Lane Splitting in Texas

[skotty]

Ok, I know a topic similar to this has been posted before, but there are a few ambiguities. I though that it was legal to pass between cars under certain conditions. This morning in traffic, there was this lady in front of me in a civic, she had moved way over past the left side of her lane (it was the left most lane). The traffic speed at this time was about 20 mph. I saw a good gap, and thought I could make it, and did too. This drove the lady mad, she started honking at me and waving her hands furiously in the air. I realized then that Texan car drivers are not ready for that law. I was in LA about two weeks back, and cars seem to just give way for motorcycles to pass between lanes. There are a lot of posts in motorcycle websites/forums about this topic, some people say lane splitting is legal, a few say its not.

http://motorcyclebloggers.com/2005/12/15/texas-lane-splitting/

Anyone know whether this law has been passed in Texas?

[schlagdogg]

The comments on that post seem to agree that the law did not go through.

[steves]

Last time I checked, lane splitting was only legal in Cali.

[StevieB]

I'm gonna go in the record with what is certainly a minority opinion here, but I am against lane splitting.
Negatives: Bad PR for motorcycling- makes us look impatient, selfish. Unnecessary risk.

Posotives: There aren't any. Well, okay, maybe you get there a LITTLE sooner, but not that much. Traffic congestion is NOT relieved to any appreciable, or even measureable amount. Motorcycles make up less than 10% of the traffic mix. They take up less space, length-wise. They are still there, even with lane splitting.

I have always thought it was a stupid law. I wonder if it is something Arnold likes to do, so he rammed it through? He would have a presedent, if he did- a former Govenor of Louisiana didn't like to wear a lid, so he rammed through a no-helmet law. Got repealed right after that scoundroul (where's the spell checker when you need it?) left office.

[paradoxmd]

Last time I checked, lane splitting was only legal in Cali.

yeah as far as i know, it's still illegal in texas. if what i heard is correct, the police chief in houston had a lot to do it killing it. something about not having enough police force to handle what he believed would be increased accidents among other things.

[Black_peter]

The local Biker activist (Sputnik)
says the reason they didn't pass it is that the Leg
didn't understand what it meant. I guess he didn't
speak before them. I guess he felt they would have passed it but the bill was poorly written and that
they don't understand the way lane splitting works.

That having been said I don't like the idea of lane splitting. But I'm not against it passing. I think there
are a lot of things that give us black eyes that are also "un lawful" that arn't addressed. (like loud pipes)
I don't know where you live StevieB but I35 here in Austin can be a parking lot at times. Death to a Air or Air/oil cooled bike. I stay very far away from those roads but others are not as lucky. California has had
lane splitting for as long as I can remember, 20 years? Arnold had nothing to do with it..

[skotty]

Well, I am glad thats sorted out. Cause, its not that I would do that all the time, but when I tried it this morning, I didnt think I was doing anything illegal. Now that I know about it, I will not try it again. Thanks for the input y'all.

[mystahagy]

I don't quite have the jewels to go flying through a gauntlet of doors that could open. On the other hand, my university is on an island and there's only one way off. Once during the daily traffic jam, I was in a huge hurry and went down the sidewalk. note: I did it ONCE. Everyone was honking and whatnot, and after seeing how pissed off people got I realized I didn't want to come out of class everyday to see my bike pushed over.

http://www.tamucc.edu/islnviews/index.html

[Jax]

I live in Ca and I do lane split quiet often when necessary...there are dangers when lane splitting but you can safely do it...mostly it's at stop lights...you can't get rear ended when you sit between cars..also no tailgating when you are split...now I don't go splitting lanes at 90mph...that's insane but if you keep your speed around 10mph while going between stopped cars...I emphasize the word STOPPED cars then it's not a problem...yes you can get the occasional moron that thinks its funny to open their doors or try to box in bikers because they are pissed off but those idiots exist anyways...now on the freeway thats risky and I have taken my chances on that...it is probably the scariest thing I've done on two wheels or splitting between big rigs...that has it's down falls if things go bad..such as a blow out by the big rig...all in all I like having the choice to lane split.

[hougy]

They can honk and yell all they want, if they think it's unfair, to bad. They probably don't know anything about the mechanics of a bike. We are at greater risk of over heating here in Cali while in traffic, unlike car's with a large fan and an extensive cooling system. If anyone complains about it...I usually call them a gas hog, since the ones that I've experienced are driving Escalades/Tahoes/Hummers. If they continue complaining, it's always best to tell them if they don't like it, get a bike and you'll see why it's fair for us.

Oh yea, if anyone says they'll open their door and knock you over...I say "Sure, I hope you'll be ok with my bike in your lap!"

[Jax]

Funny you say that about the door...I had a friend and his girlfriend that said the same thing about opening a door on "you bikers"....then I explained to the moron and his moroness that if you open a door on a biker as he/she is zipping bike the rider might still end up going forward but the 400-500lb bike will divert into the direction of the opening of the door...I explained it to them in simple words and examples of a train..move the track and the train goes in that new direction...open the door and the bike now moves in a new direction...usually into the lap of the driver and passenger...you should have seen their eyes...the idiots never realized the danger to themselves...they thought they were getting even with bikers...instead they were planning their own deaths...kinda funny....

[schlagdogg]

some people's children..

[Black_peter]

..the idiots never realized the danger to themselves...they thought they were getting even with bikers...instead they were planning their own deaths...kinda funny....

Good point Jax.. Good on you for turning the tables.
I gotta say doors dont really worry me.

10. if traffic is so blocked up that I lane split it's blocked up enough
that I'm gonna get your tag number.

9. opening a door opens you to attemped homicide.

8. I best be out cold after hitting your door or your looking at a
ICON "brow beating"..

7. I'm betting I'm going to go a lot easier on you than Bubba with
a Harley and a conceled carry permit.

6. You better pray the responding officer isn't riding either a BMW or Harley. ("the subject was resisting arrest!")

5. My Kat hits your door, think about it.. That door is history..
No sneaking away from that hit and run.

4. I think a judge might buy "I was trying to change lanes"
Not sure he's going to buy "I was just going to go for a short walk".

3. How many witnesses to you need?

2. Fellow Katriders will hunt you down.. No matter where you move to!

And the number 1 reason
All the drivers behind you will beat your arse silly for making the 1 hour
commute a 4 hour commute..

[paradoxmd]

8. I best be out cold after hitting your door or your looking at a
ICON "brow beating"..

And the number 1 reason
All the drivers behind you will beat your arse silly for making the 1 hour
commute a 4 hour commute..

well said

[shogun1011]

Personally, i think that bikes should have to follow all the rules other vehicles follow. I sit in traffic and wait my turn. When i ride, i try to be considerate of others around me, and that karma comes back 10 fold when it's pouring out and vehicles are considerate enough to give me plenty of space on the highway. Splitting cars or riding in the breakdown lane just gives motorcycles a bad name because other drivers often look at it as a cocky or spoiled manuver. There's plenty of other benefits bikes get that don't piss people off (ie; sharing parking spots, paying $10 to fill our tanks, riding in the open air, feeling torque and responsiveness that few cars can come close too...etc.etc).

Unfortunately, there are many more 4 wheeled vehicles in our roads than 2 wheelers...so until the equation changes, i think some bikers should give a little more respect. there's douche bags in cars, trucks, and on bikes. Lets try not to be one of them.