http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/transportation/16496935.htm
Bikers and auto drivers split on lane sharing
By Kelli Phillips
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
A commuter might call it lane splitting or lane sharing, the difference usually depending on the number of wheels beneath them.
Lane sharing, or riding a motorcycle between lanes of traffic, is legal only in a few states, including California, and has long been a source of contention between riders and drivers.
"Some people feel like I'm cutting in line or that I'll delay their commute somehow," motorcycle rider Bill Richter said. "I'm not going to make them take any longer to get to their destination because I'm not cutting in their line. I have my own line, just like the express lane at the grocery store."
To the dismay of many vehicle drivers, California law does not define or prevent lane sharing. The practice is permissible on freeways and surface streets provided it is done "in a safe and prudent manner," according to California Highway Patrol guidelines.
"There was an attempt at one point to sort of define it in California law, but it didn't happen," CHP Officer Scott Yox said. "I've heard motorists call it lane splitting, and if you're a motorcyclist, I think lane sharing gives it a little softer aspect."
Many drivers who prefer four-wheeled transportation decry the practice as unsafe for motorcycle riders and vehicle passengers alike.
"It scares me when they come zooming up between lanes," said Liz Martin of El Cerrito. "You look in your mirror and go to change lanes and suddenly there's a motorcycle right there. I try to be cautious, but it just doesn't seem safe."
The CHP does not keep official statistics on lane splitting accidents, said Officer Scott Yox, and motorcycle riders say there is no data to support the claim that lane splitting is more dangerous than sitting behind a car in traffic.
The most common source of concern, according to Yox, is "who would be at fault" in an accident between a car and a motorcycle that was lane splitting.
"It's the responsibility of both the motorcyclist and motorists," Yox said. "If there's a motorcyclist coming down the lane at 5 to 10 mph and someone fails to look into their mirror, then it very well may be the driver's fault."
"However, if a motorcyclist is splitting lanes at a high rate of speed, they're not allowing other motorists time to see them."
Despite a lack of rules on the subject in California, motorcycle riders who split or share lanes can be ticketed if they're not driving safely. The basic speed law in California says a person cannot drive faster than conditions warrant.
"So, if freeway traffic is crawling at 5 mph and a motorcycle is passing between cars at 25-plus mph, then that's a clear violation of the law," Yox said.
Vehicle code sections on unsafe passing and lane changes can also be used to cite unsafe lane splitters, he said.
The history of lane sharing is not well known, but many law enforcement officers and motorcycle enthusiasts say it may have come about because most older motorcycles have air-cooled engines.
"In the past, you had to keep air flowing over the engine or they would overheat," said CHP motorcycle Officer Frank Dalao, who also rides off-duty. "That seems to be the main reason it got started."
Dalao says he does not normally split lanes while on-duty, but it is sometimes necessary to quickly reach an accident site on the freeway.
"You never really want to go more than 10 mph over the speed of traffic, so if traffic is going at 5 mph, you don't want to go past 15 mph," Dalao said. "Make sure your headlight is working and pay attention to other drivers. A lot of times you can tell what a driver is going to do or whether they see you by watching them and where they're looking."
Lane splitting is illegal in most other states, although lawmakers in Washington and Texas recently drafted bills that would allow the practice in congested traffic.
Other states, such as Oregon, do not have specific regulations prohibiting lane splitting, but they do have lane use regulations that make the practice illegal, with penalties for "failure to drive within a lane" or "depriving a motorcycle or moped use of a full lane."
Lane sharing is common in many other countries including Australia, where it is called lane filtering.
Richter, who has legally split lanes in Japan and Germany, says commuting on his motorcycle saves money on gas and lane sharing cuts roughly 30 minutes from his travel time from southern Los Gatos to Milpitas.
"My only request to other drivers is that they follow traffic laws and common sense while driving," he said. "Things like using turn signals, checking blind spots, etcetera, mean that I'll get home to my daughter that day."
