Second commute to work

[peterbaron]

A lawyer once told me that lane splitting in CA is neither legal or illegal. I generally try and avoid lane splitting but sometimes you must move especially during heavy traffic. I always try and go only as fast as I can reasonably react to a vehicle cutting in front of me. Lane splitting gets a bad reputation because a lot of guys simply ride way too fast in between cars scaring drivers and getting themselves into unnecessary accidents.

Lets consider this typical scenerio in California where lane splitting is neither legal or illegal:
* on a two lane hwy, traffic is moving slowly at 15 miles/hr. A motorcyclist is splitting lanes with the speed of 18 miles/hr. Two drivers checked their mirrors and their cars, at the same time, swung 1 foot closer to the center line to check traffic ahead. Motorcyclist jams between 2 cars, falls down and due to his injury becomes paralyzed from chest down.
* All parties have witnesses on their side.
* The question is: who is guilty?

This is why, I've never split lanes and ever will.