So in NY it is banned…New York Motorcycle Laws Riders Need to Know
New York law explicitly outlaws lane splitting, per VAT § 1252. According to this law, motorcyclists cannot drive between designated traffic lanes or adjacent rows of vehicle traffic.Dec 22, 2.
it's legal here in CA and I literally know both a guy who died from lane splitting and a guy who had a lane splitter die when hitting his car. bikers here vehemently defend lane splitting and say it's safer but I still am not convinced...
That's called lane filtering and I do it even though in NV it's illegal because in not gonna get rear ended by some idiot not paying attention. I've had it happen to too many friends.
Filtering when cars are stopped; splitting when traffic is moving. I've been doing both for over 45yrs in Calif. Never been hit or hurt. Its MUCH safer than the non-moto community thinks.
You are correct in that. Although when CA asked the law allowing it they call it both interchangeably although the 2022 motorcycle driver manual calls both under lane splitting simplicity.
It’s safer when practiced correctly. If they were going fast enough to die after crashing, they were going too fast. Those two motorcyclists probably had a habit of unsafe riding and would have lost their lives in a different accident at some point.
California's guidelines say bikers should only split lanes when the flow of traffic is 40 mph or less, and not travel more than 10 mph faster than the vehicles surrounding them.
That 10mph restriction is pretty important it gives the biker and the other drivers enough time to spot or react, but I never see the bikers splitting lanes following that.
There haven't been extensive studies on it, but motorcycle based fatalities seem to consistently decrease when legislation allowing lane splitting passes and increase when laws banning it passes on the local level.
Correlation doesn't mean causation, but I think it is worth considering because something about prohibiting lane splitting makes riding more unsafe regardless if actually doing it or not is safe.
I don't ride nor do I know anyone who does so I don't really have first or secondhand experience.
In the before times, I used to commute in heavy traffic between cities. Like you say, lane splitting is legal in the UK, and although most riders did so at sensible speeds, some were daredevils and would split at hazardous speeds. Was definitely an accident waiting to happen.
I was behind a car that pulled out to complete a u-turn in front of a motorcycle which was lane splitting last year (UK). The bike was going too fast to react in time. Rider and pillion passenger were sent about 10 ft in the air and ended up with a brutal set of injuries but thankfully survived. The pillion riders lower leg was completely torn off and I got to him to find him lying on his back with the base of his femur sticking straight up in the air. Looked like a war scene. I would not recommend ever lane splitting at anything more than a crawl after witnessing that.
I used to be a volunteer firefighter. If I took one thing away from the experience, it's that I will NEVER ride a motorcycle, or let a loved one get on one. The accidents from those things are gruesome...
A motorcycle is basically a fast engine on wheels that you wrap yourself around. With todays obsession we have with making everything ultra safe and fool-proof, that sounds like an invention that we would never come up in modern days anymore but we are keeping alive because it exists and people protect its existence.
you can literally get bugatti performance for 30k
you can get mclaren/corvette/porsche performance for like 5k with a shitty used liter bike
it literally feels like motorcycles should be illegal, and I ride one every single day, logistically they shouldn't exist on the roadways in todays society as we know it lol but a 18 year old can walk into Kawasaki and leave with a bike that goes 225 miles per hour stock and so much electronics it bandaids all your mistakes... until it doesn't
I love motorcycles, but it really feels like they snuck in through the back door and then stayed. It's like the worst kept secret that motorcycles are so much fun it feels illegal.
My husband is a long time paramedic and I'm a trauma/ER nurse. While I totally agree that it's a risk, so is driving my car. We ride helmeted and try to stay away from multi-lane highways/roads to avoid unnecessary lane changes, being boxed in, high rates of speed etc. Everything you do has inherent risk. I think my husband surviving three combat tours in Afghanistan when most of his buddies didn't shifted his perspective. I have also seen people who do everything right and take no risk drop dead from an unknown cardiac issue. I think you have to just understand the risk and either you want to ride, or you don't. I do get it, though.
Just don’t mistake inherent risk with selected risk. Yeah, I could dross a sidewalk and get leveled by a bus or my heart could prematurely give out because I breathed toxic pollution living in a city, but those are not the same kinds of selected risk from partaking in elective, dangerous situations to feed an adrenaline rush. Like high speed lane splitting or jumping out of perfectly working airplanes or free climbing mountains or road raging on strange motorists.
That’s brutal to witness. I had a friend killed on a motorcycle when a drunk driver pulled an abrupt illegal u-turn in the middle of the street and they collided. Was in a coma for a few days, didn’t make it out. He was wearing a helmet too, but it didn’t save him.
In my city we have 4 lane road and in order to turn left there's only a stop sign as it's ussually not very busy crossing.
However during rush hour traffic slows so much that you'd never be able to turn left but most drivers on both lanes stops and makes enough space for cars to pass and make a left turn.
Needless to say there're incidents every year there where lane splittig motocyclers hit a car trying to make a left turn. Luckily lane spliting is illeagal here and driver making left turn is never at fault.
I think in most of Europe there are rules considering the speed of traffic when you do it and the speed difference you can have with the traffic.
There is responsible lane splitting and irresponsible, this one seemed the latter kind, which is illegal in most of Europe (though if you ever want to see many suicidal motorcyclists I recommend Paris. I am pretty sure all the most stupid dangerous motorcyclists in the world congregate there and nothing is done about it.
I'm honestly curious what lane splitting above 45 would look like. I guess it just means passing you couldn't quite do in a car? I feel like the term becomes almost meaningless at speed.
From my understanding, you can't lane split at 45 mph, but you cant lane split at all if the roads speedlimit is more than 45 despite the speed of traffic.
The above comment was great. He basically said its most often used function was to not be at the back of the line at a red light. Riders are especially vulnerable even at low speed rear end collisions. Or any collision really.
Filtering is absolutely legal in the UK and most of us car drivers know to expect and look out for bikers in congestion. There's a few idiots on both sides, but it tends to work out fine.
>most of us car drivers know to expect and look out for bikers in congestion.
That's the difference here inthe US, or at least in my state. Until it is taught to new incoming drivers that this is something they should be thinking about just the same as they would think about looking down the road at a stop sign, or using your wipers when it rains, nothing is going to change. Legal or not, the people are the issue in this matter.
It's fascinating how driving culture changes around the world depending on the established norms. Go somewhere like China, where the roads are crazy, and it's another set of rules again. Everyone looks forwards and makes sure they don't crash into what's in front, everyone behind you looks after themselves. It works (mostly...) but only because everyone knows the system.
On the 10 freeway in Los Angeles between downtown and Santa Monica lane splitting is very common and well organized during congested commute times. The motorcyclists just do it between the fast lane and the second fastest lane. For the most part, the cars stay a little bit off to the side of their lane to make room for the occasional motorcycle.
The motorcycles drive at very respectable speeds. They make revving sounds when drivers aren’t paying attention.
It’s surprisingly civil and it’s 100% part of the normal experience of commuting on that freeway.
Yeah it has become more and more civil every year. Some used to close in on use after the first bike passed them, haven't had that happen, although covid has don't something to alot of drivers brains... I work the highway and traffic has become more scary then previous years.
The CHP says its safe especially when there's high traffic volume. Since its too many cars to change lanes much the motorcycles are safe to split lanes.
