California lane splitting laws crawl along.

[Tom S]

I bet if all of the MC organizations, like the AMA, Abate, MSTA, etc. worked together we all could be commuting to work faster.

[stevegrab]

I'm not against lane splitting but it really doesn't affect me much. I don't commute regularly on the bike, and if I did it is on roads without such traffic. And if I had to commute for some reason on a bike on heavily congested roadways I would not feel that safe lane splitting, even if it were legal or tolerated by the public.

I wouldn't be opposed to it being made legal, if it is helpful for others.

[Herricane]

I've always thought it sounded like a good way to get killed but that's just my .02 

[HawkGTRider]

I've always thought it sounded like a good way to get killed but that's just my .02 

It's probably not the right technique to use if you're riding a Goldwing or any bike with significant width. But statistically speaking, it seems to NOT be an unsafe thing to do. Well, I mean you're already riding a motorcycle, and about 99% of Americans think you're already an idiot for that.

I can't say that I've split a lane as every time I was in California and saw others doing it, I was riding something that I deemed as being too wide to try it. I was tempted when I was passed repeatedly, but I resisted.

Ok...there was the time I was going through Yellowstone and traffic was stopped in both directions. When I saw bear cubs in the woods and people out walking behind them trying to get photos, I split down the middle of the two lanes to get away from what I evaluated to be a hazardous situation. If/when mother bear came out to rescue her cubs, I didn't want to be the first thing she saw as I sat there unprotected on two wheels.

[Patmo]

I lane split all the time......of course, many of the roads I regularly ride on are only a lane and a half wide....


But I can see where being able to lane split in heavily trafficked urban areas would be very attractive, especially when filtering through traffic light controlled intersections.  The ability of bikes to accelerate easily and quickly through an intersection from a dead stop should allow more vehicles to get through during each green light cycle, and thus help ALL traffic.  Sadly, most car drivers don't understand this and will only see "bikers" wanting special treatment.

[HawkGTRider]

<snip> Sadly, most car drivers don't understand this and will only see "bikers" wanting special treatment.

I want a license plate backer that says "If you're jealous of what I can do, be a rider!"

[RichGrab]

<snip> Sadly, most car drivers don't understand this and will only see "bikers" wanting special treatment.

I want a license plate backer that says "If you're jealous of what I can do, be a rider!"

OK time to chime in. I lived in Southern CA (mostly greater LA area) from 1971 thru 2002 and rode there from about 1985 till I moved. Lane splitting is a necessity if you travel anywhere in that area by freeway during traffic time (aka ALWAYS), especially on older bikes which are either air-cooled only or older water cooled. Sitting in any kind of traffic the bikes just overheat. If done properly (granted it's been 15 years since I've ridden in L.A.) it is safe. You have to really watch for the dorks and those who are out to get you intentionally. It helps to use your brights and if you have 4-way (or Emergency) flashers running those really make you obvious. (Not sure of legality of running with the hazards on though.) For a couple years I worked on the western side (in Glendale, CA) and attended night classes at Cal State LA (near Boyle Heights). It was a good 25+ miles on the freeway, and the only way to do it and get to classes on time was to ride. I was on a Kawasaki Spectre 1100 back then (think police bike with shaft drive) and it had 4-Ways. When I got in the thick traffic and started to lane-split, it was like Moses parting the Red Sea. People in the left lane moved to the left edge, and in the right lane they moved to the right edge. I suspect they thought I was a police bike - or they were giving me space. 
PS - I moved to UT for a year and a half in 1997 and was nearly run over when I tried to lane split. I found out shortly thereafter that this practice was not legal there - and by gosh the residents were gonna prove it to me by trying to kill me I guess. 

[stevegrab]

I've always thought it sounded like a good way to get killed but that's just my .02 

It's probably not the right technique to use if you're riding a Goldwing or any bike with significant width. But statistically speaking, it seems to NOT be an unsafe thing to do. Well, I mean you're already riding a motorcycle, and about 99% of Americans think you're already an idiot for that.

I can't say that I've split a lane as every time I was in California and saw others doing it, I was riding something that I deemed as being too wide to try it. I was tempted when I was passed repeatedly, but I resisted.

Ok...there was the time I was going through Yellowstone and traffic was stopped in both directions. When I saw bear cubs in the woods and people out walking behind them trying to get photos, I split down the middle of the two lanes to get away from what I evaluated to be a hazardous situation. If/when mother bear came out to rescue her cubs, I didn't want to be the first thing she saw as I sat there unprotected on two wheels.

I did something like that when I was there once. We're on a hill traffic stopped as people try to get bear pictures and I'm dying in the heat. I took off, and pulled into the next parking area, and tried to get pictures. Also had an instance where a grizzly was on the side of a hill and a ranger was there yelling at traffic to KEEP MOVING, there we are on bikes, an easy target if he comes along.
When I was in CA for some riding one year I did do a bit of lane splitting, first on the main road along the beach at a stop light (I filter past straight/turning traffic at lights if I have room sometimes too). And then at Laguna Seca track, but that was also more filtering, to get to the front of the pack at the main exit where sherriffs directed the bikes to go first while cars waited. It was like the start of a race