Motorcyclists; do you lane-split in heavy Austin traffic? (Houston, Howe: DMV, tax)

[JBAinTexas]

When traffic is at a standstill or slow-moving, especially on MoPac Highway, do you ride between cars to get to your destination? Have you ever gotten a ticket for that?

[austinnerd]

Unless things have changed, lane splitting is not legal in Texas. It was one of those murky things where it's not explicitly illegal, but it's not explicitly legal. I see bikers do it occasionally, though it's far more common to simply take advantage of one's smaller footprint and do "lane changes" when there is enough of a gap. It's not as advantageous as true lane splitting/sharing, but I would always worry that someone would hit me and the resultant accident/damage would legally be my fault. Again, I haven't checked recently so things may have changed.

[TexasHorseLady]

I adore motorcycles, was a biker chick back in the day. I HATE lane splitters because they give bikers a bad name for entitlement issues and bad driving. Last I heard (2017) it wasn't explicitly legal or illegal and laws on both sides were proposed but didn't make it out of committee.



It's an idiot thing to do in any case. Why risk ruining someone else's life if they don't see you and pull over just as you're going by and they end up maiming or killing you through no fault of their own and have to live with that the rest of their lives because you just HAD to get ahead of everyone else?

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by austinnerd

Unless things have changed, lane splitting is not legal in Texas. It was one of those murky things where it's not explicitly illegal, but it's not explicitly legal.

I haven't seen lane splitting except when visiting L.A. The Californian police turns a blind eye to the practice. Only Texas cops enforce the traffic laws (to raise revenue--that's what you get in "low" tax Texas; no altruistic motive here).

Looks like the I-35 corridor has been invaded by Californians like a bad spring/fall cold front, while Native Texans are scurrying to Houston as fast as they can. Austin has turned into a Californian colony--better turn Sacramento into a Texas colony as payback!

[citizensadvocate]

I guess Texas is one of those states that is like California where lane splitting is not mentioned or in a grey area for many many years. In California it had been a tolerated practice as long as its done safely. It appears 15 other states are on the same boat.

[mickey65]

When I lived in CA, I'd see the motorcyclists do it all the time. Usually during a traffic back-up. Just jetting up between the lanes of stopped cars to get passed it all.

[turkeydance]

lane-splitting scares me (and might cause unexpected results)
just like the lyrca-bikers that swish by unexpectantly.
so far, so good.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

I haven't seen lane splitting except when visiting L.A. The Californian police turns a blind eye to the practice.

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

. In California it had been a tolerated practice as long as its done safely.

Lane splitting is legal in CA. That's why the police turn a blind eye, or tolerate it.

[Trainwreck20]

I see it on rare occasion, I wouldn't do it myself. But I am too old and wise to ride a motorcycle now anyways .

I did see an interesting event just the other day after exiting Mopac north and approaching the 360 light. Three lanes turn left, one goes straight, and one turns right. I go straight across and on this particular day it was the longest line for some reason.

A motorcycle passes me on the right to turn right - or so I though, he was actually just passing traffic and hopped back in the 'straight' lane. He was very lucky that the car in the left turn lane next to me that did the same thing from the other side - cut to their right to get in the straight lane - did not flatten him. It was VERY close, though. Not sure who would be more at fault there - the illegal passer on the right or the illegal passer on the left.

[LakeLifePA]

Originally Posted by astrohip

Lane splitting is legal in CA. That's why the police turn a blind eye, or tolerate it.

Not true at all. CHP at one time offered guidelines on lane splitting which caused an uproar among the motorcycle community who felt validated in the fact that is it not illegal in California. However, they have since removed those "guidelines" and California is pretty much like any state with similar laws in that it is not legal or illegal.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...lane_splitting

"Lane splitting general guidelines" information is no longer available.

A petitioner complained to the Office of Administrative Law that there was no formal rulemaking process for the guidelines, and raised other objections. The CHP discussed the issue with the Office of Administrative Law and chose not to issue, use or enforce guidelines and thus removed them from the website.

The underlying purpose of the guidelines was to provide common-sense traffic safety information.

California law does not allow or prohibit motorcycles from passing other vehicles proceeding in the same direction within the same lane, a practice often called "lane splitting," "lane sharing" or "filtering."

With that said, of the states that have no laws on the books concerning splitting, it's done in California with such fervor that it's a common practice and other drivers are very use to the fact that motorcycles will filter traffic. In California, drivers will move aside to let motorcycles filter. Try that in Texas. I wouldn't on my best day. Texas drivers are not apt to be so accommodating.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I adore motorcycles, was a biker chick back in the day. I HATE lane splitters because they give bikers a bad name for entitlement issues and bad driving. Last I heard (2017) it wasn't explicitly legal or illegal and laws on both sides were proposed but didn't make it out of committee.

It's an idiot thing to do in any case. Why risk ruining someone else's life if they don't see you and pull over just as you're going by and they end up maiming or killing you through no fault of their own and have to live with that the rest of their lives because you just HAD to get ahead of everyone else?

^^^^ Typical of Texas drivers. Rider beware.