Motorcycle lane-splitting bill passed by California Assembly - San Jose Mercury News
5/30/21/2015, pg. A4). A story about motorcycle lane-splitting legislation incorrectly attributed a quote from a Bay Area driver. The comment that motorcyclists are "bullies on the road, and they expect everyone to move over," came from Cheryl Hale, of Concord. The Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly approved Assembly Bill 51, permitting motorcyclists to split lanes so long as they do so at speeds no faster than 50 mph and no faster than 15 mph than traffic in adjacent lanes is moving. All other states ban lane-splitting, although several are considering making it legal. The sponsors of the bill -- Assemblymen Bill Quirk (D-Hayward), Kansen Chu (D-San Jose) and Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) -- say the practice should be legal so the state can offer safety guidance. A UC Berkeley study "found that lane-splitting was safer, compared to being stopped in the traffic," Quirk said in a statement. But the practice rankles many drivers who say they see far too many motorcyclists zipping between lanes at high speeds. "They are bullies on the road, and they expect everyone to move over," said Cheryl Hale of Concord. "Most are lane-splitting when traffic is not only going very slow. California law enforcement officers for decades have allowed lane-splitting when traffic is congested, but there's never been a law saying it's legal. Source: www.mercurynews.com
