CA Lane Splitting Article

[paulsibek]

THis was in the Automobile Section of the LA Times today...

Q: Splitting lanes: Is it allowed only between first (far left) and second lanes at speeds no more than 10 mph faster than the cars you are passing in between?

-- Y. Yamaguchi, Sherman Oaks

A: "The urban myth is that motorcycle riders can only split traffic between the 1 and 2 lanes, but it can be between any lanes of traffic," says California Highway Patrol public information officer Joe Zizi. "The current law doesn't prohibit anyone from splitting traffic. Any vehicle can share a lane as long as it's done safely.

"We recommend 5 to 10 mph over the speed of what current traffic is doing, the reason being that if traffic is at a stop, he has the ability to stop before hitting someone's door or a car if it changes lanes in front of him."

"Section 21755 of the California Vehicle Code states that 'the driver of a motor vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement safely.  In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the paved or main traveled portion of the roadway.'

"The code section was originally designed for wider lanes with vehicles and transit buses, but this also applies to motorcycles because they are motor vehicles as well.

"Technically, motorcyclists can't be on the left side of a vehicle in the lane, but they can be to the right side of the vehicle in the lane," Zizi said. Motorcyclists are not likely to be ticketed for this distinction, he added.

"When motorcyclists get in trouble is when they are splitting traffic and another vehicle makes a lane change and doesn't see them. At this point, the motorcyclist could be held at fault."

If a motorcyclist collides with another vehicle, where the fault lies may depend on where the motorcycle is in relation to the other vehicle. If the motorcyclist collides with a vehicle at the point of the car where the driver might have seen him, a number of factors come in to play as to who is at fault--most importantly the witnesses, Zizi said. But if the motorcyclist collides with the rear of the vehicle, it more often than not is the motorcyclist's fault because enforcement officers are inclined to believe that the other vehicle may not have seen the motorcyclist.

 

[kbasa]

Works for me.

 

[aerialfilm1]

Can someone tell me how long lane sharing has been allowed in California? And was it intorduced or did it just morph out of the bike culture?

It's a beautiful system that works well in Cali. My fav place to ride. Probably the best place for m/c commuters. If lane sharing ever comes to Florida, I wouldn't want to be the first guy to give it a go. Way too many self appointed traffic nazis who probably won't get the memo. Recently Miami came in first for the city with the worst road rage, and Orlando is just as bad. Just the other day I had to shoot out the tires on some old lady merely doing the speed limit.

Now back to my Existential Meltdown...

 

[Polarbear]

California is safer than most;

States for this! Drivers in CA., for the most part actually part the lanes, if they see you coming and have gotten used to bikes splitting. "For the most part", is the key part here...Other states I've been in, the drivers are not nearly as accepting to this practice, so doing so out of your area of normalcy, its a gamble at best. One of the worst things to look for in CA., is another biker splitting, coming up from behind you. If you are "not" splitting at the time and another quick rider from behind IS, you'd better be watching for him in your mirror, or you may get run down crowding the line! Some of these riders are going quite fast as they split, to their own peril, I suggest. Its been said by some CHP, that its illegal to share a lane at any time with another vehicle, BUT bikes have an advantage of crossing the dotted line so much as they do the splitting, they call it passinglegal like! Shoulders, another story! Don't do it. They really don't like this done, as it is for emergency vehicles ONLY...Ticket for sure.

 

[26667]

it totally freaked me the first time I went riding w a CA guy who split lanes. But as I gradually tried it a few times when it occasionally was the obvious safest thing to do for a moment or two, and then watched the CHiPs do it...and by the way you'll never stay with them up the hill as the 405 meets the 101. I tried to follow two guys on the same bikes as my R1100RT and no way. The cars part for them like Moses doin' wheelies.

I found as long as I didn't "push it" ...you know, drive beyond my skill level, particularly my braking skill, I felt I could safely move past the slower or stopped cars. As I grew more comfortable, multiple lane changes allowed me to maintain my speed and escape clusters of cars grouped together, groping their way down the freeway. i thought it was often, tho' not always, a safer way to drive.

 

[dlearl476]

I found as long as I didn't "push it"

"+5-10 mph" is a good rule of thumb, up to 30mph. IMO, anything over 30 mph doesn't require lane sharing.

 

[boney]

The opther place you see this is in the Rockies. Cars and to a lesser extent, motorhomes etc., will try to give you room to pass. I've had them go a little tto far to do so and endanger themselves.

I can always tell an outta-towner when they move over to let me by. CA drivers expect you to pass whenever safe.

The CHP is by far the biggest proponent of Lane Sharing. Years ago, when everyone else was passing laws to prevent it, the CHP got into the fray and stopped the legislation. I can't be certain of the real reason but I hear "air cooled motors" tossed around a lot. Maybe they just didn't want to sit in the heat on a hot bike in stopped traffic.

It is indeed a careful omission. Lane Sharing is "not illegal" which is all that is needed to allow it's practice. If you're unsafe though, the CHP have a whole buffet of other laws to feed you.

 

[steviewonder]

As an out-of-state visitor in the LA area, I found lane splitting to be enormously helpful and terrifying at the same time. I followed my CA buddies as we worked out way out of the LA basin last year just about this time on the way to Yellowstone and then back into LA from the Pacific Coast Hwy.

My VERY limited experience was that 98% of the drivers tried to open up the split for you but there were a few who made it crystal clear that they did not approve.