Bikers and auto drivers split on lane sharing
By Kelli Phillips
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
A commuter might call it lane splitting or lane sharing, the difference usually depending on the number of wheels beneath them.
Lane sharing, or riding a motorcycle between lanes of traffic, is legal only in a few states, including California, and has long been a source of contention between riders and drivers.
"Some people feel like I'm cutting in line or that I'll delay their commute somehow," motorcycle rider Bill Richter said. "I'm not going to make them take any longer to get to their destination because I'm not cutting in their line. I have my own line, just like the express lane at the grocery store."
To the dismay of many vehicle drivers, California law does not define or prevent lane sharing. The practice is permissible on freeways and surface streets provided it is done "in a safe and prudent manner," according to California Highway Patrol guidelines.
"There was an attempt at one point to sort of define it in California law, but it didn't happen," CHP Officer Scott Yox said. "I've heard motorists call it lane splitting, and if you're a motorcyclist, I think lane sharing gives it a little softer aspect."
Many drivers who prefer four-wheeled transportation decry the practice as unsafe for motorcycle riders and vehicle passengers alike.
"It scares me when they come zooming up between lanes," said Liz Martin of El Cerrito. "You look in your mirror and go to change lanes and suddenly there's a motorcycle right there. I try to be cautious, but it just doesn't seem safe."
The CHP does not keep official statistics on lane splitting accidents, said Officer Scott Yox, and motorcycle riders say there is no data to support the claim that lane splitting is more dangerous than sitting behind a car in traffic.
The most common source of concern, according to Yox, is "who would be at fault" in an accident between a car and a motorcycle that was lane splitting.
"It's the responsibility of both the motorcyclist and motorists," Yox said. "If there's a motorcyclist coming down the lane at 5 to 10 mph and someone fails to look into their mirror, then it very well may be the driver's fault."
"However, if a motorcyclist is splitting lanes at a high rate of speed, they're not allowing other motorists time to see them."
Despite a lack of rules on the subject in California, motorcycle riders who split or share lanes can be ticketed if they're not driving safely. The basic speed law in California says a person cannot drive faster than conditions warrant.
"So, if freeway traffic is crawling at 5 mph and a motorcycle is passing between cars at 25-plus mph, then that's a clear violation of the law," Yox said.
Vehicle code sections on unsafe passing and lane changes can also be used to cite unsafe lane splitters, he said.
The history of lane sharing is not well known, but many law enforcement officers and motorcycle enthusiasts say it may have come about because most older motorcycles have air-cooled engines.
"In the past, you had to keep air flowing over the engine or they would overheat," said CHP motorcycle Officer Frank Dalao, who also rides off-duty. "That seems to be the main reason it got started."
Dalao says he does not normally split lanes while on-duty, but it is sometimes necessary to quickly reach an accident site on the freeway.
"You never really want to go more than 10 mph over the speed of traffic, so if traffic is going at 5 mph, you don't want to go past 15 mph," Dalao said. "Make sure your headlight is working and pay attention to other drivers. A lot of times you can tell what a driver is going to do or whether they see you by watching them and where they're looking."
Lane splitting is illegal in most other states, although lawmakers in Washington and Texas recently drafted bills that would allow the practice in congested traffic.
Other states, such as Oregon, do not have specific regulations prohibiting lane splitting, but they do have lane use regulations that make the practice illegal, with penalties for "failure to drive within a lane" or "depriving a motorcycle or moped use of a full lane."
Lane sharing is common in many other countries including Australia, where it is called lane filtering.
Richter, who has legally split lanes in Japan and Germany, says commuting on his motorcycle saves money on gas and lane sharing cuts roughly 30 minutes from his travel time from southern Los Gatos to Milpitas.
"My only request to other drivers is that they follow traffic laws and common sense while driving," he said. "Things like using turn signals, checking blind spots, etcetera, mean that I'll get home to my daughter that day."
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from me for this article. Looked to be good press, by presenting the legality of it, the enforcment of it, and the need for motorists to be cautios and courteous.
