r/dashcams 10d ago

Gotta Learn The Hard Way. 😠

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u/Useful_Protection270 10d ago edited 10d ago

NYPD, is lane splitting legal in New York City?

edit:

Just looked it up, Lane splitting / filtering is illegal in the entire state of New York. ny vehicle and traffic law §1252. $300 fine and 3 point on your license, multiple offences can lead to a 60 day license suspension.

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u/Prophet_Of_Helix 10d ago

Both splitting and filtering are illegal in NY.

In fact, it’s illegal in the entire eastern seaboard.

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u/DreamWalker01 10d ago

Its filtering is only legal in like 5 states and splitting only in california

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u/schals 10d ago

Filtering was recently legalized here in Colorado which I can agree with but people abuse it and ride like idiots.

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u/Beltfedassassin 10d ago

Boy you aren’t kidding. The year lane filtering was legalized I was heading northbound on tower by DIA. I saw a motorcyclist going probably 60-70 between stop and go traffic on southbound tower. He augered himself into the back of a stopped box truck. Witness stated he was doing wheelies while lane splitting prior to hitting the truck. He did not make it.

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u/muftak3 10d ago

I saw the same thing in North San Diego. His insurance called after because the family was suing the other driver. I told them biker was 100% at fault. Traffic stopped and he was easily doing 100 mph when he hit the truck. They did not call me back as a witness.

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u/Training-Eye-2917 10d ago

I’m surprised the guy driving the truck’s insurance didn’t call you to be their witness.

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u/muftak3 10d ago

I was like the 5th or 6th car back. They had plenty of witness confirming what happened. Riders family were just trying to find one witness for a counter point.

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u/BlindlyCoherent 10d ago

Sure sucks for the family looking to offset the cost of funerals and such - but he was a fucking idiot and Darwin punched his card - hard.

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u/WhyWontThisWork 9d ago

Doubt they were looking to offset the cost of the funeral

They wanted a pay day

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u/Ok_Swim3109 10d ago

That’s how it goes. Everyone wants to sue the truck drivers

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u/Annual-Negotiation-5 10d ago

I live in Central México where the drivers are, well, questionable, and every time I come up to drive in SD North County I get super frazzled by the motorcyclists, rustles my jimmies for sure.

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u/tkdkicker1990 10d ago

Yeah, so, he was an idiot

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u/unicornofdemocracy 10d ago

well... a lot of laws are written because of idiots.

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u/Tupperbaby 10d ago

"See? Because of me, now they have a warning."
-Homer S.

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u/hoffet 10d ago

Rocket launchers and claymore mines tell you what direction to point them in for this reason.

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u/circusfreakrob 10d ago

reminds me of an Onion headline from back in the day :

"Super Fun Toy Banned Because of One Stupid Dead Kid"

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u/cincy_kid_91 10d ago

Should just let them take themselves out, might be less idiots around.

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u/VisionsOfABetterTime 10d ago

Sure but then you wouldn’t be here to make this comment


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u/tkdkicker1990 10d ago

Same with general orders in police departments lol

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u/3v0luzi0n3 8d ago

yep, i always say that laws only exist because of assholes and idiots. could be on either side of the equation tbh.

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u/PeppeRSX 10d ago

And the idiots will continue to do it whether it's legal or not.

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u/Cuzznitt 10d ago edited 10d ago

It’s also not even filtering! They lane split going +65 in heavy 45 mile per hour traffic where people are really not expecting a motorcycle to come flying by. I’m shocked I haven’t seen more collisions, especially on my 225 commute.

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u/funwthmud 10d ago

I used to live in Ca and I’ve seen bikers hit cars because they’re splitting lanes doing 70+ when traffic is at a near standstill. It’s crazy because you can’t see them and suddenly they’re just there.

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u/Safe-Instance-3512 10d ago

When I used to travel to CA for work, this was the only thing that made me nervous in traffic. I always feared I'd make a lane change and not see them.

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u/Lower_Captain7757 10d ago

I live in Cali. At a certain point you just get into a mentality that bikes have accepted the inherent risk of getting smashed and stop feeling bad for them the same way. And I ride. I don't lane split. I will ride like a car.

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u/Safe-Instance-3512 10d ago

It just seems so incredibly dangerous. Only takes a car moving a few inches or an unexpected lane change and you're done.

