This is still a debatable topic, especially the safety aspect of splitting, filtering or sharing. Here in California we have been doing this for many years. It became officially legal in 2017. For the most part (In California) motorist are very good at moving over. Of course we get that one driver that see us coming and refuses to move over. We split, share, or filter a lot, but only do it when traffic is heavy, at a stop or very slow moving. We refuse to spilt in other states (even if it becomes legal) until drivers get use to seeing motorcycles passing between the lanes.
I'm not confident that we would ever see it here in PA. Even if we were to start slow with a strict form of filtering, I just don't see it going over well with other motorists. There are a lot of spiteful drivers on the road and I could see people deliberately making it difficult or unsafe for motorcycles in PA.
Lots of research you did there, Walt. 👍 Great job! When we were in California last summer in gridlock on the freeway near San Bernardino, several times cyclists blew by us ..I guess they were filtering based on your definition. With their speed, it didn't seem very safe and they seemed to come out of nowhere. 🤷♀️ As far as "driving too fast for conditions" in PA, I think that citation is used frequently and handed out in instances where there is an accident and the accident may have been avoided if the driver had just been driving a bit more slowly. Nice research! Happy new year 🎉
Thanks! The research is still ongoing 😂 After I recorded this video, I was talking to a friend of mine who is in Law Enforcement. He is going to try and get me a list of the associated fines. It sounds like that is standardized through Pennsylvania (I'd imagine the amount isn't written into the law so that it can be adjusted as necessary). I don't think I'm brave enough to lane split. I'm just not trusting enough of the vehicles around me, and it seems like a lot could go wrong.
I think the biggest thing for lane splitting or filtering is the lanes of travel are not wide enough. California lanes from my understanding are wider to allow for lane splitting. Plus I think the driver in Pa will move closer to the line just so you can’t get by.
It’s not about saving yourself time and frustration, it’s about staying alive with 90% of the population on their phones while driving (not illegal here in PA), it’s highly dangerous for a motorcyclist to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. That’s why it’s legal in other places, not for the sake of time or convenience. PA needs to get on board
Texas needs some version for sure. 100 degree heat in the summer is brutal on bikers. I just want to lane filter in heavy traffic to get on up to a light or traffic jams. It's technically not legal here, many do it, but the good ol boys don't often like it and get mad. In jams cars will intentionally pull over on the shoulder to stop bikes from passing.
I was going to work and was in the right lane and the left lane ends and goes into mine we were coming to a stop and a car next to me tried to run me off the road literally Self preservation I took the shoulder and as I got to the light it changed green I was gone Luckily the state police in that area are relaxed and barely hang out
CA lane splitting rules are pretty simple. When traffic slows or stops the motorcyclist can split lanes only between the #1 and #2 lanes at 10 mph faster than traffic but only up to a max speed of 30 mph. Shoulder use for splitting is illegal. A motorist that impedes a motorcycle by blocking or opening a door will be cited if caught. Now in reality most riders dont follow these rules which makes us look bad. Local CA drivers mostly move a little to the left to give room which is great, tourists and automated vehicles haven't got the memo. System works great around the world, maybe here in the US someday.
I lived all over Walt, lane splitting is allowed in Massachusetts,Connecticut,Utah, and Oregon. That being said, I’m posting a video November first. I was behind someone driving way under the speed limit for miles. I lane filtered past him right in front of a Lancaster cop. I recorded the whole incident.
I think the only law that’s motorcycle friendly in Pa is that if you wait a reasonable amount of time at a traffic light and it doesn’t change you can run the light.
Should be legal here, and I know its been suggested at least in NJ, but it always gets shot down really quickly. BTW, Arizona now allows filtering. It went into effect a few months ago.
It should be 50 state legal, it's dumb that it isn't. I have done it many many times when riding in CA, wish I could do it everywhere. But it takes time for drivers to get used to it, so I imagine it will take a few years in the states it is newly legal in, to get used to it.
