We have written about California lane splitting several times … most recently with reference to a Berkeley study documenting some of its benefits. California lane splitting has been legal for some time, but lacking in formal recognition by state law. It has lived in the netherworld between approval and disapproval — state authorities have allowed it in part because no state law expressly disallowed it.
Now, with California Assembly Bill 51 passing through the state Assembly unanimously last week, formal recognition of the right to lane split in California is just the Governor’s signature away. Here is a quote from a member of the California Assembly, former California Highway Patrol Officer Tom Lackey, who pushed for the Bill’s passage:
“We believe that this bill is going to help instruct people to do it safely. The data is clear that lane splitting can increase the overall safety of a motorcycle rider, when it’s done correctly, because it helps minimize the threat of rear impact collisions, which are far more dangerous for motorcyclists. Lane splitting also has positive effects on reducing traffic congestion, which I can surely appreciate in my district, where we have over 100,000 commuters every day. There’s no issue more important to me than roadway safety, given my past career with the Highway Patrol and I strongly feel that AB 51 will improve roadway safety, and is really good policy…”
A few other states have been pushing for the legalization of lane splitting by motorcyclists. Perhaps formal recognition in California can help push this process forward elsewhere as the safety of lane splitting is increasingly beyond dispute. What are your thoughts?
We want to give credit to our friend Surj Gish, owner/editor of CityBike in the Bay area, who has worked hard promoting state law recognition of California lane splitting.
If you are a California resident, we urge you to write Governor Brown and encourage him to sign AB 51. Here is the Governor’s address, and a suggested reference line for your letter:
The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Governor, State of California
State Capitol, First Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Assembly Bill 51 (Quirk): Lane Splitting Guidelines: Request for Signature
See more of MD’s great photography:
Hi,
I am from Portugal and i am in USA for a few weeks in holidays.
In Portugal as other European countries it is “legal” to do lane splitting. Just to resume is not legal or illegal, but the police let you do you it and every motorcycle riders do it.
Of course can be dangerous and in the beginning can be strange for the cars/motorcycles drivers. But for me if i have a motorcycle and i am in middle of the traffic (with everything stop or in a slow speed), and i must be behind all the cars is frustrating…
Regarding the safety of the motorcycle rider in a traffic situation is much better to be middle that behind a car or even in a emergency situation. Also it can help a lot the traffic jam, because it will be less cars or less motorcycles in he lane.
Also would be good good for businesses, because more people would buy motorcycles.
One of the big reason i have bought my motorcycle it was to pass between the traffic in my daily commute.
I also think it is the best thing that could happen to the motorcycle industry here in the US. Motorcycles might finally be recognized as legitimate transportation rather than merely entertainment.
I know this isn’t responsible riding and the camera lens makes it look even more scary but..this was obviously two (or more) riders doing the wrong thing, may have thought how cool it was to leave all the cages behind..
https://www.facebook.com/GasolineSociety/videos/840209362779673/
Owwwwww. Guess that would be legal though huh?
Yes, I suppose so unless there was some kind of speed differential reg too?
It’s assuming alot, some one seeing you before they change lanes. You see it all the time cars are stopped or at a crawl and someone flies by instead of being cautious. You see people with go pro on the you tube trusting the intelligence of their fellow man. Accidents waiting to happen. Famous last words “he should have seen me”.
In NJ the problem is squids lane splitting at 20+ MPH in normal flowing traffic. Can you imagine what they’d do if it were legalized? The other aspect is our poorly educated and easily offended drivers who would probably try to cut off splitting lanes by swerving or door opening.
What I DO want is some version of splitting or filtering in high congestion areas. I can wait two or even three light cycles at some intersections, largely due to left turning vehicles blocking access to the intersection. Being able to slide up the right side of them and through the light would be a Godsend.
Like anything else, if done correctly, its no biggie. CA drivers are aware and used to it and for the most part its a non-issue – except for the LOUD exhaust lane splitters that have to rev up their motors while doing it. I find that most of the Bozo HD loud crowd don’t even have a clue as to how horrible their bikes really do sound.
