Governor Brown Signs AB51 -- we are legal yo~!
- Thread starter budman
- Start date
Press release from Mr. Quirks office
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Bill to Create Guidelines on Lane Splitting is Signed into Law
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Quirk (D-Hayward) and Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R- Palmdale) have successfully granted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) authority to develop educational guidelines on lane splitting.
Lane splitting, which occurs when a motorcycle drives between rows of stopped or moving traffic, is a gray area in California law. This is because statute is silent – California does not explicitly allow it, but also doesn’t explicitly prohibit this behavior.
Recognizing the need to develop guidelines as an education tool for drivers, the CHP convened a committee of traffic safety stakeholders and motorcycle safety experts in 2012. However, an individual filed a complaint that the guidelines were underground regulations. At the suggestion of counsel, CHP removed the guidelines from its website and the Department of Motor Vehicles removed them from the Motorcycle Handbook.
“Removal of the guidelines left a huge gap with regards to traffic safety. CHP had to curtail all education and outreach efforts on lane splitting,” Assemblymember Quirk explained. Last year he partnered with Assemblymember Lackey, a retired California Highway Patrolman, to introduce Assembly Bill (AB) 51.
AB 51 clarifies that the CHP does have authority to develop educational guidelines on lane splitting. It further asks that they convene a group of stakeholders to provide their expert opinion in the drafting of the guidelines. “There are motorcyclists that lane split safely and others that disregard all safety considerations – those are the drivers this bill will help the most,” Assemblymember Quirk stated.
“California took a groundbreaking step today as the first state to formally allow motorcycle lane splitting,” said Assemblymember Lackey. “More importantly, we are now giving riders and motorists clear guidance on when it is safe. This is a huge win for roadway safety.”
“I am thrilled to see that California, is once again, at the forefront of common-sense road safety legislation. Signing of this bill will bring legitimacy to this practice and help to keep our roads safer and our drivers – both motorcyclists and motorists – better educated.” Assemblymember Quirk commented upon learning his bill was signed.
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Bill to Create Guidelines on Lane Splitting is Signed into Law
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Quirk (D-Hayward) and Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R- Palmdale) have successfully granted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) authority to develop educational guidelines on lane splitting.
Lane splitting, which occurs when a motorcycle drives between rows of stopped or moving traffic, is a gray area in California law. This is because statute is silent – California does not explicitly allow it, but also doesn’t explicitly prohibit this behavior.
Recognizing the need to develop guidelines as an education tool for drivers, the CHP convened a committee of traffic safety stakeholders and motorcycle safety experts in 2012. However, an individual filed a complaint that the guidelines were underground regulations. At the suggestion of counsel, CHP removed the guidelines from its website and the Department of Motor Vehicles removed them from the Motorcycle Handbook.
“Removal of the guidelines left a huge gap with regards to traffic safety. CHP had to curtail all education and outreach efforts on lane splitting,” Assemblymember Quirk explained. Last year he partnered with Assemblymember Lackey, a retired California Highway Patrolman, to introduce Assembly Bill (AB) 51.
AB 51 clarifies that the CHP does have authority to develop educational guidelines on lane splitting. It further asks that they convene a group of stakeholders to provide their expert opinion in the drafting of the guidelines. “There are motorcyclists that lane split safely and others that disregard all safety considerations – those are the drivers this bill will help the most,” Assemblymember Quirk stated.
“California took a groundbreaking step today as the first state to formally allow motorcycle lane splitting,” said Assemblymember Lackey. “More importantly, we are now giving riders and motorists clear guidance on when it is safe. This is a huge win for roadway safety.”
“I am thrilled to see that California, is once again, at the forefront of common-sense road safety legislation. Signing of this bill will bring legitimacy to this practice and help to keep our roads safer and our drivers – both motorcyclists and motorists – better educated.” Assemblymember Quirk commented upon learning his bill was signed.
gixxerjeff
Dogs best friend
BOOOYAAA!!!
artyartyarty
Thanks for all the work!
(you guys know who you are)
artyartyartyThanks for all the work!
(you guys know who you are)
Smash Allen
Banned
Great news! Thanks for all the hard work you put in Budman, Surj, et al.
Sharky
Well-known member
I preferred being at the mercy of the cop pulling me over and the "reasonableness" test. Now we are going to get a bunch of chickenshit guidelines that only outline how the tickets are written when you exceed some arbitrary parameter.
One step closer to ruining the last good thing here besides the weather and sooner or later those gov't dirtbags are going to mess that up too.
One step closer to ruining the last good thing here besides the weather and sooner or later those gov't dirtbags are going to mess that up too.
El Feo
Rich Kid on LSD
You're a bitter little man, aren't you?
GAJ
Well-known member
Great job helping make this happen Dennis. :thumbup
clutchslip
Not as fast as I look.
Repost from the other thread. I am just a "Copy & Paste" kind of guy.
Oh, BABY! If I was up-to-it, I would spend all day looking for traffic to split throughout Northern California.arty I hope the media gets the word out, too.
Some :banana for Surj.
:ride :afm199
:ride
Oh, BABY! If I was up-to-it, I would spend all day looking for traffic to split throughout Northern California.
arty I hope the media gets the word out, too.Some :banana for Surj.
:ride :afm199
:ride
madsen203
Undetermined
So does lane splitting mean that you have to be between two lanes or does it still act as lane sharing and you ride within the lane?
This would be key to know about pulling up to a red light on a single lane filtering to the front sharing the lane.
Does it state that the two lanes you split have to travel in the same direction?
TIA
This would be key to know about pulling up to a red light on a single lane filtering to the front sharing the lane.
Does it state that the two lanes you split have to travel in the same direction?
TIA
