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Lane Splitting Motorcycles: Legal Or Illegal?

It's not a question of fear, it's a question of politeness and risk mitigation.

It's a rude behavior, plain and simple.
And the very notion that some jerk cager (who takes umbrage at that rudeness) will fling a door open in retaliation is more than enough to tell me that it's not for me.

No judging you, mind you.
You ride right on up the middle, and more power to you.

Me, I'm going off road if I have to.

Rude = Judging.

I am saving gas, time and wear (air cooled engine) by splitting.

If that is rude, I am rude.
 
Rude = Judging.
I am saving gas, time and wear (air cooled engine) by splitting.
If that is rude, I am rude.

And long may you wave, mine lieber Fledermaus.

Und ich sage, ich danke schön for your service to our great nation.

(salutes)
:ind:
 
And long may you wave, mine lieber Fledermaus.

Und ich sage, ich danke schön for your service to our great nation.

(salutes)
:ind:

Thank you kindly...

Keep the shiny side up.

I don't have much dirt experience. I have always envied those that do. Saw Bruce Penhall back in the day. For me a tire slide was a butt-puckering bit of terror. For him it was "another day in the office".
 
Thank you kindly...
Keep the shiny side up.
I don't have much dirt experience. I have always envied those that do. Saw Bruce Penhall back in the day. For me a tire slide was a butt-puckering bit of terror. For him it was "another day in the office".

Oh man, Bruce Penhall was Mr Speedway.
THAT is some pure motorcycle racing right there!

I don't have the guts, skills, or nerves to attempt speedway oval track racing.
Those cats are in a league all their own.

And as I get older, my need for speed (period) has settled down.
I'm just happy to have a fun commute, and enjoy some throttle twisting fun.

I'm sorry if I was trash-talking, re; the lane splitting.
Maybe it's a cultural thing.
We just don't do it down here in the southeastern (okay, deep south) parts.

Some yahoos do, but mostly on rice-rockets, and always at twice the speed of sound.

I've been to California many times, mostly on helicopter business.
But I never rode there.

:2razz:
 
Oh man, Bruce Penhall was Mr Speedway.
THAT is some pure motorcycle racing right there!

I don't have the guts, skills, or nerves to attempt speedway oval track racing.
Those cats are in a league all their own.

And as I get older, my need for speed (period) has settled down.
I'm just happy to have a fun commute, and enjoy some throttle twisting fun.


I'm sorry if I was trash-talking, re; the lane splitting.
Maybe it's a cultural thing.
We just don't do it down here in the southeastern (okay, deep south) parts.

Some yahoos do, but mostly on rice-rockets, and always at twice the speed of sound.

I've been to California many times, mostly on helicopter business.
But I never rode there.

:2razz:

The bike in my Avatar is a 2012 Royal Enfield.... Horsepower maxes out at 29.1 at 5100 rpm

It is my primary motorcycle.

I enjoy it when guys blatt past me on the straights only to have me waddle past them in the corners.
 
What do you think? Should a motorcycle be allowed to "lane split" and pass between 2 cars while driving? If you think it should be allowed, what kind of rules or regulations should be on it?

Personally...I think it should be legal at stopped traffic lights. Get the motorcycle out of traffic quickly. And the person performing the maneuver should only be going a certain speed and should only be a certain number of car lengths back (maybe less than 10?).


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It should be illegal.
 
It's not a question of fear, it's a question of politeness and risk mitigation.

It's a rude behavior, plain and simple.
And the very notion that some jerk cager (who takes umbrage at that rudeness) will fling a door open in retaliation is more than enough to tell me that it's not for me.

No judging you, mind you.
You ride right on up the middle, and more power to you.

Me, I'm going off road if I have to.

I understand and agree that there are rude drivers, both in cars and trucks AND on motorcycles. The person is rude, not the machine.

So I don't understand how or why you see it as rude driving when you're stuck in traffic, at a halt for minutes or more, and a bike goes by you lane splitting at 5 or 10 mph?

When I do it, it's always at slow speed, but still effective. I do not agree doing it at high speeds. Whatever the traffic is doing +5 mph or so, just enough to get by.
 
I understand and agree that there are rude drivers, both in cars and trucks AND on motorcycles. The person is rude, not the machine.

So I don't understand how or why you see it as rude driving when you're stuck in traffic, at a halt for minutes or more, and a bike goes by you lane splitting at 5 or 10 mph?

When I do it, it's always at slow speed, but still effective. I do not agree doing it at high speeds. Whatever the traffic is doing +5 mph or so, just enough to get by.

It would be safer if freeways had a special lane for bikes, just for when traffic becomes slow.
 