Been lane splitting for thirty years now. I can’t imagine NOT being able to do it.
Not only is it more efficient than sitting in traffic, but it’s far safer.
I love it when the cars are stopping and I don’t have to worry about getting rear ended.
Plus I have the added benefit of arriving sooner.
The only thing I hate is the other riders that go too fast while revving modded exhausts. It’s rude to the cagers and it doesn’t help our cause.
I lived for decades in Calif., but now live in Arizona. The only time I had issues with car drivers in Ca. when lane splitting was in small towns where some drivers were not used to it, I guess. I miss lane splitting(filtering) when needed in other states and I still do it if I want to keep my bike motor from over heating. Far as I’m concerned those that are against it are ignorant or jealous. In most other countries it’s the norm. Luckily for now the Az. town I live in is not big enough to really need lane splitting, so it’s not that big an issue for me most the time, but I still miss being able to do it. Never once did I ever get in a situation that caused an accident but some times I had to get around aholes who were bent on stopping me from doing something they couldn’t in their cars/trucks.
Left Cal in ’78 for Wa and have missed lane splitting ever since, except of course when I visit Cal. It can be done safely, and benefits everyone in traffic.
I live in California, commute daily on my motorcycle, lane split every day, and I am NOT in favor of this legislation. My biggest concern is that it would encourage the practice, and that inexperienced riders might feel compelled to do it when they don’t yet have the road smarts to do it safely. I think we’re better off keeping the current rule, that it’s not illegal to share a lane; besides, who needs even more traffic laws?
Every motorcyclist is in favor of lane splitting.
How can that DustinB suggest that *riders* are against it.
There is NOT a SINGLE motorcycle rider AGAINST lane splitting.
Just be safe and be reasonable when you are doing it.
Signed,
A 30 year lane splitter.
I’ve met lots of motorcyclists that think lane splitting is a bad idea, so they are out there. I don’t know how many of those riders would be actively AGAINST lane splitting, but I’m always surprised by how many riders I meet that say they wouldn’t engage in the practice even if it were legal. Still, it is definitely a minority of riders that express that, though I certainly wouldn’t say an insignificant minority. Time would change most minds I suspect, but the initial stubbornness stemming from misinformation about lane splitting would still have to be overcome.
It’s not legal in my state nor am I interested it the practice. I get around just fine, don’t feel like a sitting duck in traffic any more than when driving a car.
Now, if I was stuck in stop n’ go traffic on a daily basis, going nowhere fast I might wish to do it but that’s a rare occurrence for me.
Likewise, motorcycle density in traffic is light around here so I can’t imagine allowing so relatively few to push through would benefit much in the way of traffic flow.
I’m good.
you must be from Cali. Here in the mid west I know LOTS of riders who are against lane splitting.
Like MG below it would rarely affect me one way or the other in my daily motorcycle life.
I have ridden my bike to Cali and sat in horrible traffic between San Fran and Sacramento I believe it was… 100 degrees, stifling, but I did not feel comfortable splitting (especially on my big sport touring bike with bags) so waited in line with the cars.
I have also driven a rental car in Cali around Los Angeles while attending a wedding and splitting motorcyclists whizzing by my window just inches away scared the beejeebus out of me, plus their loud pipes annoyed me, but loud pipes always annoy me.
In the study I read that said motorcyclists were less likely to be rear ended while lane splitting, it also added they were more likely to rear end somebody and more at risk from side swipes while splitting, but no one mentions that, they just pick out the one item that bolsters their safety point.
I am not pro splitting, I am not anti splitting. It doesn’t affect me so I don’t care. If they made it legal here I still would probably not do it, but I am rarely as in almost never, in a situation that would call for it… and on the helmet debate 100% all the time helmet wearer, against helmet laws.
It’s been a while since I read the study, but my recollection is that overall serious injuries were reduced by lane splitting, with an emphasis on the reduction in the rear-ending; also it did note increases of some injuries.
It’s obviously not a “safe” thing to do, but it’s apparently safer than being in traffic in general.
