Lane Splitting

[DJ]

Lane splitting has been quasi legal in California for a long time now, i've noticed that depending on which part of California I'm riding in lane splitting can be reasonably safe, or an a$$ puckering experience, Here in the bay area where I live, most people are used to seeing motorcyclists splitting lanes and will move over if and when they see you coming. However I have ridden in the Los Angeles area as well, I noticed that the lanes are more narrow there than they are here and the drivers are much less courteous and would even attempt to keep me from passing.

Every day on the radio I hear about at least one motorcycle involved incident on the bay area freeways. It is my opinion though not proven to be fact that the majority of these accidents involve sport bike riders who most of the time are not lanes splitting safely but are zipping through traffic at a high rate of speed, motorists never even hear or see them coming before it's too late.

I have been lane splitting for years I always do it carefully, I never go more than five Mph or so faster than the cars are moving. And if traffic is moving along at 30 miles an hour or better I Generally don't lane split at all. And all these years I have only had one incident and that was on my rocket three touring where I clipped a guys mirror as I went by.
I still get nervous every time I do it though.

It never ceases to amaze me what I see people doing as I'm passing them, cellphones, iPads, newspapers, looking down into their lap at something while not even looking where they're going.
Eating cheeseburgers while looking at their cell phones...., the list goes on and on.

I couldn't have said it better.
I would add one thing. If you can't stop by the time you catch the next car while lane splitting your risking an accident. As Jim said-no more than 5 MPH faster than the cars are moving. Although I will bump it up if both lanes I'm splitting are packed. I'm at least somewhat confident I won't have an idiot try to change lanes. Nowhere for them to go....

 

[1olbull]

@1olbull where did you see it's now legal to split? Everything I can find has it as introduced, approved, awaiting Transportation Board Hearing.

This new law is now ON THE BOOKS!
I saw a date of March 7th
Here it is!

RCW 46.61.608
Operating motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic.
(1) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection shall not apply to motorcycles operated two abreast in a single lane.
(2) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken. However, this subsection shall not apply when the operator of a motorcycle overtakes and passes a pedestrian or bicyclist while maintaining a safe passing distance of at least three feet.
(3) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.
(4) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane.
(5) Subsections (2) and (3) of this section shall not apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties.

AN ACT Relating to modifying the operation of motorcycles on
1 roadways laned for traffic; amending RCW 46.61.608 and 47.52.025;
2 prescribing penalties; and providing an expiration date.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4 Sec. 1. RCW 46.61.608 and 2013 c 139 s 1 are each amended to
5 read as follows:6 (1) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no
7 motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any
8 motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection shall not apply
9 to motorcycles operated two abreast in a single lane.
10 (2) (a) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass
11 in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken, except on
12 the left-hand side of a vehicle traveling in the left-most lane of
13 traffic on a numbered state route that is a divided highway having
14 two or more lanes of traffic in each direction separated by a
15 physical barrier or unpaved median if the operator of the motorcycle
16 is traveling at a rate of speed no more than ten miles per hour over
17 the speed of traffic flow and not more than twenty-five miles per
18 hour. ((However, this subsection shall not apply)) When the operator
19 of a motorcycle overtakes and passes a pedestrian or bicyclist
20 S-0628.1 SENATE BILL 5378 State of Washington 65th Legislature 2017 Regular Session By Senators Sheldon, Dansel, Hasegawa, Conway, and Fortunato Read first time 01/20/17. Referred to Committee on Transportation. p. 1 SB 5378 ((while maintaining)), the operator shall maintain a safe passing
1 distance of at least three feet. 2(b) Any operator of a motor vehicle that intentionally
3 impedes or attempts to prevent any operator of a motorcycle from operating his
4 or her motorcycle as permitted under this subsection is guilty of a
5 traffic infraction.
6 (3) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic
7 or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.8 (4) Motorcycles shall not be operated more
9 than two abreast in a single lane.10 (5) Subsections (2) and (3) of this section shall not
11 apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties.
12 Sec. 2. RCW 47.52.025 and 2013 c 26 s 3 are each amended to read
13 as follows:14 (1) Highway authorities of the state, counties, and incorporated
15 cities and towns, in addition to the specific powers granted in this
16 chapter, shall also have, and may exercise, relative to limited
17 access facilities, any and all additional authority, now or hereafter
18 vested in them relative to highways or streets within their
19 respective jurisdictions, and may regulate, restrict, or prohibit the
20 use of such limited access facilities by various classes of vehicles
21 or traffic. Such highway authorities may reserve any limited access
22 facility or portions thereof, including designated lanes or ramps for
23 the exclusive or preferential use of (a) public transportation
24 vehicles, (b) privately owned buses, (c) motorcycles, (d) private
25 motor vehicles carrying not less than a specified number of
26 passengers, or (e) the following private transportation provider
27 vehicles if the vehicle has the capacity to carry eight or more
28 passengers, regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicle,
29 and if such use does not interfere with the efficiency, reliability,
30 and safety of public transportation operations: (i) Auto
31 transportation company vehicles regulated under chapter 81.68 RCW;
32 (ii) passenger charter carrier vehicles regulated under chapter 81.70
33 RCW, except marked or unmarked stretch limousines and stretch sport
34 utility vehicles as defined under department of licensing rules;
35 (iii) private nonprofit transportation provider vehicles regulated
36 under chapter 81.66 RCW; and (iv) private employer transportation
37 service vehicles, when such limitation will increase the efficient
38 utilization of the highway facility or will aid in the conservation
39 p. 2 SB 5378 of energy resources. Regulations authorizing such exclusive or
1 preferential use of a highway facility may be declared to be
2 effective at all time or at specified times of day or on specified
3 days.4 (2) Any transit-only lanes that allow other vehicles to access
5 abutting businesses that are reserved pursuant to subsection (1) of
6 this section may not be authorized for the use of private
7 transportation provider vehicles as described under subsection (1) of
8 this section.
9 (3) Highway authorities of the state, counties, or incorporated
10 cities and towns may prohibit the use of limited access facilities by
11 the following private transportation provider vehicles: (a) Auto
12 transportation company vehicles regulated under chapter 81.68 RCW;
13 (b) passenger charter carrier vehicles regulated under chapter 81.70
14 RCW, and marked or unmarked limousines and stretch sport utility
15 vehicles as defined under department of licensing rules; (c) private
16 nonprofit transportation provider vehicles regulated under chapter
17 81.66 RCW; and (d) private employer transportation service vehicles,
18 when the average transit speed in the high occupancy vehicle travel
19 lane fails to meet department standards and falls below forty-five
20 miles per hour at least ninety percent of the time during the peak
21 hours for two consecutive months.22 (4)(a) Local authorities are encouraged to establish a
23 process for private transportation providers, described under subsections (1)
24 and (3) of this section, to apply for the use of limited access
25 facilities that are reserved for the exclusive or preferential use of
26 public transportation vehicles.27 (b) The process must provide a list of facilities that the
28 local authority determines to be unavailable for use by the private
29 transportation provider and must provide the criteria used to reach
30 that determination.31 (c) The application and review processes must be uniform and
32 should provide for an expeditious response by the authority.
33 (5) When the department has opened the use of the shoulder of a
34 limited access facility for public transportation vehicles, the
35 department must allow motorcycles to use the shoulder during the same
36 time periods and conditions.
37 (6) For the purposes of this section, "private employer
38 transportation service" means regularly scheduled, fixed-route
39 transportation service that is similarly marked or identified to
40 p. 3 SB 5378 display the business name or logo on the driver and passenger sides
1 of the vehicle, meets the annual certification requirements of the
2 department, and is offered by an employer for the benefit of its
3 employees.
4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Section 1 of this act expires July 31,
5 2019.
6 --- END ---

