CA - Motorcycle lane-splitting rules unveiled

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http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Motorcycle-lane-splitting-rules-unveiled-4270272.php
Motorcycle lane-splitting rules unveiled

MOTORCYCLES
Will Kane Updated 8:53 am, Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Lane-splitting on Highway 24 in Oakland. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle Lane-splitting on Highway 24 in Oakland. A lane-splitting motorcyclist is visible in a car's side mirror last week on Highway 24 in Oakland. Backers of the practice say it makes motorcyclists safer. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle A lane-splitting motorcyclist is visible in a car's side mirror... A motorcyclist lanesplits while traveling along Octavia Blvd. on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in San Francisco. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle A motorcyclist lanesplits while traveling along Octavia Blvd. on... Seen reflected in a side mirror, a motorcyclist lanesplits during evening commute on Highway 24 on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle Seen reflected in a side mirror, a motorcyclist lanesplits during... A motorcyclist lanesplits while traveling along Market St. on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in San Francisco. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle A motorcyclist lanesplits while traveling along Market St. on... A motorcyclist lanesplits while traveling along Octavia Blvd. on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in San Francisco. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle A motorcyclist lanesplits while traveling along Octavia Blvd. on... A motorcyclist lanesplits during evening commute on Highway 24 on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle A motorcyclist lanesplits during evening commute on Highway 24 on... . . . .
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Font Page 1 of 1 Motorcyclists who slide between cars on crowded Bay Area roads and zip to where they're going faster than everyone else - while infuriating more than a few drivers - now have the official blessing of the California Highway Patrol.
The practice, called lane-splitting, has always been legal in California. But state authorities have never, until now, told motorcyclists how to weave the white line safely.
California is the only state in the country where lane-splitting is legal.
"Really, it has been limited anarchy out there," said Sgt. Mark Pope, statewide motorcycle safety coordinator for the CHP. "Nobody has provided any guidance, so we decided it was time to figure that out."
The new rules, which the CHP introduced in January after consulting with other state agencies and motorcycle-rider groups, apply to city streets, highways and freeways across the state.
"Basically, what we're most interested in is the speeds," Pope said. "You should lane-split no faster than 10 mph over the speed of traffic around you, and we recommend (motorcyclists) not split at all if the traffic is faster than 30 mph."
'Guidelines make sense' Bay Area motorcycle commuters said the rules sounded sane and sensible.
"I used to be a little crazy when I rode, but not anymore," said Alex Bond, 53, who rides a Harley from his home in Richmond to downtown San Francisco five days a week and saves 30 minutes to an hour by lane-splitting most of the way. "I think the guidelines make sense; honestly, I don't lane-split above about 30 anymore."
Jon Jaiks, 50, of Oakland said that if the new rules mean a crackdown on some of his more aggressive fellow riders, that would be all for the good.
"I'm kind of glad they did that, because I've seen some guys go by at 40 mph," he said. "A little clarity helps. I drive respectful, but not everyone does."
CHP officers have always had the legal authority to ticket motorcyclists who were driving dangerously fast, Pope said, but the new rules are designed to provide specifics.
"You can still get a ticket for doing it unsafely," Pope said, referring to lane-splitting. "If a car can get a ticket for it, a motorcycle can as well."
Pope isn't just an enforcer - he's also a rider who often lane-splits on his Kawasaki Concours C14 while commuting in Sacramento.
He realizes that some car drivers see lane-splitters as borderline cheaters cutting ahead of others, but he says the practice is actually safer for motorcyclists than politely staying in line in a lane.
Motorcyclists "are not trying to be obnoxious or rude" when they lane-split, Pope said. "They don't have air bags or crash cages, so they're trying to protect themselves. What we see more often than motorcyclists being involved in lane-splitting accidents is we see motorcyclists running into the backs of cars."
Improved visibility cited Bond, who has been riding since 1986, agrees that the greater threat comes from not lane-splitting.
"If I am on the line, then people can see me in their mirrors," he said. "It's when I get behind them in the lane that the drivers don't see me in their side mirror - all they see is an open space and, whoa, they move right in."
Bond said more than a few angry drivers have cut him off or blared their horns.
"I assume I've startled them," he said. "I mean, I can be noisy revving my engine right there sometimes."
Safety, of course, isn't the only advantage to lane-splitting.
"I wouldn't own a motorcycle if I couldn't do it," said Phil Cramer, 46, a data analyst who rides city streets between Potrero Hill and downtown San Francisco.
"I mean, that's the point."
CHP's guide Online: Read the complete lane-splitting regulations at http://bit.ly/XxIRJb
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Motorcycle-lane-splitting-rules-unveiled-4270272.php#ixzz2KmVlzaJb