I understand and agree that there are rude drivers, both in cars and trucks AND on motorcycles. The person is rude, not the machine.
So I don't understand how or why you see it as rude driving when you're stuck in traffic, at a halt for minutes or more, and a bike goes by you lane splitting at 5 or 10 mph?
When I do it, it's always at slow speed, but still effective. I do not agree doing it at high speeds. Whatever the traffic is doing +5 mph or so, just enough to get by.

Eh, nothing personal, it's just something I wasn't raised to do.

I came of age in the 1960's and early 1970's.
We held doors open for ladies.
We tipped our hats at older gentlemen, and said, "Good morning, sir."

We always bought the first round at the bar, always let the lower-Enlisted get their chow before we ate, always made sure our ladies had nine or twelve orgasms before we had ours, and we never split lanes on our motorcycles.

It's just a regional or cultural thing, I reckon.

I'm starting to wish I had never brought it up.
:(
 
Washington state is currently trying to change the law to allow some form of lane splitting.

Bill 5623, which allows motorcyclists to pass very slow or stalled traffic, passed by the Washington State Senate on March 7. The original bill would have allowed lane splitting—motorcycles would have been allowed to go between two lanes of traffic going in the same direction or on the right-hand shoulder when the cars were going 25 miles an hour or less.

One of the bill’s sponsors, state Senator Tim Sheldon amended the bill to allow motorcyclists to pass on the left of the leftmost lane, but not to drive between lanes of cars. This change met the objection by other senators that seeing a motorcycle between lanes might startle drivers and thus lead to accidents. Once it was amended, the bill passed 35 to 24.
Modified Lane Splitting Passes in Washington - Eagle Leather Motorcycle Gear and Accessories, Gear for the Ride.

I am apposed.
 
What do you think? Should a motorcycle be allowed to "lane split" and pass between 2 cars while driving? If you think it should be allowed, what kind of rules or regulations should be on it?

Personally...I think it should be legal at stopped traffic lights. Get the motorcycle out of traffic quickly. And the person performing the maneuver should only be going a certain speed and should only be a certain number of car lengths back (maybe less than 10?).


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Riding bikes for 46 years, I'm fine with it. Haven't used it a lot, because I rarely find myself in that kind of heavy traffic. Growing up in the SF Bay area, I did on occasion, but being less than 10 min. from work made little difference.
Here in my part of Oregon, rush hour is 10 minutes long.....and I stay off the road between 5 and 5:15. :lamo
It's allowed in California below 25mph.

But no one pays attention until someone dies.

I give them extra room if I see them.

Not enforceable unless there is a motor officer out there.

dangerous....

especially with the road rage drivers around

saw a guy on a crotch rocket get waylaid by another dude opening his door on his F250 pickup

i guess he thought the cycle should have waited in traffic like everyone else

not sure if it is legal or not....but i see them doing it here all the time

traffic is horrendous, and they cut wherever they can

I've seen them open their doors to dump ashtrays, get something out of the trunk or stretch....even on my police bike, I was very careful. Lights and siren help.:lol:

Dangerous and stupid. Every time I hear or read something about watching for motorcycles I get annoyed. Motorcycle riders are the most dangerous drivers I've ever seen.

This is nothing in the states, compared to those bikers in Europe, where there are many more per capita.
Those guys are insane.
They will pass you on the Center Line on a winding road......sometimes 3-5 at a time. They suit up and ride in the pouring rain, snow and sometimes on ice.

Originally, motorcycles were allowed to lane split at slow speed because, otherwise, they'd overheat. But these days that's not a concern for the most part. Dangerous, of course, it always has been.

But California and other Western states also let bicyclists use the highways (signs to 'share the road' are everywhere on I 40, I 1 and so on). That's more dangerous than allowing lane splitting. And yet - the wrecks that happen routinely aren't from lane splitting.

motorcycles themselves are actually at MORE risk when they're in slow moving traffic - being rear-ended is quite common.

So though I think it's dangerous to split, and rude and annoying as a **** as a driver . . . I'd prefer they split than end up with broken legs and necks because some dumb**** was on their smartphone during the early morning commute.'

That is a concern....many bikes on the road today are still air cooled. All my bikes are air cooled, sometimes if an accident is tying up the entire road and no one is moving, I shut them down before overheating.

I'm fine with in traffic jams moving slower than 10 mph.

Again, hard to enforce....

I do not think it should be legal, period.

If it has to be allowed, only if traffic is moving at less than 15 mph.

Either way, strictly enforced.

Nearly impossible unless their is a bike cop out there or a traffic cam.

Rude = Judging.

I am saving gas, time and wear (air cooled engine) by splitting.

If that is rude, I am rude.

Agreed.

And...your inbox is full.......
 
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I understand and agree that there are rude drivers, both in cars and trucks AND on motorcycles. The person is rude, not the machine.

So I don't understand how or why you see it as rude driving when you're stuck in traffic, at a halt for minutes or more, and a bike goes by you lane splitting at 5 or 10 mph?

