Should Lane Splitting be legal in all 50 States

[dude_reino]

This poll title is a little confusing. I could read this two different ways:

"Would it be nice if more states adopted their own laws to allow lane splitting?"
YES

"Should the federal government force all 50 states to allow lane splitting?"
HELL NO!

Careful what you wish for.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by dude_reino

This poll title is a little confusing. I could read this two different ways:

"Would it be nice if more states adopted their own laws to allow lane splitting?"
YES

"Should the federal government force all 50 states to allow lane splitting?"
HELL NO!

Careful what you wish for.

Why not?

[Grainbelt]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

Why not?

no need for the feds to get involved, they have their hands in too much shit already.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by Grainbelt

no need for the feds to get involved, they have their hands in too much shit already.

dude_reino is your fake n00b?

[Grainbelt]

I don't have any fake n00bs. But I don't think the feds have jurisdiction outside of the interstate highway system and I'd rather see this handled by the states.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by Grainbelt

I don't have any fake n00bs. But I don't think the feds have jurisdiction outside of the interstate highway system and I'd rather see this handled by the states.

Me too. Frankly there are several states that would never benifit from lane sharing... Lane filtering however...

If the Feds did do it it would make it far easier to re-train the drivers to allow it.

[Benjava]

Originally Posted by Grainbelt

I don't have any fake n00bs. But I don't think the feds have jurisdiction outside of the interstate highway system and I'd rather see this handled by the states.

Emphasis on don't think.The feds have jurisdiction over any roads where federal funds are spent on construction and maintenance. The money comes to the cities and states in so many different ways there are virtually no roads anywhere that don't qualify using that standard. This is sometimes a good thing. Many attempts to ban motorcycles by local jurisdictions have been overturned because the fed laws trump the locals because they use federal funds for those roads.

I believe this country is too puritanical, corrupt and backwards to ever see this happen in very many more places.

[Grainbelt]

Originally Posted by Benjava

Emphasis on don't think.

Dad?





That's the same bullshit financial bullying that put the 21 yr old drinking age on the books. Fuck 'em.

[FinlandThumper]

I actually answered yes but for filtering only.

Filtering to the front at stoplights is an advantage that motocycles have, and should be allowed. It is also not patently unsafe. If cars are completely stopped or moving at a snails pace, and you can make your way to the front without causing problems, it should be allowed.

I am actually on the fence about whether it should be allowed in all cases. With common sense (e.g. moving at an appropriate speed through stuck, rush-hour traffic) it should be allowed...but to me this is more like "filtering".

When I think "lane splitting" I think about cases where I see cyclists flying through moving traffic extremely quickly relative to the surrounding cars. They come up so quickly that even those of us actively WATCHING for bikes, because we ARE bikers, are shocked as they fly by. 20, 30, 40 mph faster than traffic flow...which is in my view just waiting to be crushed. And who can blame a driver that accidently kills a motorcyclist who is driving like that? Certainly not me, and I am obviously sympathetic to the motorcycle cause. Motorist checks blind spot, sees no one, and halfway across the lane he's squishing a cyclist like a bug who flew up out of nowhere. This kind of lane splitting, if that's what is meant (I doubt it, but just saying), is extraordinarily dangerous.

[FinlandThumper]

Originally Posted by Wasser

I love visiting California. This was me back in May of this year, with my daughter, visiting the Golden State.
What a time saver!

See, for me, this was still reasonable "filtering". Hard to see how fast you were going, but as to my point above, this still falls in the category of filtering as a calculated maneuver. Not risk-free, but not inappropriate behavior either.

[Redline3504]

OK so what states is it legal to lane split in?

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by Redline3504

OK so what states is it legal to lane split in?

Only one. California. It is not "illegal" there.

[degonzomon]

i thought it was i split them everyday

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by Plaka

Well...not to piss on yer parade but that's 580 on the Dublin - Pleasanton stretch. You're going too fast and when traffic has big holes in it like that cars like to dodge in and out of them. It isn't a carpool lane on the left and when you have a hole you should duck into it to give yourself more clearance on the right.

I know the bike ahead of you zoomed off and vanished---that kind of fast stuff does give it a bad name.

I'll amend that to 'slightly too fast.' Otherwise, looks OK to me.

I'll also recommend moving into the open spots. Most dangerous time to share lanes is when you have a cage on one side and an open area on the other. They're gonna wanna move into that spot. DAMHIK

Waving is good. Keep thanking people for watching out. I do the French foot wiggle on the other side. IDK if people recognize it for what it is, but its something.

Except for a couple of spots where there were semi-trucks, there's lots more room than non-lane sharing riders realize. Especially on a BMW. I measured my GS-Adv. Slightly less than 3' wide. Skinny bikes have an easier time, but the upright position and ergos of the GS = very good bike for sharing lanes. My RT was a little better cause the mirrors went under SUV mirrors and I didn't hafta worry about clobbering anyone's mirrors as I went by.

Sigh. Why don't people recognize that riding in a safe, controlled manner like the video isn't dangerous or reckless? No experience doing it?!

M

[ArmyMedic]

After spending 3 weeks out riding in CA and getting a taste of lane splitting, esp in rush hour traffic, and then going home where you can't, it is awfully frustrating to sit in long lines of traffic at stop lights and the freeway. I fully support making it legal in all states.