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Lane splitting/filtering

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According to this cop is not illegal in Texas. But if done dangerously they will ticket you.


http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/24...gh-san-antonio-traffic-then-posts-to-facebook
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Well that LEO might want to ask his department counsel about
Transportation Code Section 545.060,
An operator on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic: shall drive as nearly practical entirely within a single lane; and
may not move from the lane unless that movement can be made safely.
Click to expand...

Any officer that chooses to cite you for lane sharing can and will likely do so..and is supported by current law on the books from what i understand talking with DPS, DPS MSU representatives. I could be worng :giveup: but it's the best info I could get from subject matter experts.
Not saying its black and white, clearly and legally laid out either way, just that the laws support citing a rider.
Some here and that officer in the quote may choose to ignore that, but it does not change what is real.

Want lane sharing here in Texas????
Get the laws changed/
Educate the majority of the driving public.
Educate the minority of the motorcycling public that wish to lane share.

And you have a recipe for success here in Texas.:-D

Hint... Typing words on the internet in a motorcycle forum will do none of the above.
 
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E.Marquez said:
Want lane sharing here in Texas????
Get the laws changed/
Educate the majority of the driving public.
Educate the minority of the motorcycling public that wish to lane share.

And you have a recipe for success here in Texas.:-D

Hint... Typing words on the internet in a motorcycle forum will do none of the above.
Click to expand...

One may also practice "civil disobedience."

Doing lane splitting in the "proper manner" may show some that it's not the end of the world and mass chaos, if motorcyclists do lane split.

I do doubt however there being a lane splitting protest, or lane splitting day demonstration happening. You'd need such a thing for civil disobedience to truly change things.
 
El Fenix said:
One may also practice "civil disobedience."
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So long as those practicing "civil disobedience." are willing to accept the consequences of their actions.. I'm all for it.

Done in an organized, public, announced, safe, respectful manner, it would play toward the Educating the general public.:giveup:

Done as a entitled rider who believes in "Because I can, I do" level of common courtesy and respect for others.. .. best of luck to you in court fighting your "unjust " citation. Oh and I understand your insurance claim will be ready soon.
 
E.Marquez said:
So long as those practicing "civil disobedience." are willing to accept the consequences of their actions.. I'm all for it.

Done in an organized, public, announced, safe, respectful manner, it would play toward the Educating the general public.:giveup:

Done as a entitled rider who believes in "Because I can, I do" level of common courtesy and respect for others.. .. best of luck to you in court fighting your "unjust " citation. Oh and I understand your insurance claim will be ready soon.
Click to expand...

If you've studied the history of civil disobedience, then you would know that one has to be willing to accept the consequences for defying the established order.

See also Ghandi, MLK, et. al.
 
El Fenix said:
If you've studied the history of civil disobedience, then you would know that one has to be willing to accept the consequences for defying the established order.

See also Ghandi, MLK, et. al.
Click to expand...

Sorry Yes I have, and NO, those that choose civil disobedience do not have to (nor many times ARE THEY) willing to acknowledge and accept the consequences.

Look at the most recent acts of civil disobedience for clear support of my position.

Id suggest you research more recent (and reflective of our current society) acts and events that had civil disobedience if you wish to discuss it as an option for lane sharing.
 
E.Marquez said:
Even better.. Understand how the law works in USA states..

You don't write a law to make something legal... Laws make things illegal.

So IOW... if there is not a law that makes an act illegal, by default, its legal.

So it is not that lane sharing is "legal" in CA... it is simply that the state has not yet written a law that outlaws it.

Yes the CHP removed its public service message and guidelines about lane sharing....said guidelines never did , nor will have any effect on what is legal... They are just words that some administrative agent thought were a good idea to put up as a public service.
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E.Marquez said:
Well that LEO might want to ask his department counsel about


Any officer that chooses to cite you for lane sharing can and will likely do so..and is supported by current law on the books from what i understand talking with DPS, DPS MSU representatives. I could be worng :giveup: but it's the best info I could get from subject matter experts.
Not saying its black and white, clearly and legally laid out either way, just that the laws support citing a rider.
Some here and that officer in the quote may choose to ignore that, but it does not change what is real.

