Lane Splitting is Legal in CA and has been for decades! (Sacramento: home, DMV)

[TVC15]

Complaint Forces CHP to Remove Lane-Splitting Guidelines from Website | Rider Magazine

What is going on here!??

"The California Highway Patrol and other state government agencies have been forced to remove information from their websites that was intended to help motorcyclists safely execute the allowed lane-splitting maneuver due to a single complaint from a Sacramento man.''

Makes ZERO sense to me

[TwistedGray]

liability

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by TwistedGray

liability

What do you mean exactly?

Have you looked up the stats for accidents involving motorcyclists that were lane splitting? 11.7% is not as bad as everyday car accidents.

http://www.ots.ca.gov/Media_and_Rese...ing_Survey.pdf

[chuckmann]

I've never had a problem with lane slitting and I fail to understand why some people do. It began as a recognition that cycles were not the problem with congestion and fuel consumption.

Like everything else, hateful people are the center of the problem. Open your doors to sabotage. Change lanes without looking. Etc.

[jw2]

I think the problem is more that it looks like the CHP is defining law here. Here is the list

1. Travel at a speed that is no more than 10 MPH faster than other traffic – danger increases at higher speed differentials.
2. It is not advisable to lane split when traffic flow is at 30 mph or faster — danger increases as overall speed increases.
3. Typically, it is safer to split between the #1 and #2 lanes than between other lanes.
4. Consider the total environment in which you are splitting, including the width of the lanes, size of surrounding vehicles, as well as roadway, weather, and lighting conditions.
5. Be alert and anticipate possible movements by other road users.

Even though they are just recommendations, 1 and 2 especially, look like they are defining law by giving limits. That is not proper for an enforcing agency to define (or give the appearance of defining) what the law is.

Also, any motorcycle riding guidelines should have been made through the DMV

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by chuckmann

I've never had a problem with lane slitting and I fail to understand why some people do. It began as a recognition that cycles were not the problem with congestion and fuel consumption.

Like everything else, hateful people are the center of the problem. Open your doors to sabotage. Change lanes without looking. Etc.

I also fail to understand why people have issues with lane splitting. I think many are just envious that we don't have to sit in traffic EVER!

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by jw2

I think the problem is more that it looks like the CHP is defining law here. Here is the list

1. Travel at a speed that is no more than 10 MPH faster than other traffic – danger increases at higher speed differentials.
2. It is not advisable to lane split when traffic flow is at 30 mph or faster — danger increases as overall speed increases.
3. Typically, it is safer to split between the #1 and #2 lanes than between other lanes.
4. Consider the total environment in which you are splitting, including the width of the lanes, size of surrounding vehicles, as well as roadway, weather, and lighting conditions.
5. Be alert and anticipate possible movements by other road users.

Even though they are just recommendations, 1 and 2 especially, look like they are defining law by giving limits. That is not proper for an enforcing agency to define (or give the appearance of defining) what the law is.

Also, any motorcycle riding guidelines should have been made through the DMV

It appears that the spirit of this article is what forced the removal of the information from their website.

Motorcycle lane-splitting rules unveiled - SFGate

According to this article: "Really, it has been limited anarchy out there," said Sgt. Mark Pope, statewide motorcycle safety coordinator for the CHP. "Nobody has provided any guidance, so we decided it was time to figure that out."

[Bulldogdad]

It's the same BS with gunlaws.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Complaint Forces CHP to Remove Lane-Splitting Guidelines from Website | Rider Magazine

What is going on here!??

"The California Highway Patrol and other state government agencies have been forced to remove information from their websites that was intended to help motorcyclists safely execute the allowed lane-splitting maneuver due to a single complaint from a Sacramento man.''

Makes ZERO sense to me

The guy who forced their removal is a well-known scammer and professional busybody whose ultimate intent -- going by the verbiage in his "petition" in which he claims that lane-splitting frightens car drivers -- is undoubtedly to make it illegal once and for all.

[OwlKaMyst]

Oh dear....in this, what some call nanny state, I think we are the last state to allow lane splitting. To see that go because of one person would be sad.

I don't see the problem with having the guidelines out there and accessible. They should be easily available so that riders will know how do lane split in a safe manner.
I knew lane splitting was legal when I started driving over 30 years ago, but had no clue about the 10 mph thing until there was a debate in the home about lane splitting (it's legal, no it's not, yes it is!). So I looked it up to prove the legality of it and with that came very helpful guidelines. The motorcycle rider was happy to know the perameters of lane splitting.

Now that those are gone, will there be more accidents because riders don't know the rules?
And guidelines are just that, not laws...I see nothing wrong or having to do with any 'liability' in presenting guidelines.