GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Have a read of this article... I think its fairly recent.

http://www.motorbikestoday.com/news/Articles/filtering_law.htm

ha i was the first to vote

if only this was in the US  :icon_rolleyes:

CHP recognizes it as being acceptable but there is no law legalizing it in California, just a statement on the CHP website.

Link to some legal research and a discussion of it's legality on another forum. I am too lazy to summarize and rewrite the entire thread.

http://www.fireblades.org/forums/general-discussion/64096-advice-silly-ticket-california.html#post672897

This may save some of you n00bs in Cali a little grief.

ROFL twinkie land  :laugh: :laugh:

South/North Carolina it's illegal.I've seen people do it and get pulled for it.I just smile in my helmet and wave as I pass.

I Filter past police cars all the time , and they never seem to even care , on my motorbike test the instructor wanted me to Filter , because it was a part of riding , and as alot of people say . they buy a motorbike to be able to get past traffic jams

Unfotunately in my state it is 100% frowned upon by law enforcement. It pisses me off to sit behind 20 cars at a light when I could just slide up between them and be gone when the light goes green.

I do it at lights all the time and have yet to have a problem. I've even pulled up next to a cop while doing it.

Quote from: spcterry on May 25, 2008, 08:00:05 PM
I do it at lights all the time and have yet to have a problem. I've even pulled up next to a cop while doing it.

Some cops look the other way or come from a state where it's allowed and think nothing of it.


There is a law that they're trying to pass in SC that allows MC's to run red lights that won't change.Our red lights in SC our pressure sensative and some bikes(mine) won't trip the lights to change.The law basiclly says that after sitting at a light for X amount of minutes an MC can run it without legal penalties.Only in highly congested area with closely spaced lights,do we SC people get the joy of timed red lights.

The county I lived in back in GA had an ordinance allowing a bike to treat a red light as a stop sign between the hours of 10pm-6am when it could reasonably be expected another vehicle would not come along soon. 

Here the lights are pressure sensitive and my bike is right at the edge of tripping the sensor.  Some will and some won't, I've learned which ones and pretty much just treat the ones that don't detect my as a stop sign if it's late.

yup in TN i can use the redlight rule  :icon_twisted: come to complete stop, i believe its 3 light cycles ( time wise) look, then proceed. HOWEVER if someone hits you while doing this youre at fault :nono:

Quote from: spcterry on May 25, 2008, 08:00:05 PM
I do it at lights all the time and have yet to have a problem. I've even pulled up next to a cop while doing it.

Must be nice it's instant ticket here and the rednecks LEO's think it's fun to light up a sport bike. One made the comment to a buddy of mine he was dissapointed he didn't get to chase him.

As another Oklahoman (like BP) it's amazing what the Redneck LEOs here will do.  They think nothing of chasing a car at 100 mph through a city for running from a traffic violation.  They endanger thousands of people so they can catch some dude who refused to pull over. 

It seems like at least once a year there's a fatality from these kind of police chases in Oklahoma.  And people say motorcycles are dangerous...

i rarely wait in traffic...is split lane numerous times during a ride.  just keep an eye out and do it slowly and use your signals.  some cagers just hate that but they can kiss my hairy white ass

Yea just keep an eye out cause cagers get jealous and do things like block where your splitting open car doors or weave. I just wait till i can pass give em the finger and hope they have a nice time sitting in that queue.

Thats also a good thing about UK police, we dont use 25 police cars to chase one guy, if its too dangerous to chase they just call it off or back off and use a helicoptor.

in canada the chase limit is 200 kph and then they must call it off.  america is nuts with their paramilitary police and risking the lives of innocent bystanders, the offender and themselves by chasing people for minor offences.  they also use their vehicles as weapons.  the "motorcyclist hit the police cruiser" is bullshit.  they ran into him.  then they shoot drivers for moving the vehicle after they are stopped by using the excuse that it was the driver using deadly force.  i am so disappointed with america right now. i am a dual citizen american and canadian.  america is a country that is living on fear and freedom is a farce.  more people in jail than any other country per capita.  a government that has taken civil rights and flushed them down the toilet.  republicans the so called fiscal responsible party has put the country into dept that it will never get out of.  so much money spent on military and policing all because of their fear.  america will collapse on itself.  not any time soon but in the next few hundred years it will be broke, civil unrest will rise significantly, the government will take away more rights, police will become more aggressive and citizens will be the victims.   america calls itself the greatest country in the world.  this title is only true for spending on military, people in jail and national dept...oh and fear.

Interesting thread.

