Lane-Splitting Petition

timpilot · Dec 18, 2014

Please consider signing the White House “We the People” petition linked below to bring awareness to the administration about legalizing motorcycle lane splitting.

It may seem like a dangerous practice to those who have never done legally (in California), but from my experience, it is effective at reducing both exposure to the rider and congestion for all road users. It is an accepted practice in basically every country in the world except for the 49 US states besides California.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/allow-motorcycle-lane-sharing-all-public-roads/qP86QbjN

For the petition to have any impact, another 92k signatures are needed by 01 Jan 2015. Please share.

I lived in Cali for 20 years and can vouch for lane-splitting being a good thing. -timpilot

blaxmax · Dec 18, 2014

timpilot said:
Please consider signing the White House “We the People” petition linked below to bring awareness to the administration about legalizing motorcycle lane splitting.

It may seem like a dangerous practice to those who have never done legally (in California), but from my experience, it is effective at reducing both exposure to the rider and congestion for all road users. It is an accepted practice in basically every country in the world except for the 49 US states besides California.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/allow-motorcycle-lane-sharing-all-public-roads/qP86QbjN

For the petition to have any impact, another 92k signatures are needed by 01 Jan 2015. Please share.

I lived in Cali for 20 years and can vouch for lane-splitting being a good thing. -timpilot

I have lived in los angeles for over 25 years as a process server and courier and lane splitting saves lives if not abused.

Tex85 · Dec 18, 2014

Too many idiots on the road (both bikes and cagers). Its one thing if you learned to ride / drive with these road rules. For the rest of the US this would be disastrous and result in tons of biker deaths.

Sent from my LG G3

timpilot · Dec 18, 2014

Tex85 said:
Too many idiots on the road (both bikes and cagers). Its one thing if you learned to ride / drive with these road rules. For the rest of the US this would be disastrous and result in tons of biker deaths.

Sent from my LG G3

I disagree. I grew up and learned to ride in Texas. I moved to Santa Barbara, CA at almost the age of 30 and rode/drove the freeways of Southern California for 15+ years. Almost all lane-splitting is done when traffic is stopped, or nearly so. It's awesome to be able to ride THROUGH a traffic jam; and stupid and frustrating when the law won't allow it.

HyperPete · Dec 18, 2014

Tex85 said:
Too many idiots on the road (both bikes and cagers). Its one thing if you learned to ride / drive with these road rules. For the rest of the US this would be disastrous and result in tons of biker deaths.

Sent from my LG G3

I agree. Sad but true.

Tex85 · Dec 18, 2014

timpilot said:
I disagree. I grew up and learned to ride in Texas. I moved to Santa Barbara, CA at almost the age of 30 and rode/drove the freeways of Southern California for 15+ years. Almost all lane-splitting is done when traffic is stopped, or nearly so. It's awesome to be able to ride THROUGH a traffic jam; and stupid and frustrating when the law won't allow it.

The issue isn't someone from Texas going to CA its bringing CA to Texas... Completely different story. Californians are used to lane splitting, the rest of the US is not.

Sent from my LG G3

rusty · Dec 18, 2014

timpilot said:
It's awesome to be able to ride THROUGH a traffic jam;

I know exactly what you mean tim, it's a skill level all it's own:rockon00:

timpilot · Dec 18, 2014

Interesting facts and traffic flow info about lane-splitting:

http://www.gizmag.com/motorcycle-lane-splitting-filtering-safety-research/34425/

timpilot · Dec 18, 2014

Recent research has confirmed what many motorcycle riders have known for years. "Lane splitting" – or riding in between lanes of traffic – obviously saves riders a lot of time, but it's also considerably safer than sitting in traffic and acting like a car, as long as it’s done within certain guidelines, and contrary to what many drivers think, it actually speeds up traffic for everyone else on the road.

Copied from the article found at http://www.gizmag.com/motorcycle-lane-splitting-filtering-safety-research/34425/ December 18, 2014

timpilot · Dec 18, 2014

Tex85 said:
The issue isn't someone from Texas going to CA its bringing CA to Texas... Completely different story. Californians are used to lane splitting, the rest of the US is not.

Sent from my LG G3

What do you think is SO dangerous about riding between STOPPED cars?? Stopped, or nearly stopped cars provide good protection to the motorcyclist.

rusty · Dec 18, 2014

Tex85 said:
Californians are used to lane splitting, the rest of the US is not.

Yer right Tex, will just have lane splitting classes :rofl_200:

Tex85 · Dec 18, 2014

timpilot said:
What do you think is SO dangerous about riding between STOPPED cars?? Stopped, or nearly stopped cars provide good protection to the motorcyclist.

I agree with you on that point. The problem is nearly stopped cars doing last minute lane swaps plus people anti-bike attitudes already on the road. Also there are countless idiot bikers as well who will start zipping through traffic in between cars at high speed simply because they can. Drivers are not accustom to this and again change lanes, merge, etc and cause collisions.

I am all for lane splitting while at a traffic light and moving to the front of the pack. When it is done at high speed I don't see it working at well for the general population. There are too many bad habits already ingrained in everyone not too mention the fact half the people on the road are too busy watching their cell phone and unable to keep in their own lane.

rusty · Dec 18, 2014

In California, a cop can still pull you over for lane splitting. If he see's you weaving through traffic & speeding. But he has to be on a bike too ta catch ya :auto182:

MtnMax/Magniac · Dec 19, 2014

rusty said:
In California, a cop can still pull you over for lane splitting. If he see's you weaving through traffic & speeding. But he has to be on a bike too ta catch ya :auto182:

Not necessarily, I don't know many bikes that can outrun that full-race radio.

sdt354 · Dec 19, 2014

If some states will let you ride without a helmet, Lane splitting seems like a reasonable request. Cagers will need to understand the law as well as riders. Most riders do it anyway at one time or another. It's something to be done with extreme caution.

timpilot · Dec 19, 2014

sdt354 said:
If some states will let you ride without a helmet, Lane splitting seems like a reasonable request. Cagers will need to understand the law as well as riders. Most riders do it anyway at one time or another. It's something to be done with extreme caution.

The great fear, among cagers and bikers alike, seems to be that allowing lane splitting will allow it to be done at high speed and for the purpose of weaving through traffic. In California and other countries that allow it, that's not the way it is done 95% of the time. Mostly it is done at stop lights and in very slow or stopped traffic jams.

rusty · Dec 19, 2014

timpilot said:
Mostly it is done at stop lights and in very slow or stopped traffic jams.

Correct:biglaugh:

MtnMax/Magniac · Dec 19, 2014

rusty said:
Correct:biglaugh:

That's the only way I do it. Of course when my wife and I go out together, I'm stuck, since she can't split on her GoldWing trike.

timpilot · Dec 19, 2014

MtnMax/Magniac said:
That's the only way I do it. Of course when my wife and I go out together, I'm stuck, since she can't split on her GoldWing trike.

I guess lane-splitting COULD get a little TIGHT on a trike. lol. Glad you hang with your wife. You're blessed to have a wife who rides.

Lane-Splitting Petition

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