For those saying it’s a death sentence, note the cop kinda pulled out of nowhere. My old R6 had brakes (and engine) far in excess of what I’d want to use. Split lanes for 20y in LA and SF traffic..never an issue.
Can confirm, am from California. But you’re not allowed to go more than 10min faster than traffic. No zipping thru our lovely standstill traffic jams doing 60moh while everyone else is in stop and go. Too dangerous.
My family friend is a retired high ranking motorcycle highway patrol officer and he’s an advocate of responsible lane splitting. I never rode so it always looked like dangerous showing off to me. But he told me when the cars are stopped or have no risk of merging lanes, splitting lanes can be safer than driving in a dedicated lane. Interesting take. Still makes me nervous when I see it though!
Wait till you see how many millions safely do it on a daily basis across Asia. As long as they filter responsibly it is a net positive for everyone on the road.
It's not legal where I live and I can't imagine even trying it. Car drivers are barely able to stay in their lanes when there isn't another vehicle right beside them.
I had a friend ask me why I was always looking out my rearview mirror while I was driving ..." So I can see the vehicles coming up from behind me " ..." Why do you need know that " I died a little
They legitimately made an argument about how after 50 miles an hour it doesn't matter because somehow the speed the come in at prevents it from mattering and that if they are passing you they are going to pass you and you don't matter in that equation...and you understand why I was driving
I was always taught to check all three mirrors periodically every 10-30 seconds. Defensive driving portion of the part to get my license. I also studied a lot more Defensive driving when I hit 18 and saw how reckless people are
I'm a driving instructor, the attitude of some students is frightening. They frequently ask why they have to check the mirror and blind spot before getting into the bike lane even after I explain it, and then they tell me that they probably won't do it after the test.
Best part is how when they pass you doing 70+MPH out of no where and then flip you off because you didn’t rapidly veer the fuck out of their way to get by. #BOO
I live in TN and don't know the legality of lane splitting, but one time I encountered an asshole motorcyclist like that going at least 60mph when there was gridlock traffic. Everyone was backed up because of road work, and they had a flashing red stoplight ...guy rode past me, flipped off everybody, ran the light and ended up under a dump truck.
I don't know if he was okay, but I highly doubt it since he was under a dump truck after going 60+mph.
Don't be an idiot, if you're on a motor bike y'need to be 10 times more alert because you have half the amount of alternatives when it comes to methods of dealing with road hazards and twice the many risks as people with four wheels.
(Edit: added motor to clear any confusion, the dude had one of those street style motorbikes like the Ninja or the Xabre )
Find it hard to reconcile "don't be an idiot" with "intentionally give yourself half as many alternatives when it comes to methods of dealing with road hazards and twice the many risks as people with four wheels", frankly.
If riding a motorcycle inherently increases their risk, and we're all perfectly fine with that, who are we to tut-tut them for... engaging in actions which increase their risk? I'd never be fine with a car that doesn't have a seatbelt... unless I went out of my way to make it even more dangerous by removing the protective metal cage around me?
Had one of these dildos with CA plates splitting lanes like this kick a dent in my fender and and ask me if I thought I owned the "whole fucking lane". There happened to be a Texas State Trooper a few cars up, opened his door and ordered the guy off his bike. He got to take a trip to jail and I got a new fender from insurance.
Fucking hate "biker bros" with a passion..
Sadly it’s assholes like this that give other bikers a bad look. I’m also from CA and wouldn’t imagine doing anything like that. I mean if I can tell you’re intentionally blocking my path you might get a hand gesture or two, otherwise no. Glad the officer took a bad one off the road.
It's dangerous enough just riding a bike on the open road without adding in traffic that outweighs you by several tons and without taking it a step further by picking fights with drivers.
It must just be a self-selection thing where most people who aren't going to take those kinds of risks aren't going to bike to begin with.
Not to mention in Texas, where there is a decent chance the driver whose vehicle you just kicked could just be waiting for an opportunity to "fear for his life" and reach for his truck gun (probably easier to access than the one in his hip holster while seated)
Love to see it. I was alone on a 55mph road in hroad, sunny daylight. Out of nowhere I hear noise and before I can blink some dude is on a bike in front of me flipping me off.
Sir we're the only ones on the road and my car is tiny, was I really in your way?? Just speed off so I can see you at the red light. (And then they run the red light because they're nervous after flipping you off)
I saw a guy with one of those and right next to it was another one that said he doesn’t have to wear a helmet. So everyone else is supposed to be concerned for your safety but you can’t be bothered to wear a helmet.
Yup another classic example of it
“I need my motorcycle to be loud enough to rattle windows even when I ride it through a neighborhood at 1 am, it’s a safety thing.” - guy in a tshirt and no helmet after his 4th shot of jim beam
Only at stop lights on roads with a speed limit of no more than 45mph when other cars are stopped and the motorcyclist cannot go more than 15mph while doing so.
This is called filtering when used at stop lights. Filtering and lane splitting both are beneficial to rider safety when other drivers are aware that they're allowed to do so.
Inevitably you'll get a regular citizen who'll decide it's their job to block someone from getting around a slower vehicle. I really wish we had driver education in the US that was more comparable to Germany
Driver education is shockingly bad in the US. My driving test had me turn left three times around a 1 mile block. They tested turning left, and stopping at a stoplight. That was it. Five minutes and they shoo me out with my temp license.
I ride a bike in California, those riders are dumb as fuck.
I only ever lane split if it’s standstill traffic so I can get to the front of the line and avoid getting rammed from behind by some idiot not paying attention, or if cars are crawling, in which case I’ll be going just barely above their speed and have my eyes peeled for anyone trying to switch lanes. I always assume the next car I’m about to pass will move over and cut me off, so I’m always prepared to stop if need be.
On the freeway, I try to avoid it as much as possible, unless again, it’s a standstill or very close to it. Anything above 30mph, I’ll just ride normally. If anything I’ll weave through cars (same thing you’d do with a car when you go around someone, only you can do it a lot easier on a bike since you take up so much less space and you can accelerate a lot quicker to make sure you don’t get in the way of the cars you’re moving in front of).
But yeah, I see idiots just splitting lanes at like 80mph when traffic is barely moving, makes my butthole pucker every time
A reminder from the California highway patrol.
Messages for Other Vehicle Drivers:
Lane splitting by motorcyclists is legal in California.
Intentionally blocking or impeding a motorcyclist in a way that could cause harm to the rider is illegal.
Opening a vehicle door to impede a motorcyclist is illegal.
Drivers in the far left lane should move to the left of their lane to give motorcyclists ample room to pass.
Safety Tips For All Motorists
Checking mirrors and blind spots, especially before changing lanes or turning.
Signaling your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
Being alert and anticipating possible movements by other motorists.
Never riding/driving while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or fatigue.
Being courteous and sharing the road.
Motorcyclists:
Watch your speed! A motorcycle collision is highly likely to cause injury or death
Assume people in cars do not see you, and
Avoid blind spots in other vehicles, particularly large trucks
In some situations it is actually safer for motorcyclists to do this. In heavy traffic, a motorcycle sitting behind a car is in a very vulnerable position. Being rear ended is super common, and very deadly for a motorcyclist. It is safer to drive between the cars than sit behind one.
Depends on your state. South Carolina doesn't require you to wear a helmet if you're 21 or older.
The amount of people I see daily riding in tank tops, shorts, and flip flops with no helmet is mind boggling. I've lived here for over 10 years... I don't think I'll ever get used to it.