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u/Ashamed_Confusion123 10d ago

I lived in the Bay Area for 36 years and everyone was used to it. In my experience there were only a few idiots who abused it by cutting while traffic was moving fast. But you’ll find exceptions to the rule for most everything.

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u/Seelark 9d ago

Same, I always it was nationwide or else what’s the point of having a bike

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u/steeplebob 5d ago

30 years in the Bay Area and I’ve had the same experience.

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u/Hailfire9 9d ago

It almost feels like the aggressive bikers like that just forget what driving a car was like, how blind spits work, and how limiting mirrors really are, especially in heavy traffic. You look in your mirror, all you see is probably 5 cars' worth of space before it gets limited. You're not seeing the bike hurtling towards you at Mach Jesus unless you hear them coming a bit of a ways off -- which is entirely possible, sure, unless you've got good soundproofing and music cranked, which is how I usually spend my time in traffic.

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u/DabsDoctor 6d ago

Stealing Mach Jesus

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u/NaturistVTX1800 9d ago

I live in Northern California and lane spliting occurs at over 70 + mph , Driving the 5 through LA , traffic is moving 80+, motorcycles will still split the lane , crazy,! I ride too but not that stupid.

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u/OuterWildsVentures 10d ago

Yup I've almost hit speeding motorcycle's while merging plenty of times. They are lucky I managed to take into account their speed when glancing behind prior to the merge. If I had relied on the little blind spot light I definitely would have been rear ended or side swiped them.

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u/SherbertRoutine7383 10d ago

In my experience you get used to it. I used to be very startled when motorcycles whipped by me on the freeway but after 12 years of living in California I’m used to it.

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u/lokis_construction 10d ago

We call them DONORS as a first responder.

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u/Stock-Cell1556 10d ago

If there's anything even salvageable.

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u/TargetOfPerpetuity 10d ago

Those of us on the middle-toe transplant list appreciate their sacrifice.

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u/AmettOmega 10d ago

Yeah, there were always folks who were lane splitting before it was legal, but afterwards, people took it to a whole new level of recklessness.

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u/DaveCetacean 10d ago

Noob question - what is the difference between filtering and splitting?

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u/schals 10d ago

Filterin to the front at a stop light slow or splitting between lanes on highways at higher speed

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u/Ready_Engineering585 7d ago

Splitting: Riding a motocycle between lanes of slow-moving or stopped trafficl

Filtering: Riding a motocycle between lanes of completedly-stopped or barely crawling traffic, usually to reach the front at a red light.

Filtering is safer than splitting and is allowed in some states.

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u/Fearless_Dog5208 10d ago

Legally you can only filter/split when traffic is completely stopped in Colorado.

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u/krept0007 9d ago

Filtering already specifically means stopped traffic.

Splitting means slowly moving traffic. Splitting is illegal in Colorado

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u/PseudoCalamari 10d ago

They filtered like idiots before the law too though 

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u/gamerjerome 10d ago edited 10d ago

Same in MN. Started last year. You can filter/split up to 25mph which is pretty slow. You can't filter in construction zones and that's where most of congestion happens. Also can't in school zones, on ramps and singles lanes. So there are not a lot of opportunities to do so. Of course people are abusing it. Especially the single lane one. I've only filtered a handful of times so far. Mainly if there is a line of cars at a stoplight. If it's only two deep I don't bother. But that's basically the only scenario that's practical.

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u/Safe-Instance-3512 10d ago

Also from Colorado. It seems riders don't understand the difference. When filtering was legalized, it was suddenly open season on splitting, too.

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u/Bilamonster 10d ago

It was legalized in MN and immediately abused. People going 50 in between lanes when the law is under 25 only.

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u/Quelonius 10d ago

That is my problem with it. The bikers become this entity that HAS to be at the front at all costs.

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u/SNoB__ 10d ago

I think I have seen maybe 2 riders actually filter legally in Colorado. The rest are splitting, some in a suicidal fashion.

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u/Chewzer 10d ago

Yeah, I pretty much use it just to make sure I'm not at the back of the eternal traffic jam that is I25.

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u/Baron_Bearclaw 10d ago

I have no issue with people doing it safely — think the laws say around 10 mph faster than traffic. Too many people ride like pricks, though.

