law Ain’t the Same Everywhere

Lane filtering’s legal in places like California and Utah. Everywhere else? It's a legal grey zone. Some cops give you a warning, others write you a ticket with a side of attitude. Know your local laws or know your local tow truck number.

🤬 Pissed-Off Cagers

Nothing riles up the four-wheel herd like a biker “cutting the line.” Some take it as a personal insult. Expect door slammers, lane blockers, and folks who suddenly "didn’t see you." Hint: they saw you.

💥 Risk Skyrockets in Tight Spots

Filtering next to semis, weaving through double-parked delivery vans, or flying between bumpers like a pinball? Congrats, you just enrolled in the ER frequent flyer program.

😎 The Iron Sage’s Code of Filtering Etiquette

🚨 Don’t Be a Dick

If traffic’s flowing, stay in your lane. Lane filtering is for stopped or crawling traffic, not your personal Need for Speed audition.

🙏 Acknowledge the Space

You squeeze through, give a wave or nod to the car that gave you room. It ain’t hard. Karma’s a biker too, my friend.

🧠 Read the Room (and the Road)

If the space is tighter than your ex’s budget, don’t go. Just because your bike fits, doesn’t mean you should force it. Be smart, not splattered.

🪞Watch Those Mirrors

Side mirrors are like elbows at a bar—people get real testy when you bump 'em. Stay tight, stay smooth, and don’t clip Grandma’s Camry.

💀 Pro Tip From The Saddle

If you’re gonna filter, ride like every driver wants to kill you—and every passenger already texted someone that you deserve it. Paranoia keeps your limbs where they belong.

🤘 What’s Your Take?

You ever filter and get screamed at? Pulled over? Saved your bacon from a crash? Hit reply and share your war story—I might feature it in the next drop. Or just scream into the void, I’ll hear ya.

Ride Smart, Ride Strong,
Blake “Iron Sage” Rivers

P.S. Filtering ain’t for rookies. If your clutch hand cramps every time you lane split, maybe sit this one out until your reflexes match your confidence.