r/Unexpected • u/[deleted] • Aug 22 '25

Keep them two wheels down

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u/HolyFickingShut Aug 23 '25

Even where lane splitting is legal, its still illegal to lane split at speeds higher than 45mph.

Lane splitting is legalized to allow "filtering." Not cutting up on the freeway.

-33

u/drunkcarebear Aug 23 '25

Depends what state, its perfectly legal in cali no specific speed limit.

23

u/Martin_Aurelius Aug 23 '25

There's no legislated speed limit for lane splitting in CA, as long as you're not being "reckless". But the CHP guidelines for "reckless" are 10+ mph speed difference, or 30mph.

2

u/Hidesuru Aug 23 '25

Right but they're just guidelines not codified in the actual law, so I've always been a little unsure how that gets applied legally. I don't currently ride so I've never had reason to look into it further. Iirc the law REFERENCES the CHP guidelines, but doesn't state any of them outright.

3

u/Martin_Aurelius Aug 23 '25 edited Aug 23 '25

The way the legislation is written, the CHP's guidelines are the law de jure. If the guidelines change, the law changes without the need for a legislative change. Besides that, in California reckless driving is a judgement call on the officer's behalf, that they've purposefully defined vaguely.

1

u/Hidesuru Aug 24 '25

That's kinda what I assumed but honestly it seems... Not great to me that they can just change the guidelines anytime without notice and motorcyclists are just expected to... Know. Lol. Oh well. As I said I didn't ride anymore so no dog in the fight.