Filtering should be legal everywhere - around here though, if you could split lanes... you'd get wrecked by some dumbass cager who's jealous of you. Although, there's so many on their phones here that they stop with plenty of space to get in front of them at lights, sneaking into Pole Position!
This is a real shame on pretty much your whole nation dude...They are 1 of most riders favourite parts of being a biker here in the UK! 😮 Ok, I can't really speak for others, but I just love it! 👍😂
I hate both! Full Disclosure - I'm an MSF RiderCoach. Mind you, that has nothing to do with my opinion. Having been riding for over 30 years, I see so many new and or young or just arrogant riders being extremely reckless as it is but then you let them split/filter and you're asking for trouble. I see the common general common sense and efficiency of it and I love that, but that's not reality. Reality is car drivers are selfish, complacent and distracted. Considering how small and thin the bike's profile is, it is already hard enough to get them to see you under the BEST, CLEAREST and SAFEST conditions. That's why we tell our students to "Ride like you're invisible," in other words, ride as if every car cannot see you. Now here's the reverse side of the coin. I've been to California and I've driven a car on the roads and highways and a majority of motorcyclists are not splitting/filtering properly. Basically, they all have the "F**k you! Outta my way!" attitude. I can't tell you how many riders I almost hit because they really did come out of nowhere! Remember...I'm a coach and a rider. I have a 6th sense at this point. I'm always looking for bikers. I think in 10 years the accident stats will catch up and we will see that it has done more harm than good. I hope it doesn't become legal in any other states.
Read More about Lane Splitting and Filtering on The WaltInPA Blog
www.waltinpa.com/can-motorcycles-drive-between-cars-in-pa/
This is still a debatable topic, especially the safety aspect of splitting, filtering or sharing. Here in California we have been doing this for many years. It became officially legal in 2017. For the most part (In California) motorist are very good at moving over. Of course we get that one driver that see us coming and refuses to move over. We split, share, or filter a lot, but only do it when traffic is heavy, at a stop or very slow moving.
We refuse to spilt in other states (even if it becomes legal) until drivers get use to seeing motorcycles passing between the lanes.
I'm not confident that we would ever see it here in PA. Even if we were to start slow with a strict form of filtering, I just don't see it going over well with other motorists. There are a lot of spiteful drivers on the road and I could see people deliberately making it difficult or unsafe for motorcycles in PA.
Lots of research you did there, Walt. 👍 Great job! When we were in California last summer in gridlock on the freeway near San Bernardino, several times cyclists blew by us ..I guess they were filtering based on your definition. With their speed, it didn't seem very safe and they seemed to come out of nowhere. 🤷♀️
As far as "driving too fast for conditions" in PA, I think that citation is used frequently and handed out in instances where there is an accident and the accident may have been avoided if the driver had just been driving a bit more slowly. Nice research! Happy new year 🎉
Thanks!
The research is still ongoing 😂
After I recorded this video, I was talking to a friend of mine who is in Law Enforcement. He is going to try and get me a list of the associated fines. It sounds like that is standardized through Pennsylvania (I'd imagine the amount isn't written into the law so that it can be adjusted as necessary).
I don't think I'm brave enough to lane split. I'm just not trusting enough of the vehicles around me, and it seems like a lot could go wrong.
@@WaltInPA that all makes a lot of sense! Keep on researching. 😁👍
I think the biggest thing for lane splitting or filtering is the lanes of travel are not wide enough. California lanes from my understanding are wider to allow for lane splitting. Plus I think the driver in Pa will move closer to the line just so you can’t get by.
It’s not about saving yourself time and frustration, it’s about staying alive with 90% of the population on their phones while driving (not illegal here in PA), it’s highly dangerous for a motorcyclist to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. That’s why it’s legal in other places, not for the sake of time or convenience. PA needs to get on board
Texas needs some version for sure. 100 degree heat in the summer is brutal on bikers. I just want to lane filter in heavy traffic to get on up to a light or traffic jams. It's technically not legal here, many do it, but the good ol boys don't often like it and get mad. In jams cars will intentionally pull over on the shoulder to stop bikes from passing.