Couple of things:

1. Lane splitting

While I get the argument that lane splitting saves loads of time in traffic and being on a MC, its doable.  However, I'm always hearing riders complain that they're not seen by cagers and that cagers don't give them the same courtesy as they would a car/truck/etc.  In my humble opinion, MC are and should act like any other vehicle on the road and be subject to the rules of the road.  Would it be acceptable for a car to bypass traffic by driving on the shoulder?  Why should it be acceptable for a MC to spit lanes?  I'm relatively new to riding, but I've been driving for a long time.  And most MC I see are courteous and respectful to all around them, but there are those who drive and break neck speeds, cut  in and out of traffic and even lane split.  Are these the riders that get motorist so angry that they are "out to get" the rest of us??

2. Police Pursuits

Yes, police pursuits are dangerous.  For everyone, the bad guy, the police officer and anyone on the road.  So let me ask you this: Should the police not pursue anyone?  Let's pass the law that police are not to pursue period, for anything.  If I'm a bad guy, why would I stop.  As soon as I see the lights, I'm gone.  Cops can't chase me.  Off scott free!  Undoubtedly, this gets around the criminal community and soon no one is stopping.  All criminals in vehicles are getting away with crimes and that leaves people asking: why aren't the police doing anything?

I agree they are certain instances where pursuing is just too dangerous to justify a pursuit.  But there is usually a reason for someone not to be stopped by the police.  Wanted, have to driver's license, car full of drugs/guns/weapons, etc.  If its the job of the police to uphold the law and protect public safety, and we take away methods of capture away that are too dangerous, where does it stop?  Let's take away tasers, OC spray, side arms, etc.  Why have police period?

This is just my opinion on this topic.  It seems contradictory to the opinion expressed thus far on the thread.  Its was not meant to insult or attack anyone, just my thoughts on the matter.  I'd love to hear a counter argument if you're are so inclined.

Respectfully,

Chokstick
(aka Rennard)

chok good points and very respectfully written....post more i admire your honesty

Quote from: Chokstick on May 26, 2008, 02:37:17 PM
1. Lane splitting

While I get the argument that lane splitting saves loads of time in traffic and being on a MC, its doable.  However, I'm always hearing riders complain that they're not seen by cagers and that cagers don't give them the same courtesy as they would a car/truck/etc.  In my humble opinion, MC are and should act like any other vehicle on the road and be subject to the rules of the road.  Would it be acceptable for a car to bypass traffic by driving on the shoulder?  Why should it be acceptable for a MC to spit lanes?  I'm relatively new to riding, but I've been driving for a long time.  And most MC I see are courteous and respectful to all around them, but there are those who drive and break neck speeds, cut  in and out of traffic and even lane split.  Are these the riders that get motorist so angry that they are "out to get" the rest of us??

Here in the UK you would be expected to lane split, it is not illegal for us and when learning to pass your MC test, or being tested you are always encouraged to split past traffic. Its common in the UK and legal you just have to be careful. Obviously we arnt talking about racing between two cars down the motorway just when traffic is creeping or at a standstill.

Quote from: Chokstick on May 26, 2008, 02:37:17 PM
2. Police Pursuits

Yes, police pursuits are dangerous.  For everyone, the bad guy, the police officer and anyone on the road.  So let me ask you this: Should the police not pursue anyone?  Let's pass the law that police are not to pursue period, for anything.  If I'm a bad guy, why would I stop.  As soon as I see the lights, I'm gone.  Cops can't chase me.  Off scott free!  Undoubtedly, this gets around the criminal community and soon no one is stopping.  All criminals in vehicles are getting away with crimes and that leaves people asking: why aren't the police doing anything?

I agree they are certain instances where pursuing is just too dangerous to justify a pursuit.  But there is usually a reason for someone not to be stopped by the police.  Wanted, have to driver's license, car full of drugs/guns/weapons, etc.  If its the job of the police to uphold the law and protect public safety, and we take away methods of capture away that are too dangerous, where does it stop?  Let's take away tasers, OC spray, side arms, etc.  Why have police period?

I dont think anyone is suggesting dont purse criminals and ALWAYS let them get away, just back off and use different methods. Frankie had some good points on this. In the UK if a pursuit is considered too dangerous then most everytime there will be a helicoptor in pursuit anyways and they just back the police cars off and use the helicoptor to pursue and to place the police cars ahead of the chase to stop the suspect that way. That way they arnt tearing down the motorway chasing one guy with 15 police cars. We also very very very very rarely do what you call the P.I.T manover over there, simply because its frightfully dangerous and completely unpredictable. This relates to frankie's "using the car as a weapon" it doesnt happen here and its much safer. We don't knock motorcyclists off with police cars to end chases either. What im saying is you shouldn't let people get away but you certinally shouldn't go making a dangerous situation worse by using gun ho cowboy tactics like american police.