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http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/feb/11/california-officials-release-written-guidelines-on/
California officials release written guidelines on motorcycle lane-splitting

 By Cheri Carlson  February 11, 2013 at 7:08 p.m.

A motorcyclist uses the Central Avenue onramp to southbound Highway 101 on Monday afternoon in Camarillo. Once in lanes, he can split lanes legally.
Poll.The CHP has issued safety guidelines for motorcycle drivers who do "lane splitting" (passing between cars), which is legal in this state. What's your opinion? Lane splitting should be illegal because it's too dangerous. . Lane splitting is OK as long as it's done safely. . It should be outlawed because it's unfair to car and truck drivers. .
See the results »
View previous polls » Valorie Lant spots the motorcyclists coming down Highway 101 in traffic, passing vehicles in adjacent lanes by driving between them.
The Camarillo woman knows it’s legal and for the most part isn’t too concerned. But she was glad to hear that state officials recently created the first written guidelines on the practice called lane-splitting or white-lining.
“Especially when the traffic is slow ... you have to just really keep your eyes on your mirrors,” said Lant, who drives a car. “You have to be more cautious and conscious of what’s going on around you.”
The California Highway Patrol, along with other state agencies and traffic safety groups, developed the guidelines as part of a highway safety program.
Vote: What's your opinion on lane splitting?
“California is the only state which allows motorcycles to split lanes. That’s because it’s not specifically illegal,” said CHP Sgt. Mark Pope, who helps lead the group focusing on motorcycle safety.
While authorities always said lane splitting was legal when done in a safe, prudent manner, no one ever bothered to define safe and prudent, Pope said.
Before now, an Internet search would have yielded many results on how to split a lane, but most are wrong, and some are scary, he said.
“There was an obvious need for education,” Pope said.
The new written guidelines, posted on the CHP website, carry no legal weight but include tips such as riding between two cars at no more than 10 mph faster than the vehicles and not trying the move in any traffic going faster than 30 mph.
David Hansen, owner of a motorcycle shop in Ventura, said lane splitting in traffic isn’t scary when done safely. He has ridden motorcycles for about 45 years and splits lanes when traffic has slowed or stopped.
“But I do it slowly,” Hansen said. “I try to make sure the person in front of me sees me coming.”
Roy Hooper, president of Cal Coast Riders Motorcycle Club in Ojai, reposted the guidelines for his group.
Hooper “very rarely” splits lanes, he said.
“To me, I didn’t get a motorcycle to get through traffic faster. I got a motorcycle because I love riding,” he said. Other riders who split lanes don’t bother him, as long as they ride safely.
Local car drivers gave mixed views Monday on lane splitting, but most said they thought it was too dangerous.
“It’s dangerous as heck,” said Keith Machtolf, of Camarillo, adding that he thinks lane splitting should be banned on freeways.
About 87 percent of California motorcycle riders reported they split lanes, according to a recent state Office of Traffic Safety survey. The survey also found that half of California drivers knew splitting lanes was legal and that 7 percent said they had tried to block a lane-splitting motorcyclist from passing them.
Hansen said he read a news story about drivers closing gaps to block motorcyclists but that he has never experienced it himself.
“For the most part, I’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “When they see me coming, drivers will pull over a little bit if there’s room.”
The survey findings partly prompted the safety groups to come up with the guidelines, which include messages for car drivers.
Pope said the group also found a lack of comprehensive studies on motorcycle safety. The CHP has started working with UC Berkeley on a 12-month study that looks specifically at motorcyclist behavior involving crashes.
So far, speed and following too close to other vehicles seem to be the leading causes of crashes, Pope said. Splitting lanes is far down the list.
The safety guidelines are at http://www.chp.ca.gov/programs/motorcycle.html. .