California Bill AB 51 Codifying Lane Splitting To Be Introduced To Committee

5146 Views 48 Replies 15 Participants Last post by blitze, Jul 3, 2016

motorcycle.com

Discussion Starter · Jun 6, 2016

Here at MO, we are strong proponents of lane splitting. Not a day goes by in which we don’t filter between the lines of slower moving or stopped cars. In the process, we’re also easing congestion and protecting ourselves from being rear-ended by distracted drivers. So, naturally, we were excited last year when we heard of California bill AB 51 was making the rounds in an effort to codify the act of lane splitting by giving it a set of clear rules for riders to follow. One of the primary benefits of the rules would be that they would make it possible to educate the driving public about lane splitting.

Unfortunately, the bill was pulled last July at the request of its author, California Assemblyman Bill Quirk, because of fears that it would not pass. Since that time, Quirk has worked on changing the language of the bill to a form that will improve its chance of passing. According to LaneSplittingIsLegal.com, an organization devoted to promoting lane splitting, the wording has changed to a much less specific recipe for legal lane splitting to a more generalized one. The result is a bill that maintains lane splitting’s legality by virtue of not being explicitly illegal while giving the CHP the option of developing and distributing educational guidelines for riders and the driving public to better understand safe lane splitting.

In a mockup of the amended version of AB 51 produced by LaneSplittingIsLegal.com, the specifics of the top speed and the speed differential between the motorcycle and other traffic have been removed. In their place, the mandate for CHP to create guidelines to educate the public is inserted: 'The California Department of Highway Patrol may develop educational guidelines relating to lane splitting in a manner that would ensure the safety of the motorcyclist and the drivers and passengers of the surrounding vehicles.'

Additionally, the agencies that the CHP is to consult in developing the guidelines includes not only the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Transportation, and the Office of Traffic Safety, but it also lists the requirement of consulting with a 'motorcycle organization focused on motorcyclist safety.' So, we assume the organization selected would be either the AMA or the MSF, giving actual motorcyclists an active say in the development of lane splitting guidelines – which is very good news!

These changes were scheduled to be submitted to committee yesterday, May 31, 2016, but at the time of publication, the bill’s page on the California Legislative Information website had not been updated. Interested parties can track the progress of the bill there. California residents who want to contact their representative can search here. Those who want to contact Assemblyman Quirk’s office can visit his web site.

Read more about the California Bill AB 51 Codifying Lane Splitting To Be Introduced To Committee at Motorcycle.com.

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What will actually happen is the State of California will make it so that motorcycle riders that want to lane split will have to take a class that they have to pay for then pay for an annual permit or require special lane sharing insurance to be allowed to lane split legally etc. Everything in this state is ultimately designed to generate revenue and this will be no different. They should have just left the it all the hell alone where lane sharing was acceptable plain and simple because once the politicians get their hands the ability to write the law they will do it in a way that totally ruins the spirit of the law as it was intended. The worst part is I guarantee it will somehow negatively affect motorcyclists while doing absolutely NOTHING to inform cage drivers of the new law or the considerations for the riders.

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nakedinseattle

· #3 · Jun 7, 2016

Just be glad you have lane splitting. Washington and Oregon just both shut down lane sharing bills in the past 2 years. It's insanely frustrating.

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LDH

· #4 · Jun 7, 2016 (Edited)

I am... It's kinda funny as I have been coming to California since 2000 working the WSBK/motoGP vendor booths etc at Laguna and when I first started coming out here I always said that I would never split lanes like these idiots do, but after having moved here in 2008 I'm the first idiot at the front of the line when the light goes green
:grin2:

In fact I only ride a motorcycle on the street purely as a commuter in times of heavy traffic. I never ride for recreation or enjoyment on public roads... During events like World SBK or the Concourse Delegance at Pebble Beach etc it can take a couple hours or more to drive home on a commute that should be only 20-25 minutes so when that happens I ride to work solely so I can split lanes and get somewhere in a reasonable amount of time.

and I do it on the trusty olde F4i which is bright enough for most people to see me coming in their mirrors

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tdh

· #5 · Jun 7, 2016

Yes but does it have a loud pipe? Loud pipes save lives you know.

[/sarcasm]

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LDH

· #6 · Jun 7, 2016

tdh said:
Yes but does it have a loud pipe? Loud pipes save lives you know. [/sarcasm]

Originally it did! M4 High Pipe that was borderline obscene for noise even on a 600

I needed a lower mount though for the saddle bags I was going to use on a long trip with the wife that we never took so I installed another newer M4 model and it is MUCH quieter

One of these days though when I find myself with some spare time I will install this one-off Sato Racing Prototype with the GP can that I am sure will endear me to the neighbors when I leave the house at 6:30am :wink2:

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TechX

· #7 · Jun 7, 2016

The biggest issue with lane splitting is the cost to educate all the brain dead cagers.

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White Fang

· #8 · Jun 7, 2016

motorcycle.com said:
Read more about the California Bill AB 51 Codifying Lane Splitting To Be Introduced To Committee at Motorcycle.com.

Thanks for that.

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1WardogUSMC

· #9 · Jun 7, 2016

That's good gouge. Thank you.

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1WardogUSMC

· #10 · Jun 7, 2016

Btw, did you really post pics of a Honda on a Kawi site...

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LDH

· #11 · Jun 8, 2016

1WardogUSMC said:
Btw, did you really post pics of a Honda on a Kawi site...

Oh yes... I've learned if you want your e-penis to reach maximum girth on the internet you must have bikes from all different brands and it is even more important to post them on these spam type threads from the masters of monopoly on the motorcycle forums:grin2:

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scout

· #12 · Jun 8, 2016

tdh said:
Yes but does it have a loud pipe? Loud pipes save lives you know. [/sarcasm]

They do, no joke.

