OFF THE WIRE
THANKS MCANSG
https://www.facebook.com/MCANSG?fref=nf
The article highlights states "Motorcycle groups oppose the measure".
Not true. Although we don't need any more laws, since there is pending
legislation, we would prefer the practice to be codified into law so
that there is legal clarity and so funding can be made available for
driver education and rider awareness campaigns on the practice.
One way or another, legislation is inevitable and legalizing lane
splitting is far better than having other politicians trying to make
it illegal. Our disagreement with this specific bill was in the
interpretation of the current UC Berkeley study that basically supports a
50 mph speed limit AND a 15 mph differential equaling a max of 65
mph...NOT... a 35 mph with a 15 mph delta equaling a max of 50 mph. We
are talking about executing an increase of speed, up to the speed limit
while splitting until we get to a safe spot in traffic, not blowing by
cars at higher speeds just to pass them. Essentially, driving in a safe
and prudent manner (up to the posted speed limit) was what we always
sought.
Quirk, however,
knowing that unless the CHP was in agreement with the bill, the risk of
Governor Brown vetoing it was high. Apparently, there are concerns with
either the implementation of the law or the speed limit. This
postponement give us more time to try and convince the bill author,
Senate Transportation Committee members and the Governor's office that
not only is Lane Splitting safe and critical in saving lives, but that
speeds higher than 50 (up to the posted speed limit) present no greater
risk than lower speeds.
http://www.sacbee.com/…/…/capitol-alert/article26620264.html
By Jim Miller
jmiller@sacbee.com
California legislation that would make it clear that motorcyclists
can split lanes of traffic has been tabled for the year, several weeks
after it
passed the Assembly with bipartisan support.
The author of
Assembly Bill 51,
Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward, will continue to work with
stakeholders and resurrect the bill in 2016, the second half of the
Legislature’s two-year session, a spokeswoman said. The measure faced a
July 17 deadline to clear its first Senate policy committee.
Lane
splitting is illegal in every state but California, which does not
expressly allow or prohibit the practice. An estimated 80 percent of
California motorcyclists split lanes, but it remains controversial among
motorists, prompting authorities to publish lane-splitting guidelines
in early 2013. They pulled them back after objections that there had
been no formal rule-making process.
Quirk’s bill would essentially
put those guidelines into law. Motorcyclists could split lanes at
speeds of no more than 50 miles per hour. They also could not drive more
than 15 miles per hour faster than the vehicles around them. Bipartisan
Assembly majorities backed the measure, which had Assemblyman Tom
Lackey, R-Palmdale, a former California Highway Patrol officer, as a
joint author.
But the measure found no fans among motorcycle
groups, who called the proposal overly restrictive. There already is
widespread acceptance of lane splitting in California, they said. The
Personal Insurance Federation of California backed the measure, saying
lane-splitting rules would help reduce injuries and improve public
safety.
A May study by UC Berkeley’s Safe Transportation Research
and Education Center found that, of the nearly 6,000 motorcycle
accidents in California from June 2012 through August 2013, about 1,000
involved lane-splitters. Those motorcyclists were more likely to be
riding during commute hours, wearing better helmets, and riding at lower
speeds, according to the study.
There have been two previous
attempts to regulate motorcycle lane splitting in the Golden State.
Elsewhere, there have been unsuccessful efforts to allow lane-splitting
in Nevada, Oregon and Texas. In Arizona, lawmakers passed a
lane-splitting bill but it was vetoed.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article26620264.html#storylink=cpy