Couldnt Agree With You More Kasumi  :thumb:

In the UK to the best of my understanding splitting/filtering has never been specifically prohibited. it could, however under certain circumstances be seen as "without due care and attention" or at the extreme "dangerous driving" If the filtering biker was in an accident that went to law the law tended not to smile upon him or her.

More recently this pendulum has swung in favour of the biker, I am expecting to do the Kent or Metropolitain Police's "Bikesafe" course this summer, a mate of mine has just done it and the Police biker instructers now teach and recomend filtering at lights/junctions/jams and similar situations with a max speed of about 15mph. Splitting lanes on a motorway is another matter it's pretty much a case of "It's OK but don't have an accident that ends up in court" Such matters would be very dependant on prevailing conditions and circumstances at the time. Once again, this is not specifically illegal but would probably go against you in court.

Quote from: Kasumi on May 30, 2008, 05:46:36 AM
I dont think anyone is suggesting dont purse criminals and ALWAYS let them get away, just back off and use different methods. Frankie had some good points on this. In the UK if a pursuit is considered too dangerous then most everytime there will be a helicoptor in pursuit anyways and they just back the police cars off and use the helicoptor to pursue and to place the police cars ahead of the chase to stop the suspect that way. That way they arnt tearing down the motorway chasing one guy with 15 police cars. We also very very very very rarely do what you call the P.I.T manover over there, simply because its frightfully dangerous and completely unpredictable. This relates to frankie's "using the car as a weapon" it doesnt happen here and its much safer. We don't knock motorcyclists off with police cars to end chases either. What im saying is you shouldn't let people get away but you certinally shouldn't go making a dangerous situation worse by using gun ho cowboy tactics like american police.

Well said.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying that the intention should be to hurt people.  I think that everything the police do should be with the safety of EVERYONE involved.  The PIT maneuver is not allowed in Canada either.  They found it to be too dangerous.  I guess its just a frustrating situation when it seems like the rights of criminal are starting to supersede the laws and safety of everyone else.  Mind you, it could be a lot worse.  We've got it pretty good in Canada.

i don't think it is the right of criminals being protected rather than the safety of citizens.

Crimanals are treated like kings here i think , its sort of in the right place... ish

If ur homeless here , u would sleep rough , and beg for money , just to eat , or... just robbing stuff and people , and get put in prision

3 meals a day , a tv in your room , a bed , exercise , a shop to buy treats from , a pool table , * i havent been to prison , i no alot of people who have *

i no the us prisons are alot more stricter from the programmes i have watched, here is a damn joke

When my dad was homeless at the age of 16 , he used to steal  and hand himself in , just for a night in the cells off the streets

Call me crazy, but I really have no interest in lane splitting!  Granted I don't live and/or ride anywhere that's so congested that it would be tempting, but I've seen videos of and heard of many accidents involving motorcyclists who were lane splitting.  As far as I'm concerned, cagers don't seem to see me well enough when I'm where they expect vehicles to be much less if I were to be creeping between lanes.

On a completely different subject, but still considering safety issues.  I found my rural ride the other day to be nearly as hazardous as going through town!  Deer, groundhogs, wild turkey (actual birds--I wasn't doing shots), some farmer's ducks, and enough bug splatter on my visor to make me think it was getting dark.  But then again, once back in town, I still think the guy in the full size GMC that almost T-boned me probably would have caused the most damage.

Quote from: theUBS on May 30, 2008, 07:45:38 PM
But then again, once back in town, I still think the guy in the full size GMC that almost T-boned me probably would have caused the most damage.

Yep...he would have probably won that fight.  :o

stupid turkeys...they just stand in the middle of the road.  deer well they usually run but one time i came to a complete stop and had a chat with one before it decided to move.  moose on the other hand are dangerous.  one was chasing me on the highway and i had to turn around and go the wrong way on a interstate to get away from the silly bugger.   then there are the dogs that think it is fun to chase you.

Lane splitting here in florida is illegal. I think I'd be scared out of my mind to try it with the tourons that frequent this place. Just last week on I-4 we had a traffic jam so they decided to make a fourth lane out of the shoulder of the road and with in five minutes that also was backed up. An ambulance could not get to the seen from west bound beecause the idiots had taken the shoulder of the road. This was at 2300 so not like regular traffic jam. It took me over an hour to do the usual fifteen minute jaunt to work!

I also hate the dogs that chase you. There is two in the subdivision and when I was still really a noob I almost wrecked cause of the little jerk. I hate to hurt animals but I'm not gonna go down for one either.

Mary S.

Filtering (the EU folks way of saying lane splitting, and I LIKE IT) is illegal in florida. In heavy traffic, I'll do it occasionally.

California is the only state that I know of that doesn't have a law against it.  I personally  think the person with the smallest car, motorcycle, scooter, or bike should be allowed to the front of the line, every single time.

Let those behemoth SUV's stew. f%$k em !