When I do it, it's always at slow speed, but still effective. I do not agree doing it at high speeds. Whatever the traffic is doing +5 mph or so, just enough to get by.
I don't see it as rude, but I do see it as unnecessarily dangerous. I do think there is some jealousy from car drivers, though they won't come out and say so.
 
I don't see it as rude, but I do see it as unnecessarily dangerous. I do think there is some jealousy from car drivers, though they won't come out and say so.

Sure there is jealousy. They are too chicken to ride a bike and get all butt hurt when you pass them. Some will sandwich you when you get close to them, either out of butt hurt or they think it's illegal when it isn't. People that only drive cars, only know some of the driving laws.
Then again, some people are assholes over anything. This road rage epidemic is getting ridiculous.
 
Sure there is jealousy. They are too chicken to ride a bike and get all butt hurt when you pass them. Some will sandwich you when you get close to them, either out of butt hurt or they think it's illegal when it isn't. People that only drive cars, only know some of the driving laws.
Then again, some people are assholes over anything. This road rage epidemic is getting ridiculous.

What is epidemic is people who refuse to follow the rules of the road, and this includes idiotic dangerous and disruptive attempts to be "nice". I need to be able to predict what others will do so that I know what I need to do, too often my peers refuse to get with the program.

Re lane splitting: I have no interest in letting them go first, of giving them extra privileges, of encouraging people to get motorcycles.
 
What is epidemic is people who refuse to follow the rules of the road, and this includes idiotic dangerous and disruptive attempts to be "nice". I need to be able to predict what others will do so that I know what I need to do, too often my peers refuse to get with the program.

Re lane splitting: I have no interest in letting them go first, of giving them extra privileges, of encouraging people to get motorcycles.

Why? Motorcycles are better on gas, create less traffic clogs, reduce the amount of vehicles in the parking areas, and are just generally a less "in the way" vehicle on the road. Scooters too. You should see them in college towns. They are a definite improvement over dealing with more 4 wheeled vehicles in the way.


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Sure there is jealousy. They are too chicken to ride a bike and get all butt hurt when you pass them. Some will sandwich you when you get close to them, either out of butt hurt or they think it's illegal when it isn't. People that only drive cars, only know some of the driving laws.
Then again, some people are assholes over anything. This road rage epidemic is getting ridiculous.

Damn right. If you aren't willing to ride a bike...then don't get all pissy when someone uses a bike to accomplish something you can't in a 4 wheeled vehicle. Personally the only time I'm mad at bikers is when they are forced to park in regular spots. And that isn't even their fault


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Why? Motorcycles are better on gas, create less traffic clogs, reduce the amount of vehicles in the parking areas, and are just generally a less "in the way" vehicle on the road. Scooters too. You should see them in college towns. They are a definite improvement over dealing with more 4 wheeled vehicles in the way.


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They are a danger to themselves and to others. I dont want to outlaw them or anything, I am just not of a mind to give them extra privileges.
 
Sure there is jealousy. They are too chicken to ride a bike and get all butt hurt when you pass them. Some will sandwich you when you get close to them, either out of butt hurt or they think it's illegal when it isn't. People that only drive cars, only know some of the driving laws.
Then again, some people are assholes over anything. This road rage epidemic is getting ridiculous.
When I say jealous, though, I mean in a way that has become endemic in our society overall. "That bastard has something I don't, and that's not fair, ergo he shouldn't have it at all." We say we cheer other people having opportunities, but we really don't. If we can't have it, and we can't (or aren't willing to) get it, then we want them dragged back down to our level. Really, traffic and lane-splitting is incidental, just one example of what is many.
 
Damn right. If you aren't willing to ride a bike...then don't get all pissy when someone uses a bike to accomplish something you can't in a 4 wheeled vehicle. Personally the only time I'm mad at bikers is when they are forced to park in regular spots. And that isn't even their fault


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The parking space always looks empty too. Then you go to turn into it and DAMN!
 
Why? Motorcycles are better on gas, create less traffic clogs, reduce the amount of vehicles in the parking areas, and are just generally a less "in the way" vehicle on the road. Scooters too. You should see them in college towns. They are a definite improvement over dealing with more 4 wheeled vehicles in the way.
I agree with all your points for cycles here except the parking. Except in colleges, where they usually do have designated parking areas for scooters, it still generally ends up being 1 cycle in 1 parking spot. Almost never will you see 2 cycles sharing a spot.

And that's not even counting that some cycles are so big they probably couldn't realistically share a space anyway.
 
It's a still a concern with air cooled bikes - though I admit there aren't many of them left.

Most V-twins are air-cooled. Most Harley's are V-twins.
 
Most V-twins are air-cooled. Most Harley's are V-twins.

If your bike does not have proper cooling complain to the builder, buy one that does, do not expect me to agree to extra privileges in traffic law to mitigate your mistake.
 
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