Want lane sharing here in Texas????
Get the laws changed/
Educate the majority of the driving public.
Educate the minority of the motorcycling public that wish to lane share.

And you have a recipe for success here in Texas.:-D

Hint... Typing words on the internet in a motorcycle forum will do none of the above.
Click to expand...

Both of these are correct. I don't know about the rest of the states, but I do know about Cali, and Texas. In both states lane splitting is not specifically legal or illegal. And I know all the arguments going on right now in Cali about it being legal, etc.. The thing is there are no specific laws prohibiting it in either state.

In Cali what you have is a law about reckless driving, and lane splitting can be considered reckless driving. You can be cited under that statute for lane splitting. CHP was kind enough to basically de-criminalize lane splitting by saying "Here's what we consider to be non-reckless lane splitting. Play by these guidelines, and we'll leave you alone." Very kind of them.

Texas on the other hand, as shown by E.Marquez... does have a law stating that your vehicle can only occupy 1 lane at a time. This is what most officers will cite you for if your lane splitting. This law does not specifically make lane splitting illegal. Realistically your motorcycle is only ever in one lane at any given time, during lane splitting. However, the law is a bit ambiguous. For example, I know of a case where an officer wrote someone a ticket under this, because their mirror was over the line, thus their vehicle was "occupying two lanes." The person was not lane splitting, just swerved in the lane to avoid something, and got on the yellow line in doing so. Officer said his mirror was sticking over into the other lane.

So on the legalities... it's not really illegal but there are laws on the books in which you can get cited for in doing it. Both here and in Cali. What we need, is as stated, Rider and Cager education on lane splitting, and Texas DPS and other LEO agencies in TX, to do as CHP did, and to say "Play nice, and we'll leave it be."
 
After last summer's extended west coast ride, I began lane splitting in earnest when I got back to Houston. I'd noticed a couple of regular lane splitters on my commute and figured I'd give it a shot, but I have some rules:

Traffic has to be at a stand still or darn near it
I do not telegraph my intentions, I just go
I carefully size up the drivers around me before taking off

Several weeks ago, a jam up near Rosenberg on I10 had eastbound traffic at a standstill all the way back to Columbus :eek2: I was unfortunate enough to be headed back to Houston at the same time. I picked my way thru a few cars at a time until I spotted this older gentleman on a 'wing zipping along the center line. He literally tipped his hat as he passed and I decided to give it a shot....managed to keep moving all the way to Rosenberg. No one tried to kill me ( miraculously) and I even noticed the 18wheelers sliding over to give me room to pass!

Is lane splitting in Houston, Texas a good idea? Probably not, but then again neither is riding a motorcycle.
 
In Austin, I've had people make room for me as I've moved by them. Splitting in Austin, for me, is less dangerous than sitting in bumper to bumper or slow stop and go traffic. I will split every single time. LEO's that I pass don't give me a second look.
 
MsBehavin said:
Is lane splitting in Houston, Texas a good idea? Probably not, but then again neither is riding a motorcycle.
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:clap: Probably the most truthful statement I've seen in a lane splitting discussion. But then, if we were the most sensible bunch, we'd all be driving Volvos.
 
Volvo...safe cars for bad drivers.

Juxtaposed to the F150s and BMWs terrorizing the roads, if there is a vehicle causing a traffic slow down it is usually a Buick or a Volvo.
Except when it is a group of squids blocking the road so they can video their shenanigans. :duck:
 
Love it! This has turned into a great discussion. I will continue lane splitting in stand still traffic. Slowly and carefully, as always.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 
New study out from California DOT on the topic.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article3204990.html

A yearlong California study of motorcycle lane-splitting has concluded the practice is no more dangerous than motorcycling in general, if the rider is traveling at speeds similar to or only slightly faster than the surrounding traffic.

The maneuver becomes more dangerous, however, when a motorcyclist is speeding or riding more than 10 mph faster than the traffic the cyclist is passing.
Click to expand...
 
cheez said:
New study out from California DOT on the topic.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article3204990.html
Click to expand...

or riding more than 10 mph faster than the traffic the cyclist is passing.
Click to expand...

Which is common and the whole point of it..from what i observe

if traffic is snarled ..stop and go, the motorcyclist are commonly moving more, to much more then 10 miles per hour faster than said stop and go traffic.