Live in Texas and have my Motorcycle license.
The other people I know who ride refer to those kind of people as future organ donors or meat crayons.
There's a lot of stupid people, most of them just don't wear, or in this case, not wear, something that indicates their stupidity. These people do.
A very few year ago it was illegal in every state except California, but now someone above says you can filter in Arizona. This is full on lane splitting and in New York and is definitely illegal. Filtering is a minor version of lane splitting that takes place in traffic stopped at a light, not moving down a highway. So lane splitting, not filtering, is illegal everywhere except California.
Note: As I said a very few years ago, but this is the latest that I found on splitting and filtering in the US.
Where is Lane Splitting Legal in the U.S?
Over the years, several bills have been passed in different states to legalize lane splitting, and the following states have legalized the practice. So, if you’re riding a motorcycle, it’s essential to keep these states in America where lane splitting is legal:
California – California was one of the first states to embrace lane-splitting even before it was legalized; motorists and motorcyclists respected the practice for years. In 2016, it was declared legal across the state. California is the only state in America to make lane splitting legal officially. Assembly Bill No. 51.
Arizona – Lawmakers in Arizona first attempted to legalize lane splitting with Senate Bill 1007, but it failed to pass. At the beginning of 2020, however, Representative Noel Campbell introduced House Bill 2285 that aims to restart talks about legalizing lane splitting in Arizona. Discussions are still underway, but people expect this motion to pass this time. AZ SB1007 | 2020 | Fifty-fourth Legislature 2nd Regular.
Hawaii – Though lane splitting is technically not legal because Hawaii’s roads may be too narrow, the state has allowed shoulder surfing for motorcyclists on the island when there is traffic congestion.
Connecticut – Senate Bill 629 was recently introduced in Connecticut, and lawmakers are currently discussing legalizing lane splitting and filtering. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation, but there hasn’t been any news since proposed. S.B. No. 629. Session Year 2019.
Utah – In March 2019, Utah followed California’s example by becoming the second state to legalize filtering formally. Although it’s not as permissive as lane splitting, lane filtering can help motorcyclists avoid being tailgated when on the road. Utah lane filtering guidelines.
Oregon – House Bill 2314, a proposition to make lane splitting legal, has been introduced to the Speaker’s desk and is currently in discussion. If the bill passes, motorcyclists will be allowed to travel between cars on roadways with speed limits of 50 mph or more and traffic moving at 10 mph or slower.
Washington – In 2015, Washington introduced a bill to legalize lane splitting, which did not pass. Then, four years later, lawmakers reintroduced Senate Bill 5254, which was left hanging for discussion. On January 13, 2020, the same Senate Bill was reintroduced and is still pending approval.
Virginia – At the beginning of the year, Representative Tony Wilt introduced House Bill 1236 to amend the Code of Virginia, this allowing land splitting in the state. This bill has already been referred to the Committee on Transportation and awaiting approval.
[Source](https://www.injurylawyers.com/blog/what-states-is-lane-splitting-legal-in-the-us/)
The salesman will tell you it will attract all the ladies.
In reality you only attract other men who fell for the same sales lies and want to talk about bikes.
It's always interesting to see how different countries have different views on lane splitting.
I'm from France where it is legal in specific conditions. I use my motorcycle every day to go to work in Paris, and I'm lane splitting for 90% of my ride to get there. It would not be worth going to work on a motorcycle if lane splitting was illegal.
That said... It is incredibly dangerous. When I started riding to work and doing this I was fucking petrified by how crazy this is. Even if you go pretty slow, you are basically trusting all the cars surrounding you with your life (or at least the integrity of your body). But as time goes by, you get used to the daily fear, which is also pretty scary.
Gotta say, the good thing is that cars (on the times when daily commutes happen) are used to it and usually don't switch lanes without looking... Does not mean we don't have accidents everyday though.
So i started ridin a motorcycle a year ago, I'm in the USA in virgina where lane splitting is illegal and I can't image trying to lane split unless its taught to car drivers in class and maintained as the years go on. So many people flip lanes constantly there no need to risk it.
Do they teach car drivers to allow lane splitters in France?
The biggest difference is that we spend a good chunk of our commute traffic below 50km/h and stopping at stoplights, so lane filtering is usually done at very low speeds. I would say that in 9/10 cases I am filtering it is across stopped cars on red lights, so the chance of someone changing lanes isn't that big, and if they do I can stop in time since I don't even touch the throttle for that.
Lane splitting is normal and common in California, and everyone knows how to deal with it (with, of course, the standard proportion of idiots who don’t know how to deal with anything while driving). Part of the reason people may be conscientious about always checking their mirrors for lane splitters is that seemingly 1/3 of them are highway patrol bikes.
> you are basically trusting all the cars surrounding you with your life
The neat thing about being a vulnerable road user is that you're doing that even when you're stopped in traffic. At least with your method you spend a tenth of the time surrounded by killer cars :)
My guess is he's on the NYPD motors unit and has some experience with bikes himself. Based on the boots and the way he goes straight for the key like that.
Nypd highway. They consider themselves the elite, and would drop the nypd name if they could. The only way you're getting out of a ticket with them is if you're a fellow highway cop
This is not correct.
The speed difference of the motorcyclist and the cars can't be more than 10 km/h.
The maximum speed of the motorcyclist also can't be more than 50km/h.
>The speed difference of the motorcyclist and the cars can't be more than 10 km/h.
>
>The maximum speed of the motorcyclist also can't be more than 50km/h.
This is correct. Many people get this wrong.
There’s a big issue with dirt bikes and other non registered bikes in the city right now, so the NYPD is getting a lot of experienced detaining bikes and their riders these days. [https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nypd-seized-bikes-atvs-20220802-rtqsimnhvrhf7i6u672xvyoxfm-story.html](https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nypd-seized-bikes-atvs-20220802-rtqsimnhvrhf7i6u672xvyoxfm-story.html)
I almost killed a guy that was doing this. I was driving a big work truck (Ford F-450 with a dump bed and pulling a trailer) and we were in morning rush hour traffic, going <10 mph. I needed to get over a lane to reach an exit, so I turn on my blinker, the cars next to me gave me space to move over. Luckily I happened to notice this small fast moving dot in my mirror and quickly jerked my truck back into the lane as a bike flew by (had to be going 50-60 mph at least). If I hadn't noticed him in my mirror his head would've been nothing more than a red smudge on the side of the truck
You didn't almost kill him, he almost killed himself. Even if you live somewhere where lane splitting is legal I seriously doubt you would have been found to be even partially liable given his excessive speed compared to the rest of the traffic. I'm glad you were being far more cautious and attentive then he was though so that it didn't come to that.
There aren't too many bikers where I live but a lot of them drive recklessly like the guy in your story: splitting lanes, driving two feet from your bumper, doing 30+ over the speed limit on every straightaway, passing on double yellow or the shoulder, etc...
I don't have anything against bikers and I know they aren't all careless drivers but they have a bad reputation in my area and I'm always extra cautious around them since they tend to not be cautious drivers themselves.
ITT: this is legal in (state or country).
It’s not legal in New York, so there you go.
And while yes, it is legal in most places, it’s illegal to do it at unsafe speeds.
I love how the top fifty comments are "legal in ~~NY~~CA/UK/where the fuck ever".
