California To Legalize Motorcycle Lane Splitting

Motorists overtaken by a motorcycle cruising between lanes have often asked themselves whether this is legal or not.

However, Californian legislation doesn’t punish, nor encourage, this practice, which let it fell into a grey zone, where law enforcement agencies tolerated it, until now that is, as it is expected to become the first state to legalize it, according to LATimes.

The local Assembly members have taken a critical step into this direction by passing a bill, with a 69-0 vote, which authorizes the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to come up with guidelines for motorcyclists on how to do it safely. Proposed by Assembly member Bill Quirk, the bill will now go to Governor Jerry Brown for signature: “No issue is more important to me than roadway safety“, Quirk said.

The original bill proposed by Quirk said that motorcyclists are allowed to split lanes only if the two-wheelers will not move more than 15 mph (24 km/h) faster than the traffic around them and the practice was prohibited at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h). This was attacked by several motorcyclists groups, who found the speed limit to be too low, and by other individuals and groups who consider the practice dangerous at all speeds. Quirk’s revised version gives a basic definition of “lane” and leaves the California Highway Patrol to take care of the rest.

“We think it’s a great idea. It will give the CHP the authority it needs to educate the drivers and riders of California on the safe guidelines“, said Western States Representative of the American Motorcyclist Assn, Nicholas Harris.

California Highway Patrol tried to grab the reins last year, when they published guidelines on motorcycle lane splitting, but this led to a complaint filed by a citizen who believes that the agency should not be allowed to create public policy.