Motorcycle lane-splitting rules unveiled

A motorcyclist lanesplits during evening commute on Highway 24 on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. A motorcyclist lanesplits during evening commute on Highway 24 on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Motorcycle lane-splitting rules unveiled 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Motorcyclists who slide between cars on crowded Bay Area roads and zip to where they're going faster than everyone else - while infuriating more than a few drivers - now have the official blessing of the California Highway Patrol.

The practice, called lane-splitting, has always been legal in California. But state authorities have never, until now, told motorcyclists how to weave the white line safely.

California is the only state in the country where lane-splitting is legal.

"Really, it has been limited anarchy out there," said Sgt. Mark Pope, statewide motorcycle safety coordinator for the CHP. "Nobody has provided any guidance, so we decided it was time to figure that out."

The new rules, which the CHP introduced in January after consulting with other state agencies and motorcycle-rider groups, apply to city streets, highways and freeways across the state.

"Basically, what we're most interested in is the speeds," Pope said. "You should lane-split no faster than 10 mph over the speed of traffic around you, and we recommend (motorcyclists) not split at all if the traffic is faster than 30 mph."

'Guidelines make sense'

Bay Area motorcycle commuters said the rules sounded sane and sensible.

"I used to be a little crazy when I rode, but not anymore," said Alex Bond, 53, who rides a Harley from his home in Richmond to downtown San Francisco five days a week and saves 30 minutes to an hour by lane-splitting most of the way. "I think the guidelines make sense; honestly, I don't lane-split above about 30 anymore."

Jon Jaiks, 50, of Oakland said that if the new rules mean a crackdown on some of his more aggressive fellow riders, that would be all for the good.

"I'm kind of glad they did that, because I've seen some guys go by at 40 mph," he said. "A little clarity helps. I drive respectful, but not everyone does."

CHP officers have always had the legal authority to ticket motorcyclists who were driving dangerously fast, Pope said, but the new rules are designed to provide specifics.

"You can still get a ticket for doing it unsafely," Pope said, referring to lane-splitting. "If a car can get a ticket for it, a motorcycle can as well."

Pope isn't just an enforcer - he's also a rider who often lane-splits on his Kawasaki Concours C14 while commuting in Sacramento.

He realizes that some car drivers see lane-splitters as borderline cheaters cutting ahead of others, but he says the practice is actually safer for motorcyclists than politely staying in line in a lane.

Motorcyclists "are not trying to be obnoxious or rude" when they lane-split, Pope said. "They don't have air bags or crash cages, so they're trying to protect themselves. What we see more often than motorcyclists being involved in lane-splitting accidents is we see motorcyclists running into the backs of cars."

Improved visibility cited

Bond, who has been riding since 1986, agrees that the greater threat comes from not lane-splitting.

"If I am on the line, then people can see me in their mirrors," he said. "It's when I get behind them in the lane that the drivers don't see me in their side mirror - all they see is an open space and, whoa, they move right in."

Bond said more than a few angry drivers have cut him off or blared their horns.

"I assume I've startled them," he said. "I mean, I can be noisy revving my engine right there sometimes."

Safety, of course, isn't the only advantage to lane-splitting.

"I wouldn't own a motorcycle if I couldn't do it," said Phil Cramer, 46, a data analyst who rides city streets between Potrero Hill and downtown San Francisco.

"I mean, that's the point."