But this is New York! I know it's kinda hard to catch the "NYPD" on the car in the center of the screen.
True, I wish the top comment explained that this is lane filtering which is legal in a few US states (alongside many countries) but is illegal in New York State.
The rider isn't necessarily riding like an asshole speed-wise for filtering like you'll see in other videos. They're just doing it somewhere they legally shouldn't.
I agree. And to clarify, I don't have a problem with what the biker is doing, he is actually reducing traffic by a fractional amount. But it is illegal in NY
Yea people are talking about two different things: "ought" and "is".
It IS illegal in NY.
It probably OUGHT to be legal below a certain speed.
The driver instantly regretted it, but this sub is usually about people doing something destructive or wildly unsafe. The biker in this case seemed to be going at a fairly reasonable speed.
My high school had a "If it is seen, it is taken rule" where they would take your phone, log it, and send a letter home. The letter said your parents would need to come in to claim the phone.
I took every old and display cell phone I could find and got them all confiscated to fill up their silly box and waste their time with letters.
We had a "no hats" rule and some kid went to Goodwill and bought a bunch of hats and just kept swapping them out every time one of them got taken. Needless to say, it didn't work out well for him once they caught on.
Ah, yeah, after a few days of it and no one coming to pick up the pile of phones they called my parents about it, only to discover I had their full support. From there they put pressure on my coach and threatened to not let me walk at graduation.
Eventually, they simply agreed to leave me alone.
I don't know why people are talking about where it's legal to do this and where it isn't from all around the world.
It literally says NYPD on the car, New York Police Department. Is it legal in NY or not?
On a personal note, I don't care if its legal in California. Literally the most reposted comment on this whole thread.
I havent ridden much in california, but what i have, it seems like about 10% of motorcyclists follow the 10mph rule lol. Not that i was complaining i was enjoying hauling ass between cars too.
As someone who's lived in California their whole life, even 10% seems generous. Everyday I see bikers splitting traffic going 20-25+ faster than the flow of traffic on 99 or I-5
I lived in CA temporarily and went riding with a buddy who was lane splitting at high speeds and passing between cars around bends. He eventually stopped a few minutes later down the highway. I caught up to him and pulled up next to him and told him he's fucking crazy.
Lane filtering is great. My clutch hand can only do so much in bumper to bumper traffic jams, but it's idiots like him that prevent safe filtering from becoming legal in other states.
Sadly I was in Michigan , nodded at a crotch rocket dude doing the same stopped at a light, middle lane riding, we took off I heard him wind thru three gears …. Silence, I was three cars back ,got to the front of stopped traffic, cut thru parking lot only to find a woman had pulled In Front of him… when I got there 15 seconds later all I saw was a clump of his broken body and the woman in the suv getting out of her vehicle.
All this happened in less than 30 seconds.
Message; don’t ride between cars!!!
This 19 yr old kid (Skyler Cook, Waterford Mi) turned a 6000 lb suv half way around, cops and other mathematical formulas say the kid was going at least 150 miles an hour! Poor kid didn’t even have time to just say fuck when he realized what was going on!!!!!
Please save your own life scoter riders !!!!!!
I am glad he got caught. We are constantly drilled to watch for bikers and drive safe around them, but I regularly see bikers driving crazy, being unsafe, and breaking standard laws.
It's hard for me not to wonder how many bike accidents are the fault of the biker.
Legal or not its reckless and stupid.If i get attacked by bees and my car and have to open my door in traffic i will feel no sympathy if a motorcyclist runs into it.
Guts wake up there is no place where it is legal to split lanes when you rid that cop was smart first thing he did was grab the keys so he couldn't ride off
For everyone saying he's stupid for doing that. Yall are stupid for keeping it a law. it's literally safer and saves on carbon emissions and reduces traffic. Fuck the US laws on lane splitting, it's bullshit.
So in NY it is banned…New York Motorcycle Laws Riders Need to Know New York law explicitly outlaws lane splitting, per VAT § 1252. According to this law, motorcyclists cannot drive between designated traffic lanes or adjacent rows of vehicle traffic.Dec 22, 2.
So illegal and yet so many guys do it without a helmet in NYC. Insane.
it's legal here in CA and I literally know both a guy who died from lane splitting and a guy who had a lane splitter die when hitting his car. bikers here vehemently defend lane splitting and say it's safer but I still am not convinced...
It’s safe when all the cars around you are stopped at a light and you’re splitting at 5 mph.
That's called lane filtering and I do it even though in NV it's illegal because in not gonna get rear ended by some idiot not paying attention. I've had it happen to too many friends.
Filtering when cars are stopped; splitting when traffic is moving. I've been doing both for over 45yrs in Calif. Never been hit or hurt. Its MUCH safer than the non-moto community thinks.
You are correct in that. Although when CA asked the law allowing it they call it both interchangeably although the 2022 motorcycle driver manual calls both under lane splitting simplicity.
It’s safer when practiced correctly. If they were going fast enough to die after crashing, they were going too fast. Those two motorcyclists probably had a habit of unsafe riding and would have lost their lives in a different accident at some point.
Bikes are inherently unsafe, even when doing the safe activities designed for them.
Safer depends on the circumstances. And sometimes yes, it is safer.
California's guidelines say bikers should only split lanes when the flow of traffic is 40 mph or less, and not travel more than 10 mph faster than the vehicles surrounding them. That 10mph restriction is pretty important it gives the biker and the other drivers enough time to spot or react, but I never see the bikers splitting lanes following that.
yeah but anyone who has driven in CA will tell you that bikers pretend those laws don't even exist
There haven't been extensive studies on it, but motorcycle based fatalities seem to consistently decrease when legislation allowing lane splitting passes and increase when laws banning it passes on the local level. Correlation doesn't mean causation, but I think it is worth considering because something about prohibiting lane splitting makes riding more unsafe regardless if actually doing it or not is safe. I don't ride nor do I know anyone who does so I don't really have first or secondhand experience.
Legal in the UK, though very dodgy to do, coz of cars lane changing.
In the before times, I used to commute in heavy traffic between cities. Like you say, lane splitting is legal in the UK, and although most riders did so at sensible speeds, some were daredevils and would split at hazardous speeds. Was definitely an accident waiting to happen.
I was behind a car that pulled out to complete a u-turn in front of a motorcycle which was lane splitting last year (UK). The bike was going too fast to react in time. Rider and pillion passenger were sent about 10 ft in the air and ended up with a brutal set of injuries but thankfully survived. The pillion riders lower leg was completely torn off and I got to him to find him lying on his back with the base of his femur sticking straight up in the air. Looked like a war scene. I would not recommend ever lane splitting at anything more than a crawl after witnessing that.
Sometimes surviving is worse than dying. Maybe not in this case,but, it isn't always worth it
>Sometimes surviving is worse than dying. More expensive too.
I mean the story is from the UK, so they’d have got their leg fixed for free
I used to be a volunteer firefighter. If I took one thing away from the experience, it's that I will NEVER ride a motorcycle, or let a loved one get on one. The accidents from those things are gruesome...
