Cali Rider: Learn me on lane splitting

[Spinnaker]

So I'm a recent transplant to the bay area. I love the riding here, but still haven't figured out the lane sharing rules.

If I'm at the back of the line at a stoplight, it's legal to cruise up to the front down the middle?

Obviously in traffic you can ride in between, but there is a speed limit (i.e. legally no more than 5MPH faster than traffice etc.)?

Tips and tricks for those of you who have been here awhile?

I keep forgetting it's OK, then get odd looks from other people on bikes as they cruise past me down the middle

[turbinepowered]

I wish it were legal here. Unfortunately it isn't, and the only numbskulls that do it are total douchebags about it too, slapping mirrors and weaving trying to freak people out.

With examples like that we'll never get it legalized.

[ANSAracingb]

If you are at a light and everyone is stopped, yes it is legal to cruise up to the front. Myself, I practice this only if I know the light JUST changed to red. This gives me ample time to get to the front before it turns green. I don't want to be in the middle of everyone as they start moving themselves, and trying to find a hole in either lane.

If you are on the highway it is also legal but I believe the law states something like "if traffic is stopped". However, this is sort of a gray area...most highway traffic is never truly "stopped", it is moving very slowly (at least, in my area). Also, no police officer in his right mind will ticket you for lane-splitting at a safe speed while traffic is slowly moving. If you do it at 90mph while everyone else is going 70...well, that's different. I lane split on the highway usually at speeds a few mph faster than the traffic around me, and I tend to move into a lane at around 35 to 40mph. I'm not super comfortable with going faster than that.

Additionally, I love it when other bikes are lane splitting. If they are around me I like to be either in front of the other rider or just behind; we have a better chance of being seen by others. If you are in a car and not paying attention and suddenly a motorcycle is passing you in heavy traffic, odds are you'll be more alert for other riders in the area.

Now, just because you are in California don't expect people to just automatically move over. Some drivers are curteous and will move over for you. Most don't move at all, which is fine as long as they hold their line. Others WILL try and block you. I've had it happen to me where one guy moved to his left as a sign to let me by, then as I came up to the rear of his truck he swerved at me to block me. That sucked, and luckily there was space to my right for me to go into.

Be very careful, and be curteous of other drivers. I was lane splitting behind a Harley rider once who became very angry that a car wouldn't move over to allow him to continue his lane split. The Harley rider was the obnoxious one, not the car's driver. "HD guy" loped along next to the car (when he finally had space) and REVVED THE EVER LOVING SH*T out of his engine, and started yelling at the car's driver. Do not do this...if a person behind the wheel of a car decides to use it against you, you lose. Period. Point is, lane splitting is a privelage we have, and you should not abuse it and literally expect 100% of car drivers to move over.

[atomicalex]

I believe splitting is also only legal between lanes one and two - left and next to left.

I love splitting and filtering here!

[gr8shandini]

I believe splitting is also only legal between lanes one and two - left and next to left.

I love splitting and filtering here!

Nope, in CA, it's legal on any dotted line. You just can't ride down the line marking the shoulders. Makes no sense since you have more room to maneuver there than between two cars, but that's the way it works.

[MeineFolks'wagen]

Nope, in CA, it's legal on any dotted line. You just can't ride down the line marking the shoulders. Makes no sense since you have more room to maneuver there than between two cars, but that's the way it works.

I've always wondered that too - it would seem to make more sense, and be safer, just to allow motorcycles to cruise by on the shoulders rather than try to get between cars. I wouldn't lane split anyway for safety reasons, but that's just me.

[gr8shandini]

Well, I can understand not riding the right shoulder since cars are entering and exiting the highway. And I guess there weren't that many divided highways when the law was written, so you couldn't really have people riding the double yellow.

As for safety, I've seen more than my share of rear-end accidents on the 405 and 14 when I lived out there. I'd much rather be between the cars than hanging out behind one.

[leaftye]

Nope, in CA, it's legal on any dotted line. You just can't ride down the line marking the shoulders. Makes no sense since you have more room to maneuver there than between two cars, but that's the way it works.

Well, I can understand not riding the right shoulder since cars are entering and exiting the highway. And I guess there weren't that many divided highways when the law was written, so you couldn't really have people riding the double yellow.

The left side can be bad for a couple reasons. If there's a double yellow, the drafts from big oncoming vehicles can be harsh. There's less time to merge back in, so you can easily get sheared between oncoming traffic and the vehicle on your right. And it's just disconcerting to oncoming traffic.

When the roadway is divided, it can still be a bad idea because quite often the shoulder completely goes away without little to no warning.

The one thing I do wonder about is intersections. There's always that solid white line. Wouldn't it technically be an infraction if you crossed that white line as you weaved towards the front of the line?






One thing I hate is when riders split to the front of a double turn lane.

If you are on the highway it is also legal but I believe the law states something like "if traffic is stopped". However, this is sort of a gray area...most highway traffic is never truly "stopped", it is moving very slowly (at least, in my area). Also, no police officer in his right mind will ticket you for lane-splitting at a safe speed while traffic is slowly moving.

Unless extra laws have been added in the last few years, it falls under whatever the PO deems safe and prudent. As far as I know, there aren't any laws explicitly regarding lane sharing by motorcycles. It's just one of those things that the law doesn't prohibit and the CHP and local PD's haven't made an issue out of.

[MeineFolks'wagen]

Well, I can understand not riding the right shoulder since cars are entering and exiting the highway. And I guess there weren't that many divided highways when the law was written, so you couldn't really have people riding the double yellow.

As for safety, I've seen more than my share of rear-end accidents on the 405 and 14 when I lived out there. I'd much rather be between the cars than hanging out behind one.

Yeah, I was thinking more about just being able to go up the left shoulder of the road.

[Spinnaker]

Very helpful responses, thank you

[Mk1Racer]

I wish it were legal here. Unfortunately it isn't, and the only numbskulls that do it are total douchebags about it too, slapping mirrors and weaving trying to freak people out.

With examples like that we'll never get it legalized.

These are the guys that get car doors opened on them.

[turbinepowered]

These are the guys that get car doors opened on the next poor schmuck to split past them.

FTFY, sadly.

There are people, in my own personal experience no less, who because of some perceived bad experience in the past are aggressive to any rider they come across. Some bat**** insane woman tried to run several of us off the road back when I was first starting to commute ride to work. Bopping along, minding my own business, no traffic around, and suddenly I've got crazy lady in an Explorer trying to run me off the road!

People! Argh!