My wife and I were astonished when driving out in Cali how cars changed lanes on a 45 degree angle, very quickly and without signaling. Here most everyone moves ahead of the car they want to be in front of, signals, then moves horizontally left into the open space to complete the pass. The Cali drivers seemed to start their move into an open spot while still somewhat next to the car they wanted to pass by accelerating on an angle.
You Cali guys might be used to it, but it was un-nerving for us
I live in the Seattle area and along with everywhere traffic has only gotten worse. Used to be people hurrying to beat yellow lights and within reason coming to a stop at red lights. Now it seems increasingly common that people ignore yellows and all too often blow through reds. Reds are increasingly ignored when people want to take a RH turn and roll right through them. I don’t know if this because of less enforcement and/or courts sympathetic to drivers but it creates chaos and makes the streets much less safe. It’s like driving in another world.
It is an uphill battle in most US states. Safety is always cited as a concern, but that is a hollow argument given the data we have on it. Not that governments ever let facts get in the way of doing what they want to do.
Still, California’s act of signing the practice into legislation may well serve as a catalyst for other states, hopefully. It would certainly get me commuting on the bike again.
I currently live in Ecuador. Lane splinting is not only legal, but weaving in and out around cars and passing on the right are the norm. A common wreak occurs when a car goes to make a right hand turn as a cyclist tries to pass on the right. As a cyclist I am in awe of the skill of the riders as they weave in an out of the cars, trucks and buses, but at same time cringe as they duel with 2 ton of metal.
If all riders would start showing respect as in keeping the speed down and a friendly thank you wave when the cages give us some space . The stress and rage of the general public driving is against motorcycles. Speed and the loud pipes irritate most. Lane splitting is great but the general public is against it .
Thanks for posting this, Dirck.
Supporters who need a bit of inspiration can download a sample letter at the end of this article: http://lanesplittingislegal.com/lane-splitting-news/ab-51-has-achieved-concurrence-in-the-assembly-on-to-the-governor-for-signature – there’s an email address there that you can send directly to as well.
Thanks to everyone for your support.
It’s a hugely uphill battle here in CO as the CO State Patrol is (completely infuriatingly ignorantly) dead against it….
Never mind Law Enforcement…I rarely find *riders* that are in favor of lane splitting. So frustrating.
What amazes me is not only that so many other riders (not from Cali) think that it’s to dangerous for them to attempt, it’s too dangerous to let anyone do it either. It’s kind of like helmet laws – some (most?) people are so convinced of the life-saving abilities of helmets that they not only do they choose to wear one themselves, but insist that everyone must wear one. To these people I always point out that from the point of view of the average non-motorcyclist, we’re all engaged in a largely pointlessly dangerous activity.
ps, yes I wear a helmet. No, I don’t support helmet laws. They don’t bother me enough to put any mental energy into actively fighting them, but if you ask my opinion that’s what I’ll tell you.
Ditto.
Helmet wearer… For wearing helmets, but against helmet laws… (most laws written are flawed in some way or another with loopholes and unintended consequences)
FOR Lane splitting as an overall good. Cars benefit from less traffic, cycles just plain benefit, IF everyone knows the rules, which would take some time in most states.
I would probably try lane splitting, but I would be nervous about it at first.. Like riding cycles in the dirt was fine, but the first time on the street— Nuts!
All stated below it’s just to say that we have to take care, making legal (in order to explicitly approve it) would make the lane splitting action to happen more often, therefore we booth car driver and bike rider have to be aware of the extra caution that has to be practiced.
I drive almost just on Sundays and I try to even check on car rearview mirrors about drivers intentions if I could, we can never have enough caution.
1) We all have seen the video of a fellow motorcyclist who is purposely hit by a car due to the other driver taking law in it’s hands, this is of course illegal and probably murder attempt.
2) It could also happen that the driver is not aware and lane splitting leading to facilitate an accident due to the reduced maneuver margins.
3) And last but not least, there are some bike riders who just ride way to fast making it extra dangerous.