 

[Scorp]

As clear as mud

 

[Chris Kelley]

@1olbull so very jealous!

 

[1olbull]

@1olbull so very jealous!

Every time I ride California, which is pretty much yearly since 2000, I come home feeling just as you.
Because of my profession, I KNOW the benefits and safety of lane sharing and the necessity for motor riders to OBEY the speed limits.
Like most of the moving traffic laws, a motor rider assumes an inordinate risk when violating them - tis NOT just bent metal!
Rear end collisions and injuries to motors has risen proportionate to the increase in traffic and this law helps greatly as well as encourage others to consider cheaper and more fuel efficient means of transportation.

 

[Nat67]

Lane splitting I legal here in NZ but the roads are a bit narrow to do it on an R3 easily I've found though that when traffics crawling the car drivers are quite often considerate and move over for you, however there's always the minority that don't and thy are the ones that you gotta watch carefully for.

While stuck in my ute in bad traffic a few weeks back saw an angry motorcyclist smash a side mirror of a car that deliberately closed him out, he seemed quite practiced at this. Me? i would have fallen off trying it.

It is an art ! A very satisfying art ! Once learned , a subtle protest making ignorant drivers ignorant no more ! Meet the same driver twice , and they WILL move over for you .

 

[1olbull]

As clear as mud

Which word(s) are giving you trouble, M8?

 

[1olbull]

It is an art ! A very satisfying art ! Once learned , a subtle protest making ignorant drivers ignorant no more ! Meet the same driver twice , and they WILL move over for you .

Some I've seen in CA use a "Get-Back" or a stiff boot to the mirror or door.

 

[Nat67]

Some I've seen in CA use a "Get-Back" or a stiff boot to the mirror or door.

I would not like to use a boot as it can be deemed as malicious , or road rage to coin a phrase that can land you in court on criminal damage charges . Not to mention the fact that the rider could come off worse trying to kick an immovable object , putting yourself off balance . Most riding jackets have armour in the elbows and a subtle use of this gives the argument that the car closed in on you unexpectedly . Provided you are riding within the speed limits , the car driver would always be at fault in this situation and most won't even stop to argue as they have the guilty feeling inside that they could be in trouble for nearly taking out a biker !

 

[Nat67]

In total honesty tho @1olbull , it is not something often required as most car drivers in England will make room for you if they see you coming down the line . It usually is quite a pleasant experience in very slow or stop start traffic . Plus the R3 does have huge road presence , most drivers like to see you go by ! You always get one ******* tho !