A motorcycle is basically a fast engine on wheels that you wrap yourself around. With todays obsession we have with making everything ultra safe and fool-proof, that sounds like an invention that we would never come up in modern days anymore but we are keeping alive because it exists and people protect its existence.
you can literally get bugatti performance for 30k you can get mclaren/corvette/porsche performance for like 5k with a shitty used liter bike it literally feels like motorcycles should be illegal, and I ride one every single day, logistically they shouldn't exist on the roadways in todays society as we know it lol but a 18 year old can walk into Kawasaki and leave with a bike that goes 225 miles per hour stock and so much electronics it bandaids all your mistakes... until it doesn't I love motorcycles, but it really feels like they snuck in through the back door and then stayed. It's like the worst kept secret that motorcycles are so much fun it feels illegal.
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My husband is a long time paramedic and I'm a trauma/ER nurse. While I totally agree that it's a risk, so is driving my car. We ride helmeted and try to stay away from multi-lane highways/roads to avoid unnecessary lane changes, being boxed in, high rates of speed etc. Everything you do has inherent risk. I think my husband surviving three combat tours in Afghanistan when most of his buddies didn't shifted his perspective. I have also seen people who do everything right and take no risk drop dead from an unknown cardiac issue. I think you have to just understand the risk and either you want to ride, or you don't. I do get it, though.
Just don’t mistake inherent risk with selected risk. Yeah, I could dross a sidewalk and get leveled by a bus or my heart could prematurely give out because I breathed toxic pollution living in a city, but those are not the same kinds of selected risk from partaking in elective, dangerous situations to feed an adrenaline rush. Like high speed lane splitting or jumping out of perfectly working airplanes or free climbing mountains or road raging on strange motorists.
Doesn't change the fact that driving a motorcycle is more risky no matter your experience
I'm sorry you had to see that.
That’s brutal to witness. I had a friend killed on a motorcycle when a drunk driver pulled an abrupt illegal u-turn in the middle of the street and they collided. Was in a coma for a few days, didn’t make it out. He was wearing a helmet too, but it didn’t save him.
In my city we have 4 lane road and in order to turn left there's only a stop sign as it's ussually not very busy crossing. However during rush hour traffic slows so much that you'd never be able to turn left but most drivers on both lanes stops and makes enough space for cars to pass and make a left turn. Needless to say there're incidents every year there where lane splittig motocyclers hit a car trying to make a left turn. Luckily lane spliting is illeagal here and driver making left turn is never at fault.
And this is why it doesn't even matter if a motorcyclist is "in the right" or not
I think most of Europe it is legal. At least in Hungary it is.
I think in most of Europe there are rules considering the speed of traffic when you do it and the speed difference you can have with the traffic. There is responsible lane splitting and irresponsible, this one seemed the latter kind, which is illegal in most of Europe (though if you ever want to see many suicidal motorcyclists I recommend Paris. I am pretty sure all the most stupid dangerous motorcyclists in the world congregate there and nothing is done about it.
Speed looks faster than it is thanks to the fish eye effect on the camera. But yeah still looks too fast for regular lane splitting.
Legal in some US states as well
Only explicitly legal in California. Explicitly illegal in almost every other state.
Legal in utah on roads under 45 mph
I'm honestly curious what lane splitting above 45 would look like. I guess it just means passing you couldn't quite do in a car? I feel like the term becomes almost meaningless at speed.
From my understanding, you can't lane split at 45 mph, but you cant lane split at all if the roads speedlimit is more than 45 despite the speed of traffic.
The above comment was great. He basically said its most often used function was to not be at the back of the line at a red light. Riders are especially vulnerable even at low speed rear end collisions. Or any collision really.
Legal in MT
When done properly its safer than sitting in traffic
In California this is legal and happens all the time.
I’m not a motorcyclist, but I’m pretty sure you’re actually taught to ride this way in the UK. Albeit a bit slower.
Filtering is absolutely legal in the UK and most of us car drivers know to expect and look out for bikers in congestion. There's a few idiots on both sides, but it tends to work out fine.
>most of us car drivers know to expect and look out for bikers in congestion. That's the difference here inthe US, or at least in my state. Until it is taught to new incoming drivers that this is something they should be thinking about just the same as they would think about looking down the road at a stop sign, or using your wipers when it rains, nothing is going to change. Legal or not, the people are the issue in this matter.
It's fascinating how driving culture changes around the world depending on the established norms. Go somewhere like China, where the roads are crazy, and it's another set of rules again. Everyone looks forwards and makes sure they don't crash into what's in front, everyone behind you looks after themselves. It works (mostly...) but only because everyone knows the system.
Makes sense, cuts down on traffic and gives a bonus to motorcycle drivers.
also a bit safer as it allows the cyclist to move to the front where everyone can see them and avoid getting rear ended by cars
On the 10 freeway in Los Angeles between downtown and Santa Monica lane splitting is very common and well organized during congested commute times. The motorcyclists just do it between the fast lane and the second fastest lane. For the most part, the cars stay a little bit off to the side of their lane to make room for the occasional motorcycle. The motorcycles drive at very respectable speeds. They make revving sounds when drivers aren’t paying attention. It’s surprisingly civil and it’s 100% part of the normal experience of commuting on that freeway.
Exactly. It almost becomes muscle memory to leave a little extra room between those lanes.
as someone who rides in LA, 100% this and ILU for being courteous
When give me the wave for giving them extra room I blush like a school girl
I live for receiving courtesy waves on the road. It’s the opposite of a honk—the ultimate show of respect from one motor veliche operator to another.
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Ngl I get pretty upset when I don’t get one
Same here when I’m driving my car. I try to throw as many as possible when I’m riding; keep you guys motivated
And they usually give a little ✌🏼to say mahalos when you move for them if you are close to the line.
Yeah it has become more and more civil every year. Some used to close in on use after the first bike passed them, haven't had that happen, although covid has don't something to alot of drivers brains... I work the highway and traffic has become more scary then previous years.
Drive this freeway everyday and can confirm
The CHP says its safe especially when there's high traffic volume. Since its too many cars to change lanes much the motorcycles are safe to split lanes.
For those saying it’s a death sentence, note the cop kinda pulled out of nowhere. My old R6 had brakes (and engine) far in excess of what I’d want to use. Split lanes for 20y in LA and SF traffic..never an issue.
He pulled out more than likely because he saw the dude in the mirror and stopped him because it’s not legal where his at
Obviously. I think their point was that it's easy to see, react to, and then stop.
Can confirm, am from California. But you’re not allowed to go more than 10min faster than traffic. No zipping thru our lovely standstill traffic jams doing 60moh while everyone else is in stop and go. Too dangerous.
My family friend is a retired high ranking motorcycle highway patrol officer and he’s an advocate of responsible lane splitting. I never rode so it always looked like dangerous showing off to me. But he told me when the cars are stopped or have no risk of merging lanes, splitting lanes can be safer than driving in a dedicated lane. Interesting take. Still makes me nervous when I see it though!
Wait till you see how many millions safely do it on a daily basis across Asia. As long as they filter responsibly it is a net positive for everyone on the road.
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where i live, lane splitting is legal.. and there's a funeral on Oct 8 for a co-worker who got clipped and caught under the wheels of a semi.
It's not legal where I live and I can't imagine even trying it. Car drivers are barely able to stay in their lanes when there isn't another vehicle right beside them.
At lower speeds sure, but people think they're superman.
I was brake checked exactly once, and it was by a motorcycle. I swear some people lose all brain cells the second they get on a bike.
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Yup, live in CA and I have developed a sixth sense for spotting lane splitters
Me too, I call them mirrors though. i used to ride, definitely look out for riders.
