08-19-2015, 02:18 AM
(08-19-2015, 01:45 AM)RetroSeattle_imp Wrote: Washington State recently enacted legislation that was supposed to allow lane splitting, but at the last minute it was re-written by a non-motorcyclist into something ridiculous and unsafe -
"The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken, except on the left-hand side of a vehicle traveling in the left-most lane of traffic on a numbered state highway identified in chapter 47.17 RCW that has two or more lanes of traffic in each direction if the operator of the motorcycle is traveling at a rate of speed no more than ten miles per hour over the speed of traffic flow and not more than twenty-five miles per hour."
By the way, I've spent a lot of time on California highways, and it's my observation that 75% of riders lane split in an idiotic and unsafe manner. I'm always pleasantly surprised when I see someone doing it right. Several times I've been "dive bombed" by some idiot with open pipes screaming by at 90 MPH and it can be a frightening experience.
I lived in Spain for several years and found that lane splitting is a way of life. The car drivers even spread out to make way when they see you in the mirrors! My commute to work in a car was 40 minutes, lane splitting cut it down to 15 minutes on my BMW R1150R.
there is nothing more frightening than sitting in your car and a very loud motorcycle screams by at more than 30 MPH than traffic. As a driver I never like lane splitting so as rider I never lane split. It is a matter of choice, I treat my bike like a car and ride as such