Page 1 of 1
Lane Splitting - Good or Bad?
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:57 am
by WRXWagon2112
Lane splitting. Anyone know if this is legal in VA/DC/MD? And what do you think about it?
I have a problem with motorcycles driving between lanes at high speeds but it doesn't bother me so much when traffic's stopped.
And if I had a motorcycle I'd definitely be driving between lanes when traffic's stopped.
--Alan
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:16 am
by moxnix
Not legal in this area. CA is the only place I know of in the states that it is legal.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:49 am
by chicken n waffles
i don't mind it, just as long as nobody minds when i hit them.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:59 am
by sirwilliam
moxnix wrote:Not legal in this area. CA is the only place I know of in the states that it is legal.
I thought it was legal in NY as well. My friend lives in downtown NY City w/ a CBR600RR.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:55 am
by Libra Monkee
I would like it to be legal here. If only when traffic is at a stand still.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:51 am
by moxnix
sirwilliam wrote:I thought it was legal in NY as well. My friend lives in downtown NY City w/ a CBR600RR.
Not legal there. If you read the
NY traffic laws you can see.
§ 1252. Operating motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic. (a) All
motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle or
motorcycle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle
of the full use of a lane. However, this subsection shall not be
construed to prevent motorcycles from being operated two abreast in a
single lane.
(b) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the
same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken.
(c) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or
between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.
(d) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a
single lane.
(e) Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to police officers in the
performance of their official duties.
You can also look up the state laws on the AMA web site.
http://www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/laws.asp
http://www.laneshare.org/index.html has some information on lane splitting as well as efforts in some states to make it legal.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:58 am
by Libra Monkee
I think the only reason lane splitting was ever legal is because it was a time where most bikes were air cooled. So if the bike didn't have a constant flow of cool air in its radiator it would overheat and die. Now almost every bike is liquid cooled so they get too to sit in traffic like everyone else.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:56 pm
by sirwilliam
moxnix wrote:sirwilliam wrote:I thought it was legal in NY as well. My friend lives in downtown NY City w/ a CBR600RR.
Not legal there. If you read the
NY traffic laws you can see.
§ 1252. Operating motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic. (a) All
motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle or
motorcycle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle
of the full use of a lane. However, this subsection shall not be
construed to prevent motorcycles from being operated two abreast in a
single lane.
(b) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the
same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken.
(c) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or
between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.
(d) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a
single lane.
(e) Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to police officers in the
performance of their official duties.
You can also look up the state laws on the AMA web site.
http://www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/laws.asp
http://www.laneshare.org/index.html has some information on lane splitting as well as efforts in some states to make it legal.
Gotcha. Then he is doing it illegally.
Re: Lane Splitting - Good or Bad?
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:29 pm
by complacent
WRXWagon2112 wrote:
And if I had a motorcycle I'd definitely be driving between lanes when traffic's stopped.
--Alan
Since everyone already covered everything else, I'll touch on this.
Unless in CA, you will be killed eventually by lane splitting. All it takes in our Road Rage capital of the world is one SUV owner tossing open a driver/passenger door into your path whilst lane splitting and your day goes quite south, quite rapidly.
I've been tempted... but I just can't justify the risk around here.
just mah .02usd.
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:21 pm
by snaab
It's really not as bad as people think. Both the motorcyclists and the drivers are smart about it. I can't see it going over well in the Mid-Atlantic.
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:19 pm
by ElZorro
I've seen people swerve at motorcycles doing this in DC... I can understand the idea, from a pollution and a mechanical reason, but so few people see motorcycles as it is, having them hide between cars would only make a dangerous situation worse.
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:57 pm
by snaab
ElZorro wrote:I've seen people swerve at motorcycles doing this in DC... I can understand the idea, from a pollution and a mechanical reason, but so few people see motorcycles as it is, having them hide between cars would only make a dangerous situation worse.
It's hardly "hiding" between cars. Driver's know to watch out for motorcyclists, and similarly, motorcyclists use caution (most of the time...). I can't say that I would ever have the balls to do it, but I don't see why other's can't.