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Lane splitting is of course legal here, and I have no problem with it.. the few bike riders who ride at stupidly high speeds and weave in and out of traffic would do the same regardless of the laws, and we have "reckless driving" code to deal with them. In the vast majority of cases, it makes more efficient use of scarce freeway space and reduces rear-end accidents with bikes.
the few bike riders who ride at stupidly high speeds and weave in and out of traffic would do the same regardless of the laws, and we have "reckless driving" code to deal with them.
22350 is also a good cite for this ..... although less aggressive.
I try not to do my legal research on Wikipedia ........
Yes, it IS legal.
illegal = code in the california vehicle code saying its not allowed.
legal = nothing written about it.
Courts CANT prosecute you for something that is not illegal. Its not that they choose not to, its that they CANT. Police don't prosecute anyone - just write citations. Without a vehicle code - there is nothing to cite.
With that being said, a law enforcement officer can come up with dozens of things to cite someone for if they are riding like an idiot between lanes.
There is no law in Pennsylvania specifically prohibiting lane-splitting just as in California.
But, in Pennsylvania you are required to stay in your LANE exactly like a 4 wheeler or semi. All the traffic laws pertain to all the vehicles on the roads equally.
Therefore, if you are caught by a cop lane-splitting, you are charged with failure to stay in the proper lane of traffic.
So the fact that there is no law prohibiting lane-splitting doesn't make it legal. The only difference between the two states is that California courts and cops CHOOSE not to prosecute bikers as long as they do it safely.
Lane splitting has been going on for decades - I grew up in California. Everyone knows it's dangerous, these idiots do it at their own risk. I've never actually seen one get creamed but I've read and heard about those who have.
Wow. It's hard to sit here and defend lane-splitting after you see a video like that, but my understanding of the law (combined with a bit of common sense) says that he's NOT doing it right. When I lived in Cali, IIRC the law was you could only split between #1 and #2 (not in between #1 and carpool), and that you could only go 10MPH faster than traffic MAX. I think there's also a max speed that traffic can be going where you're allowed to split, probably not much faster than 'stop-and-go'. Whether or not that is the law, it is the process I followed when splitting. That guy's an ass, and as much as I don't wish bodily harm on someone (especially a rider), I won't have a lot of surprise or sympathy if/when that backfires on him.
Therefore, if you are caught by a cop lane-splitting, you are charged with failure to stay in the proper lane of traffic.
So the fact that there is no law prohibiting lane-splitting doesn't make it legal. The only difference between the two states is that California courts and cops CHOOSE not to prosecute bikers as long as they do it safely.
Ok .... I can't keep arguing this. You seem to be unfamiliar with how laws work in this country.
You cannot say that courts "choose" to not prosecute in CA. If they had a "choice", law enforcement COULD cite for lane splitting, which is simply not the case.
"Motorcycles may travel faster than traffic during congested road conditions and can legally travel in the unused space between two lines of moving or stationary vehicles, which is commonly called “lane splitting.”
Also:
"Cars and motorcycles each need a full lane to operate safely. Lane sharing is not safe.
Riding between rows of stopped or moving cars in the same lane can leave you vulnerable. A car could turn suddenly or change lanes, a door could open, or a hand could come out of a window. Discourage lane sharing by others. Keep a center position whenever drivers might be tempted to squeeze by you. Drivers are most tempted to do this:
In heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic.
When they want to pass you.
When you are preparing to turn at an intersection.
When you are moving into an exit lane or leaving a highway."
__________________________________________________ _____________
I just recently went to the coast and came back to the valley to Sacramento which is about 130 miles. I had to split traffic for about 50 miles that day. Mostly, the traffic was between 0-40 mph in the areas that I would split. Once the traffic gets back to about 30-40 mph, I get back in the number one lane and settle in. I try to only go about 10 mph faster than the slow moving traffic.
I also see riders split traffic all week long as I drive a van all over the central valley and bay area. Most are doing it correctly but there are always riders that will abuse the privilage like the guy in the video here.
I have friends that I ride with that are law enforcement officer's (LEO's). They will cite a wreckless rider that is splitting too fast but they have to catch them first. Most riders know this and will buzz right by them when they are in there rides (cars). If the LEO's are on their motors (bikes), they will get pulled over and get ticketed if observed splitting unsafely.
ITs really simple to understand. In CA the is no code addressing Lane sharing, but stupidity is addressed. A generally accepted "guideline" used by LEO's is no more than 5MPH faster than the flow of traffic, no more than 35MPH. After that you are moving into an area where LEO's can cite reckless driving. Although called "lane splitting". technicly its "Lane Sharing". If your weaving back & forth between lanes across dotted lines, you are passing and that is covered by code. If you are in the same lane, then you are overtaking a vehicle.
Question for those in states that prohibit lane sharing, can motorcycles ride in formation (side by side)? In CA that is lane sharing.
OBTW, I don't think I could find 10 seconds in that video that couldn't be citable as reckless driving or illegal passing (very beginning of film - where he is coming up the on-ramp, he clearly was on the shoulder passing - which is illegal), but then, a lot of people manage to "Forrest Gump" their way through life.... One other further comment - must have been a light traffic day on the 405, usually traffics much worse than that.
Ok .... I can't keep arguing this. You seem to be unfamiliar with how laws work in this country.
I understand it completely.
Quote:
You cannot say that courts "choose" to not prosecute in CA. If they had a "choice", law enforcement COULD cite for lane splitting, which is simply not the case.
The police in CA will indeed cite you for it if they see you doing it in a dangerous manner...... and a couple other posters just demonstrated my point.
Question for those in states that prohibit lane sharing, can motorcycles ride in formation (side by side)? In CA that is lane sharing.
In Pennsylvania, riding side by side is illegal BUT the cops tend to overlook it in most cases.
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