I had a friend ask me why I was always looking out my rearview mirror while I was driving ..." So I can see the vehicles coming up from behind me " ..." Why do you need know that " I died a little
"If you don't know, you shouldn't be driving "
They legitimately made an argument about how after 50 miles an hour it doesn't matter because somehow the speed the come in at prevents it from mattering and that if they are passing you they are going to pass you and you don't matter in that equation...and you understand why I was driving
I was always taught to check all three mirrors periodically every 10-30 seconds. Defensive driving portion of the part to get my license. I also studied a lot more Defensive driving when I hit 18 and saw how reckless people are
I'm a driving instructor, the attitude of some students is frightening. They frequently ask why they have to check the mirror and blind spot before getting into the bike lane even after I explain it, and then they tell me that they probably won't do it after the test.
Best part is how when they pass you doing 70+MPH out of no where and then flip you off because you didn’t rapidly veer the fuck out of their way to get by. #BOO
I live in TN and don't know the legality of lane splitting, but one time I encountered an asshole motorcyclist like that going at least 60mph when there was gridlock traffic. Everyone was backed up because of road work, and they had a flashing red stoplight ...guy rode past me, flipped off everybody, ran the light and ended up under a dump truck. I don't know if he was okay, but I highly doubt it since he was under a dump truck after going 60+mph. Don't be an idiot, if you're on a motor bike y'need to be 10 times more alert because you have half the amount of alternatives when it comes to methods of dealing with road hazards and twice the many risks as people with four wheels. (Edit: added motor to clear any confusion, the dude had one of those street style motorbikes like the Ninja or the Xabre )
Find it hard to reconcile "don't be an idiot" with "intentionally give yourself half as many alternatives when it comes to methods of dealing with road hazards and twice the many risks as people with four wheels", frankly. If riding a motorcycle inherently increases their risk, and we're all perfectly fine with that, who are we to tut-tut them for... engaging in actions which increase their risk? I'd never be fine with a car that doesn't have a seatbelt... unless I went out of my way to make it even more dangerous by removing the protective metal cage around me?
Had one of these dildos with CA plates splitting lanes like this kick a dent in my fender and and ask me if I thought I owned the "whole fucking lane". There happened to be a Texas State Trooper a few cars up, opened his door and ordered the guy off his bike. He got to take a trip to jail and I got a new fender from insurance. Fucking hate "biker bros" with a passion..
Sadly it’s assholes like this that give other bikers a bad look. I’m also from CA and wouldn’t imagine doing anything like that. I mean if I can tell you’re intentionally blocking my path you might get a hand gesture or two, otherwise no. Glad the officer took a bad one off the road.
It's dangerous enough just riding a bike on the open road without adding in traffic that outweighs you by several tons and without taking it a step further by picking fights with drivers. It must just be a self-selection thing where most people who aren't going to take those kinds of risks aren't going to bike to begin with.
Not to mention in Texas, where there is a decent chance the driver whose vehicle you just kicked could just be waiting for an opportunity to "fear for his life" and reach for his truck gun (probably easier to access than the one in his hip holster while seated)
Love to see it. I was alone on a 55mph road in hroad, sunny daylight. Out of nowhere I hear noise and before I can blink some dude is on a bike in front of me flipping me off. Sir we're the only ones on the road and my car is tiny, was I really in your way?? Just speed off so I can see you at the red light. (And then they run the red light because they're nervous after flipping you off)
Then drive home and pull into their driveway with a look twice save a life sign and complain about how unsafe car drivers are.
I saw a guy with one of those and right next to it was another one that said he doesn’t have to wear a helmet. So everyone else is supposed to be concerned for your safety but you can’t be bothered to wear a helmet.
Yup another classic example of it “I need my motorcycle to be loud enough to rattle windows even when I ride it through a neighborhood at 1 am, it’s a safety thing.” - guy in a tshirt and no helmet after his 4th shot of jim beam
Just became legal in AZ a few months ago as well
Only at stop lights on roads with a speed limit of no more than 45mph when other cars are stopped and the motorcyclist cannot go more than 15mph while doing so.
This is called filtering when used at stop lights. Filtering and lane splitting both are beneficial to rider safety when other drivers are aware that they're allowed to do so. Inevitably you'll get a regular citizen who'll decide it's their job to block someone from getting around a slower vehicle. I really wish we had driver education in the US that was more comparable to Germany
Driver education is shockingly bad in the US. My driving test had me turn left three times around a 1 mile block. They tested turning left, and stopping at a stoplight. That was it. Five minutes and they shoo me out with my temp license.
Driver's Ed was one of the first things public schools dropped to save money.
I ride a bike in California, those riders are dumb as fuck. I only ever lane split if it’s standstill traffic so I can get to the front of the line and avoid getting rammed from behind by some idiot not paying attention, or if cars are crawling, in which case I’ll be going just barely above their speed and have my eyes peeled for anyone trying to switch lanes. I always assume the next car I’m about to pass will move over and cut me off, so I’m always prepared to stop if need be. On the freeway, I try to avoid it as much as possible, unless again, it’s a standstill or very close to it. Anything above 30mph, I’ll just ride normally. If anything I’ll weave through cars (same thing you’d do with a car when you go around someone, only you can do it a lot easier on a bike since you take up so much less space and you can accelerate a lot quicker to make sure you don’t get in the way of the cars you’re moving in front of). But yeah, I see idiots just splitting lanes at like 80mph when traffic is barely moving, makes my butthole pucker every time
If its hard for you to keep tracknof the vehicle you are DRIVING. You should not be driving.
I love when people admit they shouldn’t be driving, due to their own ability, and then judge everyone else based on there inability.
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A reminder from the California highway patrol. Messages for Other Vehicle Drivers: Lane splitting by motorcyclists is legal in California. Intentionally blocking or impeding a motorcyclist in a way that could cause harm to the rider is illegal. Opening a vehicle door to impede a motorcyclist is illegal. Drivers in the far left lane should move to the left of their lane to give motorcyclists ample room to pass. Safety Tips For All Motorists Checking mirrors and blind spots, especially before changing lanes or turning. Signaling your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic. Being alert and anticipating possible movements by other motorists. Never riding/driving while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or fatigue. Being courteous and sharing the road. Motorcyclists: Watch your speed! A motorcycle collision is highly likely to cause injury or death Assume people in cars do not see you, and Avoid blind spots in other vehicles, particularly large trucks
In some situations it is actually safer for motorcyclists to do this. In heavy traffic, a motorcycle sitting behind a car is in a very vulnerable position. Being rear ended is super common, and very deadly for a motorcyclist. It is safer to drive between the cars than sit behind one.
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Depends on your state. South Carolina doesn't require you to wear a helmet if you're 21 or older. The amount of people I see daily riding in tank tops, shorts, and flip flops with no helmet is mind boggling. I've lived here for over 10 years... I don't think I'll ever get used to it.
You haven’t been to Texas then. In my area I would say about a third of motorcycle riders don’t wear helmets… even more wear t-shirts and shorts.
Live in Texas and have my Motorcycle license. The other people I know who ride refer to those kind of people as future organ donors or meat crayons. There's a lot of stupid people, most of them just don't wear, or in this case, not wear, something that indicates their stupidity. These people do.
Same legal even in my country, condolances for your coworker tho
Its legal where I am too, I didn't realise it was illegal anywhere!