I'm all for adults being able to make an informed adult , educated decision....So lets let the cards fall where they do..

Lane splitting as it is typically done when I see it in California (I lived there for 19 years, I visit 2 times a year or so, I ride there once a year at least) ...with a 10 mph or more speed differential than surrounding traffic.. is more dangerous than that same motorcycle moving with the flow of traffic. ... But so what... if the rider knows that, and chooses to lane share anyway.. let um
 
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I can't imagine trying to go 20mph faster than the cars..
 
Me either but guys that do that stuff ware what gives the practice of doing it a bad rap. I think as long as you are gently passing cars with very little noise or fanfare a lot of people won't respond negatively but if you have really loud pipes or are hauling butt that is what road rages people. I know a lot of the hardly ableson riders love their loud pipes but when am going down the roadway in my truck I'll usually do everything I can to either get one of us past the other in order to kill the racket.
 
If the mirror incident is true, then every driver is guilty. All of us have changed lanes and for a split second were in two lanes. Except for judges that ignore the law and support the police, this seems like an easy ticket to beat.



QUOTE=willk675;1282117]Both of these are correct. I don't know about the rest of the states, but I do know about Cali, and Texas. In both states lane splitting is not specifically legal or illegal. And I know all the arguments going on right now in Cali about it being legal, etc.. The thing is there are no specific laws prohibiting it in either state.

In Cali what you have is a law about reckless driving, and lane splitting can be considered reckless driving. You can be cited under that statute for lane splitting. CHP was kind enough to basically de-criminalize lane splitting by saying "Here's what we consider to be non-reckless lane splitting. Play by these guidelines, and we'll leave you alone." Very kind of them.

Texas on the other hand, as shown by E.Marquez... does have a law stating that your vehicle can only occupy 1 lane at a time. This is what most officers will cite you for if your lane splitting. This law does not specifically make lane splitting illegal. Realistically your motorcycle is only ever in one lane at any given time, during lane splitting. However, the law is a bit ambiguous. For example, I know of a case where an officer wrote someone a ticket under this, because their mirror was over the line, thus their vehicle was "occupying two lanes." The person was not lane splitting, just swerved in the lane to avoid something, and got on the yellow line in doing so. Officer said his mirror was sticking over into the other lane.

So on the legalities... it's not really illegal but there are laws on the books in which you can get cited for in doing it. Both here and in Cali. What we need, is as stated, Rider and Cager education on lane splitting, and Texas DPS and other LEO agencies in TX, to do as CHP did, and to say "Play nice, and we'll leave it be."[/QUOTE]
 
IMHO and having lane split in Europe for 30 years, we are a long way from having safe or legal lane splitting in Texas. Main reason being the standard of driving in TX is not up to the level of most European countries. We tend to. Treat driving as a right in Texas and the test standard and level of driver education is lower than most European countries. When we make it a privilege to drive and insist people earn their licenses we may see safe lane splitting. We will certainly see a drop in mortality rates generally. Just go check the road deaths in UK compares to Texas and then factor in there are 4 times as many people in a buddy little island to figure out driving standards need to improve first. My first attempt at lane splitting in stopped traffic ended up with horns and people yelling at me outbid stopped cages. Drive friendly the Texas way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I just saw and did some lane splitting Friday near the stadium in Arlington. Worked just fine. *shrug*
 
YoDoc said:
I just saw and did some lane splitting Friday near the stadium in Arlington. Worked just fine. *shrug*
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I tried in East Texas[emoji50] location, location, location[emoji1]


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I think what most cage drivers fear is a moron like this one- but like with gun laws, filtering laws don't stop these guys.

Caution, violent (assumed) death.
[ame="http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=30e_1420200169"]LiveLeak.com - Not An Unexpected Ending.[/ame]
 
Like anything, relative speed has a lot to do with your success in it. I could see doing it around Arlington, Irving (along the GB) and other locations where there is a lot of extra space to turn to, but then again, I wouldn't be at the redline in any gear... Probably at most 10 to 15 mph faster than anyone unless things are just at a dead stand still, and even then probably just not much faster than enough to be making forward progress in first gear or a little above idling in second...... Just to keep from burning my nards off and stuff on super hot days.
 
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