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scout

· #13 · Jun 8, 2016 (Edited)

LDH said:
What will actually happen is the State of California will make it so that motorcycle riders that want to lane split will have to take a class that they have to pay for then pay for an annual permit or require special lane sharing insurance to be allowed to lane split legally etc. Everything in this state is ultimately designed to generate revenue and this will be no different. They should have just left the it all the hell alone where lane sharing was acceptable plain and simple because once the politicians get their hands the ability to write the law they will do it in a way that totally ruins the spirit of the law as it was intended. The worst part is I guarantee it will somehow negatively affect motorcyclists while doing absolutely NOTHING to inform cage drivers of the new law or the considerations for the riders.

When the old guy that run BARF site kept spouting off to the CHP to officially support lane sharing, everyone that always splits knew the the CA gulag stupid dorks would weasel in. But no way will they pass your tax scheme.

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scout

· #14 · Jun 8, 2016 (Edited)

LDH said:
I am... It's kinda funny as I have been coming to California since 2000 working the WSBK/motoGP vendor booths etc at Laguna and when I first started coming out here I always said that I would never split lanes like these idiots do, but after having moved here in 2008 I'm the first idiot at the front of the line when the light goes green
:grin2:

In fact I only ride a motorcycle on the street purely as a commuter in times of heavy traffic. I never ride for recreation or enjoyment on public roads... During events like World SBK or the Concourse Delegance at Pebble Beach etc it can take a couple hours or more to drive home on a commute that should be only 20-25 minutes so when that happens I ride to work solely so I can split lanes and get somewhere in a reasonable amount of time.

and I do it on the trusty olde F4i which is bright enough for most people to see me coming in their mirrors

Can't lane split at all unless totally dialed in. I share all the time unless the read looks off, then just fall in to see what sorts.

I share all the time and can report that CA cagers are most excellent around bikes. Sac must butt out and shut up and get lost.

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tdh

· #15 · Jun 8, 2016

scout said:
They do, no joke.

If that's the case then they should be pointed forward instead of backward.

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White Fang

· #16 · Jun 8, 2016

scout said:
Can't lane split at all unless totally dialed in. I share all the time unless the read looks off, then just fall in to see what sorts.

I share all the time and can report that CA cagers are most excellent around bikes. Sac must butt out and shut up and get lost.

Me too. I like it. Got to be so focused, though, harder than doing track days by far.

CHP motors have a huge stake in all this. It helps them. CHP was way cool to me when I needed the blue sticker for my Gen4 frame. Totally down with the bike. They lane-share constantly. Most motor officers take their rides home, too, so their families are involved.

CA was gonna require smog checks on all m/c's a while back, that got crap-canned. Even CA knows when too much is too much, admin costs would have been so high, enforcement impossible.

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mr_honez

· #17 · Jun 8, 2016

nakedinseattle said:
Just be glad you have lane splitting. Washington and Oregon just both shut down lane sharing bills in the past 2 years. It's insanely frustrating.

TechX said:
The biggest issue with lane splitting is the cost to educate all the brain dead cagers.

That is the problem with lane splitting and states that have never had laws for it. The populace would need to be educated, and it would take a LONG time to do so. In the mean time, the dead/injured motorcylists would pile up, road rage incidents would go way up, and LE would have to spend a lot of their shift going to those calls. I'm not saying that it is not a good law, it's just for states that have never had the law it would be problematic.

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Siwa

· #18 · Jun 8, 2016

mr_honez said:
That is the problem with lane splitting and states that have never had laws for it. The populace would need to be educated, and it would take a LONG time to do so. In the mean time, the dead/injured motorcylists would pile up, road rage incidents would go way up, and LE would have to spend a lot of their shift going to those calls. I'm not saying that it is not a good law, it's just for states that have never had the law it would be problematic.

Australia never had lane splitting laws. Then they introduced them like last year or something. We've had no big dramas or deaths.

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White Fang

· #19 · Jun 8, 2016

CA never had a lane splitting law. Motorcyclists just started doing it decades ago because it made sense. It became accepted practice. Law enforcement also did it. So motorists in urban areas especially were just accustomed to it.

The few people who groused about it were informed there was no law specifically against it, so it was tolerated. For as long as I can remember the guideline has been no more than a 10 mph speed differential, and no blatantly reckless driving.

What CA is trying to do now, with the real push from LE on motors, is to educate and define. As scout said the vast majority of motorists are perfectly acclimated to lane sharing. Once in a great while some asshat (probably from out of state) will try to squeeze me out. Way more often people move over. No problem.

Motorcyclists are not going to be assassinated right and left, unless the culture in other states is incomprehensibly backward and angry. But the motoring public in areas not used to this will have to be educated because they aren't used to seeing m/c's coming alongside them. Drivers will be scared. Scared people get angry. Angry people do stupid stuff. That's the problem.

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mr_honez

· #20 · Jun 8, 2016

Siwa said:
Australia never had lane splitting laws. Then they introduced them like last year or something. We've had no big dramas or deaths.

You also don't have American drivers. I've dealt with them for 23+ years in my profession, and can say that a lot (though not all) do not share the road well with other cars, much less motorcycles. Add traffic congestion and road rage and you have a mix that has the high potential for tragedy. I am but a lowly minion of the state but have seen far too many accidents and fatalities involving motorcycles and just foresee bad things here. Actually was in a couple with one almost taking my own life. Neither saw me and were blissfully unaware that I was there. While it may work well in Oz, and frankly other countries as well, I don't think it would go as smooth here. I speak for Texas, so Oregon and Washington drivers (and other states) may have better results than what I have seen here.

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