California to establish lane-splitting rules for motorcyclists

[petronius]

SACRAMENTO — California has become the first state in the nation to formalize the practice of lane splitting after Assembly members Thursday passed a bill authorizing the California Highway Patrol to establish guidelines for motorcyclists on how to do it safely.

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Technically, it has not been legal or illegal, falling in a gray area where it was treated as acceptable by law enforcement agencies. But when the CHP published safe strategies on the practice in 2015, a citizen complained that the agency should not be allowed to create public policy. In came in AB51.

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http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-to-establish-lane-splitting-rules-for-9123513.php

I'm surprised, I always assumed that was officially legal. And even more surprised--if we're the first state "to formalize the practice"--that no other state has rules about it either? That's odd...

Lots of strong feelings in the comment section; I guess this is a sore spot for a lot of drivers!

[Leftcoastgary]

1. Only in Ca

The only place I have ever experienced this action is in California. Riders elsewhere
don't do it. It is extremely unnerving when you first experience it.

[Brother Buzz]

2. Back in my days it was legal to split lanes under fifteen miles per hour

Motorcycles were allowed to split lanes in stopped traffic because the engines were air cooled and needed to keep moving to avoid overheating; fifteen miles per hour was the accepted speed needed to keep motorcycles running cool (interesting, splitting lanes in the breakdown lane WAS illegal).

Sometime over the decades, things changed, and in the last two decades it's gotten really crazy. It scares the bejeezers out of me when I'm traveling at sixty miles per hour, and out of nowhere, two, three motorcycles pass me like bats out of Hell.

[KamaAina]

3. Indeed. Many drivers call them "organ donors".

The practice is prevalent enough here that there is a chain of pizza pubs in the East Bay called "Lanesplitter"!

[EdditJones]

4. I ride a moped...

Its scary to pull up alongside some of the bigger cars at intersections. Even trucks.