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 

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 

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  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

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.