Lane splitting now legal in TX

[St0nkingByte]

You lucky dogs. It did pass right?

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/7...t/HB01522I.HTM

(a) An operator on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic:
(1) shall drive as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane, except as provided by Subsection (e); and
(2) may not move from the lane unless that movement can
be made safely.
(e) The operator of a motorcycle may operate the motorcycle for a safe distance between lanes of traffic moving in the same direction during periods of traffic congestion if the operator:
(1) is at least 21 years old;
(2) has successfully completed a motorcycle operator training and safety course under Chapter 662;
(3) is covered by a health insurance plan providing the operator with at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries incurred as a result of an accident while operating a motorcycle;
and
(4) operates the motorcycle:
(A) at a speed not more than five miles per hour over the speed of the other traffic;
(B) in traffic that is moving at a speed of 20 miles per hour or less; and
(C) in a location other than a school crossing
zone or other than a location where the posted speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.

It is interesting to note the legislatures assumption that you are at higher risk when lane splitting and thus the extra age/training/insurance requirements.

[87gsxrnut]

Dunno.

- Nut

[nhoel]

at least it makes it explicitly legal to do lane sharing/splitting... 2 states where it's alright!!! Now if we can have the other ones between california and texas to agree then i'd be able to do it all the way...

[Graubart]

No, sadly, it didn't pass. I don't have the details, but there is a lot of chatter about it on some of the Texas biker sites.

[MickED]

Granted it is nice to have some legality behind what can be a real traffic hassle when you can clearly make some decent progress.
My question is: Is it safe? Convenient yes, but there is more risk involved in doing it.
Thoughts?
MickED

[St0nkingByte]

They tried to pass lane splitting here in WA last year but it died in committee.

[Graubart]

When I posted, I said "sadly it didn't pass." I guess that I shouldn't have used the word "sadly" because I am one that would be very reluctant to do it even if it were legal.

I can't imagine our Texas drivers watching out for motorcycles that were legally splitting lanes before they changed lanes. They don't watch for each other now, why would I expect them to watch out for me on a bike?

[drgibson]

Originally Posted by Graubart

When I posted, I said "sadly it didn't pass." I guess that I shouldn't have used the word "sadly" because I am one that would be very reluctant to do it even if it were legal.

I can't imagine our Texas drivers watching out for motorcycles that were legally splitting lanes before they changed lanes. They don't watch for each other now, why would I expect them to watch out for me on a bike?

I'd never do it, some cager'd open the door just for spite.

[ForbidInjustice]

When I first looked at that "new law", I got a little excited.. but then I realised.. [agreeing with a couple people above], even if it were legal, I wouldn't do it. So many people don't like motourcyclists anyway, because they don't think that we belong on the road.. so they may see it as a chance to make us crash. Then you will see the conveniently pointed finger at us bikers, and they will say that we "shouldn't have been riding between traffic".. you know?

.. and whoever wins the legal battle between us two.. it doesn't even matter, because I crashed my bike, and probably racked up a few injuries!



Ride on wind!

[FIVEINCH]

I, for one, would not feel safe splitting lanes here after having ridden around San Angelo. The roads are in dire need of repair and maintenance. Limit lines are faded or gone, the roads are slurry coated so the lanes actually have tread marks from where the cars and trucks have worn them slick.

Overall, these raods are a bad environment for testing your luck with someone driving more lug-nuts than you.

[md2lgyk]

I've been riding more than 30 years. Even if lane splitting were legal here, I'd never do it. It's just plain stupid and dangerous.

[MidLifeCrazy]

It take all to make the world go round! I was with 2 friends and my wife (yeap shes a friend too) on our bikes. This was my wife's first ride in the real world, we were sitting at a red light and the light changed and in my rear view mirror here comes a crotch rocket splitting the lane between 4 bikes (2 a breast and cars and a semi in the other lane. Realizing my wife is still new and "wobbles a little" on take off I knew there was going to be a major problem if she wobbled this time. . . . Well luckily she did not and the bike pops a wheelie just as he gets next to the last rider rides it until he is passed us and through the intersection...only took a second or two.

Well by definition he would have been in the right to split the lanes traffic had not moved yet...maybe not as fast as he did, but if something would have happened, people would have been hurt, possibly even been killed.

Lane splitting/sharing is crap! You are taught in MRC that you have to act like a car so people do not squeeze you out of a lane, or not to try and go around you while you are waiting to make a right turn...blah, blah, blah, so if you take that stand, act like a car at the same time and wait your turn in line like all the other cars.

[87gsxrnut]

It works OK in CA. You just have to be smart about doing it.

- Nut

[Scourge]

"all you need is patience....yeaaaaahh". What's the rush?? Emergency situations aside, where is the need?

[MidLifeCrazy]

"being smart about it" constitutes all parties involved will be smart about it. ...Hmm now a days with cell phones, rush around mentality, (sorry if I offend anyone) the many of the young peoples attitude of "I live forever", and now satellite TVs for autos, is everyone in the area going to be "smart about it?"

[87gsxrnut]

I lived and rode there for four years (in the SF Bay Area no less). Unless you have been there, and done it, then I don't think you have the first-hand experience to comment on it. Speculation and innuendo does not a solid argument make.

- Nut

[SuzukiGirl1]

CA Drivers are used to it, so I think that's a big part of it.

If it passed in some other state, once the cagers all caught on that it's now legal and didn't try and run into you, open their door, etc...I think it would work.

[Pay_The_O]

imagine a big touring bike trying to lane split and absolutely clobbering every car it passess, breaking the mirrors off and scratching the sides lmfao

[MagnumForce]

Originally Posted by Pay_The_O

imagine a big touring bike trying to lane split and absolutely clobbering every car it passess, breaking the mirrors off and scratching the sides lmfao

Now, that there is funny! I'm imagining a Goldwing or a Harley dresser right now. I don't think this should be attempted with a Burgman 650 either.

Splitting lanes has been practiced for so long in CA that cagers know when to expect it. Considering the So Cal traffic jams, it is a necessary evil (if you could call it that). I would hate to be stuck in a So Cal traffic jam if motorcycles had to stay in their lanes like cars did.

[nhoel]

Originally Posted by Pay_The_O

imagine a big touring bike trying to lane split and absolutely clobbering every car it passess, breaking the mirrors off and scratching the sides lmfao

Well, that's where you just quit lane splitting... you need a bit more practice controlling your bike... It's our way of riding here in California. In fact, cages here realize the "hardships" of being in a bike... Staying still in the heat of the day or getting really wet in a rainy day is not fun. If you have an aircooled bike, you would want to keep that puppy moving...