lane splitting

[TomDac]

I do it every day. I like to call it "lane sharing", not "lane splitting".

[bikerfish1100]

anybody know what the new york law says?

already answered. i guess you will have to figure out on your own whether NY is part of CA or if it belongs to "everywhere else".

[peterbonly]

In the LA area it is the only way to get through traffic. This is done by most motorcycle riders in a sane, safe, and courteous manner. I certainly don't do it normally at more than 30mph because once I am going that fast the cars are spread apart. The more the cars are separated - front to back, the more dangerous it becomes for the rider because that is when cars decide to change lanes. A line of stopped cars is relatively safe and one can proceed safely down the lanes at 5-10mph faster than the stopped or almost-stopped cars. For the most part the LA drivers are also courteous and know bikes will be sharing. And, sharing is generally done in the lane between the fastest and second fastest lanes. We call those the numbers 1 and 2 lanes.

Regardless of my take, this is a biased read until you look at the data - the bias shows there is safety in lane sharing. http://www.ridetowork.org/files/docs...CLE_SAFETY.pdf

Get with the program boys and girls...

[RoboRider]

The problem I had with it, growing up in california, was when you were traveling in a car at say 55mph in some traffic (say speed limit is 65) and some jackalope zooms between you at 80 mph just flying up the road. That's dangerous and crazy, but still no reason to make proper use of it illegal.

[lmo1131]

and some jackalope zooms between you at 80 mph just flying up the road.

that isn't "lane splitting"... that's just pure stupid. Not to mention more than a little discourteous, and a lot dangerous ... to everyone.

[f14rio]

they even have a training video.
...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XihQe...ayer_embedded#!

[brisco]

That video made my heart race just watching it...

[RoboRider]

that isn't "lane splitting"... that's just pure stupid. Not to mention more than a little discourteous, and a lot dangerous ... to everyone.

I agree. You live in California. So tell me you don't see that kind of activity all the time. I support a lane sharing that is well defined (like filtering to the front of a red light), and splitting when the traffic is congested, say 30 mph and lower for example. This would allow the original intention of the practice, which was cooling an air cooled engine that would overheat at a snails pace, to hold true. RT owners wouldn't be installing fans or overheating.

Lew, I had a 73/5 as my first bike.

[bikerfish1100]

I agree. You live in California. So tell me you don't see that kind of activity all the time. I support a lane sharing that is well defined (like filtering to the front of a red light), and splitting when the traffic is congested, say 30 mph and lower for example. This would allow the original intention of the practice, which was cooling an air cooled engine that would overheat at a snails pace, to hold true. RT owners wouldn't be installing fans or overheating.

Lew, I had a 73/5 as my first bike.

i seriously doubt that allowing for cooling of the occassional 60's/70's era VW bug or the even more rare air cooled motorcycle was the intention behind the law allowing lane splitting. Rather, i would surmise that the original intent was to increase rider safety and reduction of overall traffic congestion.
The law is written to address overall traffic speed (below 35mph, iirc), as well as m/c passing speed (no more than 10-15 mph greater than traffic speed, again iirc). Just like other traffic laws are ignored or "adjusted" by drivers & riders, this one gets ignored/adjusted as well- but that does not make it a bad law.

[darrylri]

i seriously doubt that allowing for cooling of the occassional 60's/70's era VW bug or the even more rare air cooled motorcycle was the intention behind the law allowing lane splitting. Rather, i would surmise that the original intent was to increase rider safety and reduction of overall traffic congestion.
The law is written to address overall traffic speed (below 35mph, iirc), as well as m/c passing speed (no more than 10-15 mph greater than traffic speed, again iirc). Just like other traffic laws are ignored or "adjusted" by drivers & riders, this one gets ignored/adjusted as well- but that does not make it a bad law.

As mentioned above, there is no law about lane splitting or sharing in California. The California Vehicle Code simply doesn't explicitly outlaw the practice. The police have many laws they can choose to enforce if they don't like what they see. The various "rules" you read are just one officer's idea, often filtered through the usual Internet noise.

The guy zooming through fast moving traffic is probably breaking the speed limit, making illegal lane changes and various other regular laws. Probably at some point he will have a conversation at the side of the road with a CHP motor officer, but the odds are not high it will be when you see him doing it.

[Polarbear]

It states that 2 vehicles cannot share the same lane,same time. Its that simple. It(the law) goes much un noticed here and given much leeway to bikers. Most motorists in the West are biker friendly, with a few knotheads, so beware always. Knotheads ride bikes too. I travel the USA extensively and always try to avoid this lane split phenom when away from my home state, as too many drivers from around the USA take offense at the practice. IF I see other local bikers doing it in mass, I do it out of state. I rode the shoulder one day in Colorado at a construction site, 1 mile deep in stopped, creeping traffic. An ugly affair for a biker indeed. BOY, did I get the cold shoulder from the construction/female sign holder stopping traffic!!! SHE would not let me go, when she decided to let traffic flow again, holding the sign right AT my front wheel of my bike. She stared at me, giving me the you're guilty and I'm the enforcer look...We had words and threats thrown about(words) and she submitted, but what a sight, ugly. Remember Colorado, years ago. Randy

[lmo1131]

She stared at me, giving me the you're guilty and I'm the enforcer look...

She was probably a hall monitor in grade school as well. .. . between jobs cleaning erasers for the teacher.

There are times to split lanes, and times not to. As far as "filtering" to the front of a line of cars at a stop light ... I don't like it when I'm in my truck, so I don't do it. I can't say why ... patience is patience. Splitting a lane to get through traffic at 30mph doesn't show a whole lot of patience either.

[RoboRider]

i seriously doubt that allowing for cooling of the occassional 60's/70's era VW bug or the even more rare air cooled motorcycle was the intention behind the law allowing lane splitting. Rather, i would surmise that the original intent was to increase rider safety and reduction of overall traffic congestion.
The law is written to address overall traffic speed (below 35mph, iirc), as well as m/c passing speed (no more than 10-15 mph greater than traffic speed, again iirc). Just like other traffic laws are ignored or "adjusted" by drivers & riders, this one gets ignored/adjusted as well- but that does not make it a bad law.

I've always heard it started for air cooled engines, and that's what my CHP buddies tell me. But I can't say for certain, obviously. It sure helps with my RT though.

[RoboRider]

She was probably a hall monitor in grade school as well. .. . between jobs cleaning erasers for the teacher.

There are times to split lanes, and times not to. As far as "filtering" to the front of a line of cars at a stop light ... I don't like it when I'm in my truck, so I don't do it. I can't say why ... patience is patience. Splitting a lane to get through traffic at 30mph doesn't show a whole lot of patience either.

So when is it OK to you if not in traffic or filtering to the front at a light? When else would you do it?

Doing it at a light full of cars is the greatest advantage. No one is moving (less likely to cause a problem) and when the light turns green, you are gone. You don't hold anyone up at all. I do it in NC all the time. I may get a ticket, but hell, there's lots of things I can get a ticket for, so no big deal. And, only a Motorcycle cop can get you, a car can't filter.

[marchyman]

It states that 2 vehicles cannot share the same lane,same time. Its that simple. It(the law) goes much un noticed here and given much leeway to bikers.

Can you cite the section of the CA Vehicle code that states this?