Quote from: ohgood on May 31, 2008, 02:18:21 PM.

Let those behemoth SUV's stew. f%$k em !

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Filtering does sound much better  :laugh:

Yea i think lane splitting just employs the idea that its done at speed. Filtering - something that happens at slow speed, which it does. Moving closer to traffic lights, reducing the lengths of queues and the smoother the flow of traffic the more effiecient it is.

Addmittly i have gone down the centre lane at 30mph on my Dna.,because i no exactly what i was doing , any sign of Danger i slow to almost a standstill ,but in the open parts its all good

Quote from: Jay_wolf on June 09, 2008, 05:14:41 AM
Addmittly i have gone down the centre lane at 30mph on my Dna, because i no exactly what i was doing, any sign of Danger i slow to almost a standstill, but in the open parts its all good

:o Only 30 mph???!!! :o

Well .. A DNA 70cc cant go down a motorway lol

Organizing a poll to gather bikers OPINIONS on something governed by state laws is funny. In USA each State rules are different
. Best is to look in your state Driver's Manual to see if line splitting is legal.

Illegal in Massachusetts.

Quote from: reminor on June 09, 2008, 05:09:31 PM
Organizing a poll to gather bikers OPINIONS on something governed by state laws is funny. In USA each State rules are different.

The legal status of filtering in UK seems to be much more subjective than with US laws which are much clearer (unfortunately?)

A better question may have been "SHOULD Filtering / Lane-Splitting be legal?"  Would that change anyone's opinion?

And how do riders cope with touring across multiple states?

if i am at a stop and want to jump ahead i try and make eye contact with the driver and give him/her a nod and so far they have always waived me through.  however one cannot do that when one if moving.  if traffic is backed up i am not going to sit in the heat when the cages are stuck with their AC on because they are to damn big to move.  riders are environment friendly and the planet would be well served to have less SUV's(who really needs one anyhow) and more motorcycles on the road.  a little courtesy such as ahem "filtering" is the least they can do.

lets see who NEEDS an suv, a few here. 1 a professional wo needs to haul around equipment, photographers insurance people, realtors, where a pickup even with a hard tonneau with a lock wouldnt suffice. ( trust me, those are EASY to get into. and no im not going into details), LARGE families. etc. i would say  a large stationwagon would work, but those are no longer made and even crew cab pickups arent always large enough. but there are those who just themselves and one child occupy. i laugh when they complain about fuel costs :icon_rolleyes:

mini vans can do that and are better on gas.  besides most the suv's i see are soccer moms and people riding by themselves

agreed, BUT sometimes minivans are not large enough., but yeah they can

I just had an accident while lanesharing. Even though lanesharing is not illegal (California is the only state that allows it, but as others have noted, it completely depends upon the officers' judgments).... tangent....back on track...

Even though lanesharing is not illegal (thus is legal) in California, I still may be screwed. The witch in her Mercedes was breaking three laws that I can think of offhand, but *I* may get the blame (or part of the blame) due to the simple fact that I was lanesharing. I'm hoping that's not the case, but it won't surprise me in the least. Had I not been lanesharing, there would be absolutely no doubt whatsoever that she was 100% at fault. Very irksome.

Will I continue to laneshare? Yes. I fortunately don't have to do it often anymore, and I will absolutely avoid doing so when I can (taking another freeway that's  not so congested, for example). If lanesharing is outlawed in California, it won't be due to the minority of idiots who go by the cagers too fast, it'll be because cagers can't be bothered to turn their f*%$#g heads and actually LOOK to see if there's someone in their path.

Someone on another forum asked if I could have been in her blind spot. I certainly could have (and probably was), BUT...if a cager doesn't look, then the whole world is in their blind spot.

Lanesharing is most definitely a calculated risk, but what adds greatly to the risk is the fact that cagers are ignorant about the laws surrounding lanesharing, plus the fact that they're jealous as can be. The fact that they don't KNOW what the law is means that they believe bikers to be the lawbreakers. A newer rider on (I think?) this forum just stated something to the effect that bikes should be made to wait just like cars. I'm assuming that this member lives in one of the 49 states that don't allow lanesharing. Sharing lanes has gotten me out of many a tight spot/dangerous situation...many, many more times than I've gotten into trouble while lanesharing (this is the first time I've been in any sort of accident that could possibly have any blame legally placed on me...well...for many...MANY..years...since I was a teenager ....MANY  :flipoff: years...  :laugh:).

Oy.  Vicodin makes me chatty, as if I (or you) need THAT more.... but at least I can't be held responsible for garbled stuff.  :icon_mrgreen:

you must own a suv...otherwise why all the pro suv chat?

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on June 11, 2008, 11:59:28 PM
agreed, BUT sometimes minivans are not large enough., but yeah they can