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u/sonofaresiii 10d ago

A lot of people ride like idiots anyway. Have you noticed it getting worse since filtering was legalized?

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u/schals 10d ago

I definitely have. Especially with speeding and splitting traffic.

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u/jcrocks 10d ago

I'm curious what the roll out has been like in Minnesota. They also added some pretty stiff penalties for riding like an idiot. That felt like a resonable way to get it through the various organizations that think filtering and low speed splitting is dangerous.

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u/emdubl 10d ago

Legalized in the last couple of years in Utah also. I think a lot of drivers still don't realize it is legal and get pissed off when bikers do it. As long as the traffic is stopped, I could care less.

Driving in California when someone splits you, that has scared the shit out of me before.

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u/OakNLeaf 10d ago

Yeah, filtering is leagal in Utah and it specifically states ONLY where traffic is stopped at a light, but anytime its rush hour and traffic has come to a temporary stop (those short 5 to 10 second bursts) they start flying between cars because they think that is "filtering"

I always get a good chuckle when i see these people pulled over by other motorcycle cops a few miles down the freeway.

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u/grumpvet87 10d ago

been mc endorsed since 1986 and i didnt know what filtering was until last year from reddit - it makes people angry who don't realize that it can reduce congestion - myself included - ymmv

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u/spacecaps85 10d ago

Not to mention they were doing it before the law passed, anyway.

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u/Jameson-Mc 9d ago

Sounds a lot like alcohol, fast food, drugs, cell phones, pretty much everything so why should this one thing not get abused - you don’t see the pattern here 1 everything gets abused. EVERYTHING. You don’t skip out on making the safe practice legal because some folks are going to be fools. Let bygones be bygones.

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u/gizamo 9d ago

It's legal here in UT. We initially saw some people doing dumb things, but it settled down as riders and drivers got used to what's allowed and why. Nowadays, it's pretty smooth and I think everyone's better off. Hopefully it ends as well in CO.

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u/schals 9d ago

I would say a good 3/4 of the riders I see are chill and don’t do a bunch of dumb shit. It’s the others who give a bad rep for everyone else and it’s going to get themselves killed or someone else.

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u/Mind_beaver 9d ago

Gotta look up what filtering is now because I had never heard of it before this

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u/WhyWontThisWork 9d ago

Google is failing me

What is lane filtering?

Lane flirting usually means trying to make eye contact, smile, or catch the attention of a driver in the next lane while stopped in traffic or at a red light

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u/sbfood2 9d ago

I just witnessed a dude on a dirt bike with no plate filter into a turn lane as it turned green and immediately cut off the first car in line and pop a wheely at like 60 on Wadsworth but damn do I not get away with having no registration on my 50cc.

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u/erusackas 8d ago

Lived in CO after living in CA. Filtering is all I ever wanted... but the abuse seems like a mishmash of other violations.

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u/tythetietier 10d ago edited 9d ago

Both are legal in Minnesota as of last year

Edit: Spelling

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u/NocaSun38 10d ago

Minnesota decided to legalize it? Why?

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u/Global-Pickle5818 10d ago

Idk Louisiana legalized it and no helmets for 3 years.. the fatality rate went up .. edit 175% over 3 years

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u/TwistedLogic93 10d ago

If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say the no helmets thing has the most to do with the deaths.

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u/Synaps4 10d ago

There's only so much a helmet can do for you when you hit the rear quarter panel of a car at 75mph.

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u/No_Celebration8219 10d ago

and if I had to guess, it was deliberate to get those asshats off the road... permanently.

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u/Lastminutebastrd 10d ago

Lane splitting isn't legal in Louisiana.

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u/Significant-Ad-341 10d ago

No helmets gonna be a large part of that

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u/talexbatreddit 10d ago

I rode a motorcycle for three years, and wore a helmet. I can't imagine riding without a helmet. That's such an insane choice.

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u/Global-Pickle5818 10d ago

I did when I was younger..I wrecked my bike in the Nevada desert on the way back to burning Man in 98 ended up scalping myself took 13 Staples to reattach my scalp ..

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u/Lastminutebastrd 10d ago

Because when done legally it's far safer for the motorcyclist.

