Texas State Law Now Officially Outlaws Lane Splitting And Filtering

spiderman302

spiderman302

Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,145
Age
68
Location
Camarillo, Ca
Bike
2006 ST1300A
2024 Miles
002552
article here

no lane splitting in Texas

In SoCal I lane split every day in traffic as does many other bikes here.
If cars see me coming (high beam in rear view mirrors) they will make room for me.
It is like the parting of the red sea. Only a few times a driver has blocked me so I just wait it out.
I only slowly pass the cars. It often helps me get into bubble between clusters of cars.
I prefer riding in the bubble rather than in a cluster, less stress.

Hopfully, you Texans could talk to your representatives to get this changed.....
 
core-aggie said:
We are never in that much of a hurry ... plus, I never subject us to "traffic" (nasty place, we never go into the city).

It's all about a motorcycle pleasure cruise in the countryside for us

Native Texan here :)
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Then "We" never live in or have to ride through Houston, Austin, Dallas-Ft Worth, San Antonio, or El Paso. It's all about having to ride through Metropolitan areas, not the countryside. I fairly regularly split lanes or use the shoulder whenever and wherever traffic stops in the heat. Thank God it never gets hot in Texas. :rofl1:

Tom
 
I guess geography and the huge amounts of traffic dictate that lane splitting could be useful to riders, no one else though. I've only riden in mostly rural areas with little amounts of traffic and rarely more that two lanes going in one direction on a highway.
The rules have changed though just like they changed for seat belts and speed limits, because it's dangerous. I'm guessing MOST cagers don't want lane splitting and I don't blame them. Bikes wizzing by your door on a busy street/highway doesn't sound like fun to me.
When I was in Italy in 2003, the amount of bicycles and motorbikes that drove right up to and in front of you at an intersection was "interesting".
 
My first motorcycle driver's license was obtained in Germany, so I "grew up" lane splitting. That said, not really interested in doing it here in the states. Too many cage drivers have no idea we are on the road as it is. In most places, it would seem that lane splitting just gives the cages more chances to flatten us. All the best to those of you in California that are doing this.
 
We have a growing number of four wheel drivers who can't comprehend STOP and YIELD, Red and Green and driving logic seems to stop at 'me me me'.... This all makes stopping at lights a real hoot, but you should see that IQ try to navigate traffic circles....they have simplified nothing. I do not trust them with my ST's and will not drive between them. Most behave, the number who simply don't care or are completely vapid upstairs has become alarming.
I suspect our Texas elimination of lane splitting has less to do with biker safety than a bit of 'If I'm stuck, so are you' envy.
 
Tedbrogden said:
My first motorcycle driver's license was obtained in Germany, so I "grew up" lane splitting. That said, not really interested in doing it here in the states. Too many cage drivers have no idea we are on the road as it is. In most places, it would seem that lane splitting just gives the cages more chances to flatten us. All the best to those of you in California that are doing this.
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TPadden said:
I promise to never exceed the speed limit, pass on a double yellow, or split lanes ever again as long as cages will stop flattening us. :thumb:

In either case ... never happen. :rofl1:

Tom
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Don't quit your day job..
 
Oldbikefixr said:
I suspect our Texas elimination of lane splitting has less to do with biker safety than a bit of 'If I'm stuck, so are you' envy.
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I rode to the 2017 eclipse in Oregon and split traffic on I-5 coming back south right after the eclipse because the traffic was stopped. A few people I passed were so angry they almost had a stroke over the fact that I was moving and they weren't.
 
Oldbikefixr said:
I suspect our Texas elimination of lane splitting has less to do with biker safety than a bit of 'If I'm stuck, so are you' envy.
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well that's stupid....
then again, 50% of people are below average.
Barbara Boxer tried to outlaw splitting in CA. Biker groups got all up in arms and brought up all sorts of studies to shoot her down.
 
Mellow said:
Very true... I'd leave if it did... I hate the heat... no wait, I hate the snow... the rain sux too... and mild weather just makes me nervous about when it will change.
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That's whats so great about the Pacific Northwet; if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes and it'll change... We don't tan, we rust..I moved here from the SF bay area in 1983, and while what I wrote at the beginning of this paragraph may have been true then, The fact is that less than two miles from my place, there's a perennial banana tree garden. Last year we were in the be prepared to GTF out of dodge area due to wildfires; I'm ten minutes south of Portland..We don't split lanes here; but I do wish we could use the emergency lanes when things get clogged.
 
TPadden said:
I promise to never exceed the speed limit, pass on a double yellow, or split lanes ever again as long as cages will stop flattening us. :thumb:

In either case ... never happen. :rofl1:

Tom
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Wait what? I think the last time we left your house we were double the speed limit within 5 miles and passing everyone going less 20 than over?

and I think we got to the bar ten minutes before legal lane splitting time anyway. But yeah we beat all the old guys just out cruising the countryside.

Sign me, Yes officer I’m with guy with the rusty badge.
 
I guess what is important, is if you decide to go across our great country.
When you get to that tiny state of Texas, you will have to turn off the lane splitting light, until you cross the far border.
It would be wise to check the other foreign states on your route for their quirky legal riding rules as well. :rolleyes:
You are constrained to move about the country....
Son, We do not do that in this here state, sign here.....
 
I would be interested in reading proof that lane splitting is safer. For many years lane splitting in California was not legal, it just was never enforced . I am kind of interested at what speed they say is considered safe. That was the reasoning by it not being focused on. Nobody knew how to and where to apply the limits.
As to myself I don't care for lane splitting because I passed a door as the guy was opening it to stop me while laughing. Any guess who would have been to blame? At that time insurance wasn't mandatory.
I make them mad enough as it is by not letting them crowd me, I think the cagers believe I am using only part of the lane so they can use the rest. Same with parking, the lines are there and anything that covers it belongs to me doesn't it?
 
motornut said:
As to myself I don't care for lane splitting because I passed a door as the guy was opening it to stop me while laughing. Any guess who would have been to blame? At that time insurance wasn't mandatory.
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in CA not only would the door opener been at fault, I believe its considered a criminal offense because they were obviously doing it with the intention of causing harm to the passing rider. Can't recall exactly where I read it, but that's a memory from the past regarding this topic.
 
motornut said:
interested at what speed they say is considered safe
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I too wonder this. Speed differential would be the obvious. If traffic is slowed to 30 and you're splitting at 40, seems safe. Traffic rolling at 70, you splitting at 90, seems unsafe. I read something about it, don't remember the information. I tend to split briefly and infrequently and at both ends of the speed spectrum. In the end only I am concerned about my safety, and only I can control the circumstances.
 
dwalby said:
in CA not only would the door opener been at fault, I believe its considered a criminal offense because they were obviously doing it with the intention of causing harm to the passing rider. Can't recall exactly where I read it, but that's a memory from the past regarding this topic.
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How could that be proven? A stopped driver could simply state he was exiting his vehicle to check xx (fill in the blank, ie, tires, tail light, etc.) & some lane splitting biker ran into his door.
 
I just can't bring myself to ride between moving vehicles. If I lived where it's protected, maybe.

Even then, how does insurance, yours or theirs, repair a bike with largely unobtainable parts?
 
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