I was going to work and was in the right lane and the left lane ends and goes into mine we were coming to a stop and a car next to me tried to run me off the road literally
Self preservation I took the shoulder and as I got to the light it changed green I was gone
Luckily the state police in that area are relaxed and barely hang out
Filtering should be legal everywhere. I've done it at spots where I could. Splitting should be too, however most riders do it at an unsafe speed.
CA lane splitting rules are pretty simple.
When traffic slows or stops the motorcyclist can split lanes only between the #1 and #2 lanes at 10 mph faster than traffic but only up to a max speed of 30 mph. Shoulder use for splitting is illegal. A motorist that impedes a motorcycle by blocking or opening a door will be cited if caught. Now in reality most riders dont follow these rules which makes us look bad. Local CA drivers mostly move a little to the left to give room which is great, tourists and automated vehicles haven't got the memo. System works great around the world, maybe here in the US someday.
A very good video Walt on a highly debated issue. I have mixed emotions about but I've never filtered in my life before. Eric
Lane Filtering pass in the house here I'm Georgia but Governor veto it
its not allowed in Kansas and I'm mixed on it. I think I would filter up to the front of a stop light, but at speed I get worrisome.
I could get behind filtering in stopped or slow moving traffic (10mph or less) but I just don't trust my fellow motorists enough beyond that.
I lived all over Walt, lane splitting is allowed in Massachusetts,Connecticut,Utah, and Oregon. That being said, I’m posting a video November first. I was behind someone driving way under the speed limit for miles. I lane filtered past him right in front of a Lancaster cop. I recorded the whole incident.
I think the only law that’s motorcycle friendly in Pa is that if you wait a reasonable amount of time at a traffic light and it doesn’t change you can run the light.
Should be legal here, and I know its been suggested at least in NJ, but it always gets shot down really quickly. BTW, Arizona now allows filtering. It went into effect a few months ago.
what if I'm doin a dank nooner down the line between cars while poundin a monster and yellin YOLO?! Is that legal?
Definitely not, but a cop might let you slide if you swap out the Monster for a Bang Wyldin' Watermelon.
It should be 50 state legal, it's dumb that it isn't. I have done it many many times when riding in CA, wish I could do it everywhere. But it takes time for drivers to get used to it, so I imagine it will take a few years in the states it is newly legal in, to get used to it.
Filtering should be legal everywhere - around here though, if you could split lanes... you'd get wrecked by some dumbass cager who's jealous of you. Although, there's so many on their phones here that they stop with plenty of space to get in front of them at lights, sneaking into Pole Position!
This is a real shame on pretty much your whole nation dude...They are 1 of most riders favourite parts of being a biker here in the UK! 😮
Ok, I can't really speak for others, but I just love it! 👍😂
I hate both! Full Disclosure - I'm an MSF RiderCoach. Mind you, that has nothing to do with my opinion. Having been riding for over 30 years, I see so many new and or young or just arrogant riders being extremely reckless as it is but then you let them split/filter and you're asking for trouble. I see the common general common sense and efficiency of it and I love that, but that's not reality. Reality is car drivers are selfish, complacent and distracted. Considering how small and thin the bike's profile is, it is already hard enough to get them to see you under the BEST, CLEAREST and SAFEST conditions. That's why we tell our students to "Ride like you're invisible," in other words, ride as if every car cannot see you. Now here's the reverse side of the coin. I've been to California and I've driven a car on the roads and highways and a majority of motorcyclists are not splitting/filtering properly. Basically, they all have the "F**k you! Outta my way!" attitude. I can't tell you how many riders I almost hit because they really did come out of nowhere! Remember...I'm a coach and a rider. I have a 6th sense at this point. I'm always looking for bikers. I think in 10 years the accident stats will catch up and we will see that it has done more harm than good. I hope it doesn't become legal in any other states.