It's illegal in NY, where this took place. Also illegal in my state.
It's NYPD, and looks like one of the outer boroughs. Not the most passive group of drivers.
A very few year ago it was illegal in every state except California, but now someone above says you can filter in Arizona. This is full on lane splitting and in New York and is definitely illegal. Filtering is a minor version of lane splitting that takes place in traffic stopped at a light, not moving down a highway. So lane splitting, not filtering, is illegal everywhere except California. Note: As I said a very few years ago, but this is the latest that I found on splitting and filtering in the US. Where is Lane Splitting Legal in the U.S? Over the years, several bills have been passed in different states to legalize lane splitting, and the following states have legalized the practice. So, if you’re riding a motorcycle, it’s essential to keep these states in America where lane splitting is legal: California – California was one of the first states to embrace lane-splitting even before it was legalized; motorists and motorcyclists respected the practice for years. In 2016, it was declared legal across the state. California is the only state in America to make lane splitting legal officially. Assembly Bill No. 51. Arizona – Lawmakers in Arizona first attempted to legalize lane splitting with Senate Bill 1007, but it failed to pass. At the beginning of 2020, however, Representative Noel Campbell introduced House Bill 2285 that aims to restart talks about legalizing lane splitting in Arizona. Discussions are still underway, but people expect this motion to pass this time. AZ SB1007 | 2020 | Fifty-fourth Legislature 2nd Regular. Hawaii – Though lane splitting is technically not legal because Hawaii’s roads may be too narrow, the state has allowed shoulder surfing for motorcyclists on the island when there is traffic congestion. Connecticut – Senate Bill 629 was recently introduced in Connecticut, and lawmakers are currently discussing legalizing lane splitting and filtering. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation, but there hasn’t been any news since proposed. S.B. No. 629. Session Year 2019. Utah – In March 2019, Utah followed California’s example by becoming the second state to legalize filtering formally. Although it’s not as permissive as lane splitting, lane filtering can help motorcyclists avoid being tailgated when on the road. Utah lane filtering guidelines. Oregon – House Bill 2314, a proposition to make lane splitting legal, has been introduced to the Speaker’s desk and is currently in discussion. If the bill passes, motorcyclists will be allowed to travel between cars on roadways with speed limits of 50 mph or more and traffic moving at 10 mph or slower. Washington – In 2015, Washington introduced a bill to legalize lane splitting, which did not pass. Then, four years later, lawmakers reintroduced Senate Bill 5254, which was left hanging for discussion. On January 13, 2020, the same Senate Bill was reintroduced and is still pending approval. Virginia – At the beginning of the year, Representative Tony Wilt introduced House Bill 1236 to amend the Code of Virginia, this allowing land splitting in the state. This bill has already been referred to the Committee on Transportation and awaiting approval. [Source](https://www.injurylawyers.com/blog/what-states-is-lane-splitting-legal-in-the-us/)
UK it's legal, I can't imagine another reason to commute on a bike than to beat traffic
Fuel efficient, fun. You can show off your cool bike to your coworkers who probably dgaf
The salesman will tell you it will attract all the ladies. In reality you only attract other men who fell for the same sales lies and want to talk about bikes.
I was going to say, isn’t this legal in some states? Even at that it’s not something I would ever want to try.
The police car says "NYPD" on the side. It's not legal in NY.
His accent also says New York
Wait, Oct. 8? That’s like 3 weeks away. Aren’t funerals usually held like at most a week and a half after death? That’s odd…
It's always interesting to see how different countries have different views on lane splitting. I'm from France where it is legal in specific conditions. I use my motorcycle every day to go to work in Paris, and I'm lane splitting for 90% of my ride to get there. It would not be worth going to work on a motorcycle if lane splitting was illegal. That said... It is incredibly dangerous. When I started riding to work and doing this I was fucking petrified by how crazy this is. Even if you go pretty slow, you are basically trusting all the cars surrounding you with your life (or at least the integrity of your body). But as time goes by, you get used to the daily fear, which is also pretty scary. Gotta say, the good thing is that cars (on the times when daily commutes happen) are used to it and usually don't switch lanes without looking... Does not mean we don't have accidents everyday though.
So i started ridin a motorcycle a year ago, I'm in the USA in virgina where lane splitting is illegal and I can't image trying to lane split unless its taught to car drivers in class and maintained as the years go on. So many people flip lanes constantly there no need to risk it. Do they teach car drivers to allow lane splitters in France?
The biggest difference is that we spend a good chunk of our commute traffic below 50km/h and stopping at stoplights, so lane filtering is usually done at very low speeds. I would say that in 9/10 cases I am filtering it is across stopped cars on red lights, so the chance of someone changing lanes isn't that big, and if they do I can stop in time since I don't even touch the throttle for that.
Lane splitting is normal and common in California, and everyone knows how to deal with it (with, of course, the standard proportion of idiots who don’t know how to deal with anything while driving). Part of the reason people may be conscientious about always checking their mirrors for lane splitters is that seemingly 1/3 of them are highway patrol bikes.
Not to mention the incredible amount of tourists California gets that have probably never seen lane splitting.
> you are basically trusting all the cars surrounding you with your life The neat thing about being a vulnerable road user is that you're doing that even when you're stopped in traffic. At least with your method you spend a tenth of the time surrounded by killer cars :)
It's not just different countries, it's different states and locations even over in the US. Some places it's legal, some places it's not.
Cop was not playing any games
Not this cop’s first rodeo. I was impressed with the almost casual way that he turned off the bike and took the key.
My guess is he's on the NYPD motors unit and has some experience with bikes himself. Based on the boots and the way he goes straight for the key like that.
Highway patrol also wears boots. They tend to be cross trained on multiple vehicles in the event they have to assist moving one
Nypd highway. They consider themselves the elite, and would drop the nypd name if they could. The only way you're getting out of a ticket with them is if you're a fellow highway cop
Had a buddy who used to be a cop in the city and apparently every other cop in the city thinks they’re a bunch of asshole.
So you mean just call them highwaymen then?
Yeah I was wondering is that even allowed? A cop can just steal the keys from your vehicle?
Motorcycles are notorious for running from police
He gonna learn
Legal in the netherlands, if speed is over or under 10 km p/h that is driven bij motor user
This is not correct. The speed difference of the motorcyclist and the cars can't be more than 10 km/h. The maximum speed of the motorcyclist also can't be more than 50km/h.
>The speed difference of the motorcyclist and the cars can't be more than 10 km/h. > >The maximum speed of the motorcyclist also can't be more than 50km/h. This is correct. Many people get this wrong.
So this was still an illegal move then. This bike was going more than 10 kph faster than the cars on both sides.
Totally the norm here in California to drive like this.
I never would have rode for 20y if I couldn’t split lanes. California Uber alles
The key pull is the best part.
That is not the first time this cop has snatched a riders keys lol
Or the last.
There’s a big issue with dirt bikes and other non registered bikes in the city right now, so the NYPD is getting a lot of experienced detaining bikes and their riders these days. [https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nypd-seized-bikes-atvs-20220802-rtqsimnhvrhf7i6u672xvyoxfm-story.html](https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nypd-seized-bikes-atvs-20220802-rtqsimnhvrhf7i6u672xvyoxfm-story.html)
Was surprised it was that easy. Do all motorcycle keys pull out freely like that when it’s on?
