The Insane (or Brilliant) Practice of Lane Splitting

© Ken Bingenheimer / RumBum.com

Lane splitting is common is Europe, but unless you're in Europe, you should think twice.

Compared to the rest of the U.S., California is like another country. Like Europe, to be exact. That is to say, California is the only state in the U.S. that allows lane-splitting, something Europeans take for granted.

What is lane-splitting? It’s when motorcycles and scooters cruise through stopped traffic in the space left between lanes. It helps those on two wheels get where they’re going a whole lot faster than those on four, and is an inducement to ride a bike. It also annoys the heck out of some of those four-wheeled cagers who feel it is somehow unfair to them. “Why don’t they have to be stuck in traffic like the rest of us?” seems to be the attitude.

Even motorcyclists in the U.S. are divided on the concept, with many feeling that the danger far outweighs any advantage it offers, while others would give their first born to have their state legalize it as California has done. The fact that California bikers wholeheartedly endorse lane-splitting suggests that familiarity with the practice allays the fears.

If you really want to see this phenomenon in action, Paris is the place to go. Traffic flows through the streets but as soon as a light turns red the scooters and motorcycles start filtering up to the front. The longer the light stays red the more two-wheelers collect, positioning themselves in front of any cars. On the green they shoot off and down the street in a pack, leaving the four-wheelers in their dust. It goes on constantly, everyone knows how it works, and it doesn’t look dangerous at all.

Proponents of lane-splitting argue that it has numerous benefits. In addition to allowing those doing it to reach their destinations quicker, it reduces traffic congestion by reducing the number of cars on the road, and that reduces fuel consumption and air pollution for everybody. It also reduces parking needs, as scooters and bikes use less space to park and often park in places where cars cannot.

Of course, there are very real dangers associated with the practice. If a bike is coming up the middle and a car changes lanes just at that moment the results can be ugly. The same with opening a car door. For that reason, lane-splitters follow sensible protocols, some of which are legally mandated. For instance, in some jurisdictions lane-splitting is only permitted if traffic is stopped or going slower than 15 miles per hour. Plus, where lane-splitting is legal, drivers are familiar with it and know to look for splitters before making potentially hazardous moves.

That doesn’t mean all drivers like it. I once wrote a piece once entitled “Share the road, not my lane,” where I told about a driver who pulled into my oncoming lane to pass someone in his lane, regardless of the fact that I happened to be using that lane. He apparently thought I didn’t need the whole lane since I was just on a motorcycle. What surprised me were the comments the piece received from people who were downright hostile. “We’ll leave you your whole lane only if you stop encroaching on ours by racing up between lanes of traffic,” was the gist of what they said. I noticed that these comments were coming from places where lane-splitting is allowed. That made me realize that there are other views on the matter, with some degree of validity.

I’d like to see more how lane-splitting works in California before arguing for other states to allow it. In Europe they tend more toward scooters and small bikes than we do here, and while a Vespa can easily slip between two cars, that really doesn’t sound like a good idea for someone on a GoldWing or some big Harley touring bike. And I suspect that at first, if a state legalized it, it would be more dangerous, at least until everyone got accustomed to it.

This is not an issue that is likely to heat up anywhere this year, but someday it may be coming to your locale. And keep it in mind if you go to California and you suddenly find yourself a riding buddy.