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Interesting in the US about 35 states have statues officially banning riding motorcycles between stopped lanes of traffic.
The other 15 states including California have no specific laws regarding the practice. Though whether its tolerated in practice appears in mixed results. With California being notoriously tolerant on the practice. There are states that while they have no official prohibition on the practice but cite motorcycles using the blanket codes for all drivers i.e staying in a single lane. While California does have such provision in its traffic code its seldom in practice used to nail motorcyclists for driving between lanes unless that cop thinks the biker was being exceptionally dangerous.
In practice in all areas it appears kind of like skateboarding which occurs whether or not there is an official ban on it. And whether officers would intervene or not is also hit of miss.
Though how many countries officially allow the practice around the world. And how many countries have no law, but may tolerate it or not be tolerant on it. And how many countries forbid the practice. I heard Germany officially forbids it. https://touron2wheels.wordpress.com/...al-in-germany/ Though I know that Germany is notoriously a rules obsessed country.
Though it appears it may not be legal in France as well. https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles...mw&sh=867aa01c
Though there are of course countries like in India, or some other parts of Asia where in practice vehicles of all shapes and sizes drive with no regard for lanes whatsoever regardless of what the official traffic codes say.
Over there it seems like if your bike, cyclo, rickshaw, car, van, taxi, truck, or bus fits go for it.
South Africa, hasn't caused any trouble all over Eastern, Western, and Northern Cape Provinces. Ditto Namibia, Botswana, and didn't have cause to try it in Zimbabwe.
I am not a resident of any of the above, this was my observation based on various trips riding BMWs mostly. That's Africa, though: probably same is true for all countries. Someplace like Lagos, legendary for gridlock, can't see any other way one could get around.
Split lanes daily in California 1990s. Cops never, not once, looked at me sideways while doing it. While young and a bit brash, I was not hazardous to others. The level of gridlock on 1) Oakland Bay Bridge and 2) SF heading back onto said-bridge in the evening was a sight to see. Splitting lanes was the "only" way.
Lane splitting in Ca had always been in kind of a grey area. Not legal, bit not illegal either. I split lanes in so cal all through the 90's and in to the mid 2000's and not just on the freeways. I got into the habit of never coming to a stop at traffic lights behind a car or truck. I knew a few riders and heard accounts of many others that got rammed from behind by drivers that just weren't paying attention for whatever reason. I never had any trouble from cops, but I'm pretty sure you could be cited for splitting at too high a speed compared to prevailing traffic. I don't ride anymore, but I was glad to read that splitting had become legal. When done responsibly it is far safer for riders in my opinion.
A few hours watching YT videos "Motorcycle crash USA" will convince you it is not a great idea.
My opinion on lane splitting is based on thirty years of riding experience. Watching youtube videos is not going to change it. Quite a few that I have seen show riders splitting at too high a speed which is not splitting responsibly.
A few hours watching YT videos "Motorcycle crash USA" will convince you it is not a great idea.
Uh, a few hundred or thousand *ride hours*, not sitting on one's (behind) in front a computer screen, will convince one it is the only safe idea in places like California w/six lanes of traffic going 65 mph near bumper to bumper, when it slows to a crawl (as it does, periodically). At not just some, but almost all stop lights, as people come roaring up. It's an aggressive place. And yes, I acually lived there, and did this daily for years.
Never, not once, had a car incident incl. not being rammed at lights. I absolutely avoided wrecks a few times, I believe (given: alt-history, "could have been" and "probably would have" filter in place).
That does not mean:
Jackass speeds between cars
Striking or batting at cars, assuming all are honoring their lane position, just out of spite or like those damn bicyclists.
Other behaviors that tend to attract helicopters
Doubt I ever had a delta of more than 15-25mph between cars, if-that. More, you will get picked off and injured (= reckless) if something happens to close your lane. I did a few fast stops over the years if the door was closing between lanes, it absolutely requires great finesse!
In South Africa I was more worried about being bike-jacked, a $25K (350,000 Rand) motorycycle, stopped in some less-than savory part of town where property and violent crime is a fact of life. Always had an exit and seldom stuck around long enough to attract much attention.
My opinion on lane splitting is based on thirty years of riding experience. Watching youtube videos is not going to change it. Quite a few that I have seen show riders splitting at too high a speed which is not splitting responsibly.
Not thirty years, but likewise. Pretty much a given if I get on a bike I'm splitting. It's so automatic I forget and do it when I'm riding in Washington or Oregon, so it's pretty much a given I'll do it there as well although I try not to. I mean, don't get me wrong. If I'm on the freeway and traffic abruptly stops, I'm not stopping regardless of what the law says. I'm straight into that gap even if I'm right next to a cop. It's not like on a bike you can do a quick check of your rear-view mirror to make sure the car behind you is stopping and head there if they're not. Every state allows for emergency splitting to avoid an accident. I may not keep going but I'm sure as hell splitting for a few cars until I can get back into a lane safely
YouTube you'll generally see two types of accidents from splitting. Group one is the people going ridiculously fast, 100+ in free flowing traffic or bombing through a canyon of stopped cars at 60 mph. Someone changes lanes and they have no time to react. Group two is people, often on baggers, that straight up just run into the back of cars. It's not just baggers but the often part is probably because baggers are just so wide. Basically it's 100% their fault for riding into the back of a vehicle that's just driving normally within a lane. I don't need to watch YouTube to realize that canyon bombing or riding into the back of a vehicle is stupid.
Interesting in the US about 35 states have statues officially banning riding motorcycles between stopped lanes of traffic.
The other 15 states including California have no specific laws regarding the practice. Though whether its tolerated in practice appears in mixed results. With California being notoriously tolerant on the practice. There are states that while they have no official prohibition on the practice but cite motorcycles using the blanket codes for all drivers i.e staying in a single lane. While California does have such provision in its traffic code its seldom in practice used to nail motorcyclists for driving between lanes unless that cop thinks the biker was being exceptionally dangerous.
In practice in all areas it appears kind of like skateboarding which occurs whether or not there is an official ban on it. And whether officers would intervene or not is also hit of miss.
Though how many countries officially allow the practice around the world. And how many countries have no law, but may tolerate it or not be tolerant on it. And how many countries forbid the practice. I heard Germany officially forbids it. https://touron2wheels.wordpress.com/...al-in-germany/ Though I know that Germany is notoriously a rules obsessed country.
Though it appears it may not be legal in France as well. https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles...mw&sh=867aa01c
Though there are of course countries like in India, or some other parts of Asia where in practice vehicles of all shapes and sizes drive with no regard for lanes whatsoever regardless of what the official traffic codes say.
Over there it seems like if your bike, cyclo, rickshaw, car, van, taxi, truck, or bus fits go for it.
Lane splitting CA since the early 80's and more studies show it is safer than being a sitting duck and let some texting soccer mom rear end you.
Only NON bikers shriek like 4 yr old girls at the danger........the ignorant ones.....they assume a whole line of cars will open the doors and kill everybody.....lol
An easy answer to the OP’s question = every country in the world, with the exception of U.S.(outside of CA) and Canada.
Everybody else on this planet splits lanes.
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