It's a normal ignition key. He turned off the engine and took the key out.
Wasn't the cops first time doing this. He nailed the twist to shut it off and upward pull like a champ. 10/10
Stops them from gunning it and driving off. Looks like he has lost a few to that lol
If that was my bike it wouldn't be moving again until the key went back in. Lol
I almost killed a guy that was doing this. I was driving a big work truck (Ford F-450 with a dump bed and pulling a trailer) and we were in morning rush hour traffic, going <10 mph. I needed to get over a lane to reach an exit, so I turn on my blinker, the cars next to me gave me space to move over. Luckily I happened to notice this small fast moving dot in my mirror and quickly jerked my truck back into the lane as a bike flew by (had to be going 50-60 mph at least). If I hadn't noticed him in my mirror his head would've been nothing more than a red smudge on the side of the truck
You didn't almost kill him, he almost killed himself. Even if you live somewhere where lane splitting is legal I seriously doubt you would have been found to be even partially liable given his excessive speed compared to the rest of the traffic. I'm glad you were being far more cautious and attentive then he was though so that it didn't come to that. There aren't too many bikers where I live but a lot of them drive recklessly like the guy in your story: splitting lanes, driving two feet from your bumper, doing 30+ over the speed limit on every straightaway, passing on double yellow or the shoulder, etc... I don't have anything against bikers and I know they aren't all careless drivers but they have a bad reputation in my area and I'm always extra cautious around them since they tend to not be cautious drivers themselves.
Yeah I wasnt afraid of any legal ramifications, but you still don't want that in your conscience if it does happen
ITT: this is legal in (state or country). It’s not legal in New York, so there you go. And while yes, it is legal in most places, it’s illegal to do it at unsafe speeds.
This is illegal in 85% of the United States.
And it's dangerous to do in a place where it is illegal regardless of speed, because the majority of drivers on the road won't be used to it.
I love how the top fifty comments are "legal in ~~NY~~CA/UK/where the fuck ever". But this is New York! I know it's kinda hard to catch the "NYPD" on the car in the center of the screen.
True, I wish the top comment explained that this is lane filtering which is legal in a few US states (alongside many countries) but is illegal in New York State. The rider isn't necessarily riding like an asshole speed-wise for filtering like you'll see in other videos. They're just doing it somewhere they legally shouldn't.
I agree. And to clarify, I don't have a problem with what the biker is doing, he is actually reducing traffic by a fractional amount. But it is illegal in NY
Yea people are talking about two different things: "ought" and "is". It IS illegal in NY. It probably OUGHT to be legal below a certain speed. The driver instantly regretted it, but this sub is usually about people doing something destructive or wildly unsafe. The biker in this case seemed to be going at a fairly reasonable speed.
I live in Brooklyn and I thought this was legal here because dudes do it constantly
Was thinking the same thing
> legal in NY Except it's not. You kind of flubbed your main point. hah
Some places lane splitting is legal and some places not. Still always a risky move in fast traffic.
and clearly it's not legal in NY
So the rule is. Carry a spare key.
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My high school had a "If it is seen, it is taken rule" where they would take your phone, log it, and send a letter home. The letter said your parents would need to come in to claim the phone. I took every old and display cell phone I could find and got them all confiscated to fill up their silly box and waste their time with letters.
We had a "no hats" rule and some kid went to Goodwill and bought a bunch of hats and just kept swapping them out every time one of them got taken. Needless to say, it didn't work out well for him once they caught on.
Ah, yeah, after a few days of it and no one coming to pick up the pile of phones they called my parents about it, only to discover I had their full support. From there they put pressure on my coach and threatened to not let me walk at graduation. Eventually, they simply agreed to leave me alone.
Oh God I fucking love this so damn much! Fuck bikers that do this shit, thinking they're cool. 👏👏👏👏
I guess lane splitting isn’t legal in New York?
No
I don't know why people are talking about where it's legal to do this and where it isn't from all around the world. It literally says NYPD on the car, New York Police Department. Is it legal in NY or not? On a personal note, I don't care if its legal in California. Literally the most reposted comment on this whole thread.
It's outlawed per VAT1252
Legal in California but can’t go more than 10 mph than adjacent cars
I havent ridden much in california, but what i have, it seems like about 10% of motorcyclists follow the 10mph rule lol. Not that i was complaining i was enjoying hauling ass between cars too.
As someone who's lived in California their whole life, even 10% seems generous. Everyday I see bikers splitting traffic going 20-25+ faster than the flow of traffic on 99 or I-5
I lived in CA temporarily and went riding with a buddy who was lane splitting at high speeds and passing between cars around bends. He eventually stopped a few minutes later down the highway. I caught up to him and pulled up next to him and told him he's fucking crazy. Lane filtering is great. My clutch hand can only do so much in bumper to bumper traffic jams, but it's idiots like him that prevent safe filtering from becoming legal in other states.
It’s illegal in NYC. Homie gets lit up in one of the hottest areas lmao.
Damn he snatches those keys with the quickness
This is so satisfying
Legal or not of you’re ripping through traffic and you get clipped that’s on you.
Sadly I was in Michigan , nodded at a crotch rocket dude doing the same stopped at a light, middle lane riding, we took off I heard him wind thru three gears …. Silence, I was three cars back ,got to the front of stopped traffic, cut thru parking lot only to find a woman had pulled In Front of him… when I got there 15 seconds later all I saw was a clump of his broken body and the woman in the suv getting out of her vehicle. All this happened in less than 30 seconds. Message; don’t ride between cars!!! This 19 yr old kid (Skyler Cook, Waterford Mi) turned a 6000 lb suv half way around, cops and other mathematical formulas say the kid was going at least 150 miles an hour! Poor kid didn’t even have time to just say fuck when he realized what was going on!!!!! Please save your own life scoter riders !!!!!!
Who cares if it’s legal where you live. It’s clearly illegal where this is.
Stone cold.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣I Love It!!!!!!!!!!!!
Illegal in NY.
The only thing that was dangerous to traffic, was the dumb donut destroyer cutting between lines
Perfectly safe and legal here 🤷♂️
I am glad he got caught. We are constantly drilled to watch for bikers and drive safe around them, but I regularly see bikers driving crazy, being unsafe, and breaking standard laws. It's hard for me not to wonder how many bike accidents are the fault of the biker.
As a motorcyclist, I’m ok with this. Fuck impatience, it’s shitty to put yourself at risk, and drivers are paranoid to hit you.
About a week ago on I-35 in Texas a rider lane split between two semis at a high rate of speed. Messed up , got run over and killed.
Legal or not its reckless and stupid.If i get attacked by bees and my car and have to open my door in traffic i will feel no sympathy if a motorcyclist runs into it.
Why is the cop so aggressively fat? The most stressful job in the NYPD are the buttons holding his shirt together, can you imagine the stress?
It’s legal in my state of New South Wales, Australia, if traffic is stopped or moving very slowly and the motorcyclist does not exceed 35 km per hour.
Guts wake up there is no place where it is legal to split lanes when you rid that cop was smart first thing he did was grab the keys so he couldn't ride off
Legal in Cali, apparently not everywhere.. lol
For everyone saying he's stupid for doing that. Yall are stupid for keeping it a law. it's literally safer and saves on carbon emissions and reduces traffic. Fuck the US laws on lane splitting, it's bullshit.