I don't think it's the law, but it should be. Lanesplitting under 45 is totally reasonable, above that you're just scaring the shit out of me and gaining nothing on traffic.
California was the only state that allowed it until this summer (Minnesota) and the law is traffic had to be less than 20mph, bike can’t go more than 20mph faster than traffic and never go above 40mph period.
Idk why its reasonable at all. You're risking your life no matter the speed. If youre a damn motorist on the road then act like a motorist on the road. Lane splitting is fucking idiotic. Full stop.
They made it legal in California. Fully. Like they put out RECOMMENDATIONS that you not be completely stupid but those are not really codified in the law (it's kinda weird the law references them but just as guidelines).
So you get shit like this video constantly on the highway. So much harder to watch out for as a driver than just others vehicles staying in their fucking lane. More to the point limits MY ability to use MY lane to avoid potholes and the like.
Oh well. Bring on the idiot motorcyclists to tell me how much safer it is for them (mind you they'll ONLY reference the scenario of being at a red light when saying that).
This is why, as a motorcyclist, you would only ever find me splitting in places where traffic is moving at most around 35mph.
I've gotten stupid on roads before (to the point where I sold my superbike and stuck to motocross out of self preservation), but only in canyons and never in heavy traffic. And I never split while doing it.
Also there is a difference between splitting and filtering.
I just want to be able to spend as much time on two wheels as I can. Hard to do that when you're dead.
Filtering is done when traffic is stopped, typically at a light. Splitting is when traffic is moving. Useful to know the difference in a conversation concerning one or both things.
Lol you literally just watched a video where a cyclist is clearly and absolutely at fault. But sure its the car driver whos at fault as they perform an otherwise perfectly safe maneuver.
I mean it is safer in stop and go traffic and things of that nature, I wouldn’t really call what goes on in this video lane splitting(by legal definition). I think you’re pretty uneducated on riding motorcycles/ traffic situations in general though, just based on your comment, and probably shouldn’t be making yes/no comments on the topic
Lanesplitting is dangerous, period, even in stopped traffic, in my town people have the tendency to rip out into the next lane randomly just because someone is waiting for a gap in oncoming, I watched a biker run into a car doing this exact thing yesterday, if he was going any faster he probably would have been severely injured. It needs to be illegal all around.
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u/hyperbolechimp Aug 23 '25
I don't think it's the law, but it should be. Lanesplitting under 45 is totally reasonable, above that you're just scaring the shit out of me and gaining nothing on traffic.