lane splitting

[DEcosse]

... although you can lane split in California it is still technically illegal the authorities permit it but it is not on the books that you can do it...

That is not quite correct S.I.E - it is not illegal (technically or otherwise ) although neither is there any statute that specifically enables (governs) it.
There is a significant distinction for it being illegal vs when there is no specific law to enable it.
There is no law in CA that says "it is OK to eat bananas" but its absence does not make it illegal for me to eat bananas!

www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/about/lane_splitting

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."

There was a bill that initially passed the house last year to make a specific law to permit/govern lane-splitting (sharing) - the intent was to enforce specific regulations regarding the conditions of lane-splitting.
The bill was subsequently dismissed.

There used to be a guideline by the CHP that was an ADVISORY on what constitutes good/smart lane-sharing principles however they were purely that, not legal restrictions.
http://lanesplittingislegal.com/assets/docs/CHP-lane-splitting-guidelines-California.pdf
(The CHP guideline above is what used to be on their website, since removed)
The Bill had planned to use this guide as a basis for the proposed law.
Since the Bill was dismissed, CHP no longer even publishes the guide.

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.

But the fact remains it is NOT illegal to lane-split (share) in CA

 

[scot in exile]

Back in the day when I used to ride from Redondo Beach to the Valley lane splitting was okay under certain guide lines and I have seen motorcyclists pulled over and given a ticket for being idiots(disclaimer being an idiot is not what tickets are given for ) If the traffic was flowing at 30mph or faster --no lane splitting, you could not go 10mph faster than the moving traffic, many a time I have seen idiots screaming down the 405, 101,110 take your pick at 30-60mph faster than the moving traffic and you wonder why cagers get pissed off.
As I have said education is what is needed here form cagers to bikers.

 

[DEcosse]

... If the traffic was flowing at 30mph or faster --no lane splitting, you could not go 10mph faster than the moving traffic ....

That was NEVER a law, just a 'guideline' that is/was in no way code-enforceable - if they were getting tickets it was not for lane splitting.

 

[BigNorm]

That was NEVER a law, just a 'guideline' that is/was in no way code-enforceable - if they were getting tickets it was not for lane splitting.

If someone is being stupid chances are they were speeding as well. They have got you.

 

[kipper]

It's a normal thing in UK and having done it all my biking life it comes naturally to me . Nowdays the cars mostly move over to give you more room when they see or hear you coming. I normally hit main beam if I'm doin it in rushhour traffic,sometimes up to 10 miles of it if there's a real jam up. When traffic starts movin at around 30mph just blend in to the flow until the next tailback then start again. Done it on the 405 around LA and 101 into San Francisco no problem when I rode my Rocket in US . It should be legal if you want to do it, if you don't wait in lane .

 

[BigNorm]

It's a normal thing in UK and having done it all my biking life it comes naturally to me . Nowdays the cars mostly move over to give you more room when they see or hear you coming. I normally hit main beam if I'm doin it in rushhour traffic,sometimes up to 10 miles of it if there's a real jam up. When traffic starts movin at around 30mph just blend in to the flow until the next tailback then start again. Done it on the 405 around LA and 101 into San Francisco no problem when I rode my Rocket in US . It should be legal if you want to do it, if you don't wait in lane .

I'd like to come over to the UK and ride as well. Was it difficult having to adjust to the opposite side of the road?

 

[scot in exile]

That was NEVER a law, just a 'guideline' that is/was in no way code-enforceable - if they were getting tickets it was not for lane splitting.

If you are passing a car in the same lane in a dangerous way or reckless or what ever you want to call it you will get a ticket and that is code enforceable.

 

[scot in exile]

I'd like to come over to the UK and ride as well. Was it difficult having to adjust to the opposite side of the road?

easy just turn your handlebars around

 

[kipper]

Not at all Norm . I'm used to riding on the right as I regularly visit my daughter in Rotterdam, Holland,and ride through France and Belguim on the way. I just keep in my head, throttle hand to nearside. Matter of fact I like ridin on the right. After a month ridin in the good old US,I had to remind myself to ride on the left when I got back . It was a great experiance to ride in your country. I loved it. Nevada was exellent rode the 95 Vegas to Tonopah then 6 to Ely. Sorry forgot this thread's about lane splittin! Time to put the whiskey away for the night.

 

[Joesmoe]

In the same way, Virginia is a so-called "open carry" state (of firearms) and while one needs permit to carry concealed, there is no law, and no permit required to carry openly. I really wish, for all the examples cited, Virginia would permit lane sharing. I've done it some, had occasional folks open a door, or move to block. Once I called the state police about someone who did something similar to the video to me (though I had enough room on the shoulder to slow down and avoid contact). The cop asked me, "Was anyone hurt?" No "Were you speeding ?" "Going with the flow." He said, "We won't look into it."