CA Lane Splitting Bill SB 350 is Officially Dead

[Surj]

I wrote back in October that Senator Jim Beall's bill to regulate lane splitting in California was expected to die without further movement in January 2014. The deadline has passed, and SB 350 is dead. :thumbup

This is awesome news, but we're also likely to see similar legislation down the road due to a subset of riders that refuse to take it easy when splitting. Lane splitting is an easy target for politicians looking to score points with California drivers who are frustrated with “idiots on donor-cycles” that “come out of nowhere” and “weave in and out of traffic” and “cut in line.”

Broken record time: riders must be good ambassadors for lane splitting and motorcycling in general. Adhering to the CHP lane splitting guidelines is a good start: keep your speed differential reasonable, don’t split when traffic is moving too fast, maintain a consistently high awareness of your surroundings on the road. Those of you who split crazy-fast and regularly hit mirrors while crying about how the “damn cagers” are always cutting you off—cut it out.

If you want to read more about SB 350 and other lane splitting legislation, here's a bunch of stuff.

 

[Breaking Daniel]

Score one for the home team!

 

[budman]

Nice. :thumbup

I agree that some politician looking for fame will try again.

 

[bunz]

Keep Calm
:ride On

 

[dravnx]

Egg Sa Lent!

 

[Map8]

Thanks for the update and all your work on this issue. :thumbup

 

[IAmA M0t0r Ridεr]

Good news

 

[Hooli]

:applause

 

[VroomVroomVroom]

Very great words of advise on how to and not to lane split/share!

I've recently seen some pretty wild lane splitting maneuvers around town:

*a black Duc weaving in and out of traffic at a light to get to the front, granted it was a hot day and the bike sounded really nice too but, by the time he got done punching it and doing a little lane split weave he was doing about 100mph

*similar incident on an expressway, guy with loud CBR600 rushes to the front of stopped traffic to take off first, using excessive speed to do so

I'm seeing more and more intersections having solid white lines between lanes where I used to see dashed lines... pretty sure that may be a signal to ward off us motorcyclist going to the front!

I'm all for motorcycles and smaller vehicle traffic but, it's a fine line between doing something good and being obtrusive. So be careful out there!

 

[oldapeman]

Vvv, I agree with your concern about splitting at high speed, but disagree with the idea that splitting to the front at redlights is bad form. This is a very normal practice in sf, eastbay and marin. Yougotaoproblemwiddat?

 

[VroomVroomVroom]

Vvv, I agree with your concern about splitting at high speed, but disagree with the idea that splitting to the front at redlights is bad form. This is a very normal practice in sf, eastbay and marin. Yougotaoproblemwiddat?

Oh, I must have come across the wrong way there. I am totally for motorcycles going to the front at lights. I was just a little disappointed to see a few intersections around town that had solid white lines as I approached the front while splitting in stopped traffic.... that's all. I think there should be more incentives for riding motorcycles and two wheeled vehicles. 'Cuz I luv 'em!

 

[Burntturkey]

Whats the difference between broken white lines and solid lines?

The lines that divide the lane?

 

[MZarra]

As I understand it, you are not supposed to cross a solid white line. Just like the fog lines on the outside of the road.

However, since the law is we can share a lane as opposed to split lanes, the issue is mostly moot. Share the lane with one car and you are not crossing a solid white line.

 

[IAmA M0t0r Ridεr]

I thought only double solid (edit: white) lines are an issue. Otherwise how could one drive into the diamond lanes? I drive/ride completely ignoring single white lines sometimes, say when merging. I take it as advisory lines for reference, not for strict no touch rule, agains, how else would one go to diamond lanes, or cross across some sharred/bike lanes to make a turn or just early lane change for an upcoming turn? See a market st...

 

[pt65]

i believe it is NOT illegal to cross a solid white line.

 

[budman]

I too believe it is illegal to cross a solid white line unless turning into a DW.

 

[Cabrito]

I've been ticketed for crossing a solid white line.. This was many years ago.. I respect the solid white line ever since...

 

[packnrat]

would be good if there is a way to educate the riders from nevada.
lane sharing requires two or more lanes in the same direction.
not using the shoulder on the rd to pass traffic.

making bad mojo for all riders.