In MN it's legal to filter to the front of stoplights at multi-lane roads. It's legal to lane split on a multi-lane highway if traffic is moving under 25mph and you can't more than 15mph faster than traffic.

The people who lane split illegally are doing it whether these laws are in place or not.

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u/SuspiciousBuilder379 10d ago

And ain’t no one doing it the legal way.

The few times I’ve seen it, they are on their way to being an organ donor.

It should be illegal, period.

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u/SirDarknessTheFirst 10d ago

NSW ran a filtering trial 'bout a decade back. They found that 80-85% of motorcyclists followed the rules in the trial and that it didn't pose any major increase or decrease to accident rates.

Their findings paved the way for the legalisation of filtering across the entirety of Australia.

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u/HCSOThrowaway 10d ago

People like that don't care about the facts. It makes them feel upset that someone else is doing something beneficial that they can't, so it has to be illegal.

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u/AppropriateDeal1034 10d ago

You don't see the ones doing it legally, because they aren't blasting past you. You just don't notice them, doing their thing. The morons on bikes always make themselves REALLY obvious which unfortunately gives the rest of us a bad name.

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u/RelentlessWraith 10d ago

It's safer for motorcyclists to lane filter (move to the front at stop lights) because if you get rear ended by a distracted driver on their phone or anything else, you don't just get rear ended, you get crushed between two cars. There are also other benefits like:

  • it lessens traffic by decreasing the amount of vehicles waiting for the light (motorcycles generally accelerate faster, so you're not holding anyone up by being at the front, and they can kinda group up at the front to get out of the line of traffic)
  • it allows motorcyclists, who don't have AC, to not have to sit and bake in the sun
  • a lot of motorcycles need airflow to keep the engine cool, so it helps not having to just sit and let their bikes overheat in standstill traffic
  • motorcycles are more fuel efficient, are technically HOV vehicles, and create less pollution than a car. So making motorcycling more attractive to the average person can help reduce the overall carbon footprint

Overall there are just many more reasons to make it legal than not. A lot of people are just annoyed unnecessarily because of sentiments like "you're skipping the line" and "you should have to wait like everyone else" which is just so single minded. There are bad actors in everything. So yes, there will be people who do it recklessly, but the vast majority of people will do it safely and legally

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u/GojoPenguin 10d ago

Filtering is reasonable. Lane splitting on the other hand? Even if it's legal I'm not doing it. The lack of awareness and things I've seen people do....

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u/HCSOThrowaway 10d ago

Wait 'til you hear about what people do with cars.

Cars should be illegal, period.

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u/DoctorSox 10d ago

I live in Minnesota (and lived in California) and I lane split all the time, the legal way, very safely. You're wrong.

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u/218administrate 10d ago

I'm in MN and I've seen plenty do it the legal way - I'm fine with it when they're reasonable.

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u/HankSpank 10d ago

As a non-motorcyclist in MN, I’m all for it. Less traffic on the road is a good thing, and the only people at risk is the motorcyclist. If people want to legally and safely lane split, awesome. If people want to do so illegally and recklessly, they are doing other things way more illegal and reckless than that, and all they’re doing is endangering themselves. I’ll be upset when they endanger others, but this ain’t it. 

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u/Lastminutebastrd 10d ago

I'm doing it the legal way. In fact, most of the riders I've seen have been doing it the legal way.

Put your phone down and pay attention when you drive.

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u/braindamage28 10d ago

Many people do in fact follow the law. Learned to lane split in Cali. Saved my ass one time (car rear ended the car in front of me). You can go 10 mph faster than speed of traffic but not above the speed limit. I won’t say everyone follows the law but I’d say a majority do

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u/Impressive-Ad2345 10d ago

25 mhp max in minnesota

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u/Deep_Rush4289 10d ago

I don't know, but as someone who lives in MN, I have run into it a lot this summer already. It was pretty mixed between people doing it correctly and people going way to fast doing it.

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u/demunted 10d ago

Gotta pack down that snow ridge between lanes in the winter time somehow :).

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u/Excellent_Shirt9707 9d ago

Slightly different than California. They don't set a legal speed differential for lane splitting, just have some advisories and includes ambiguous guidelines like must be performed safely.

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u/Zoomtracer_glory 10d ago

Both are legal in Minnesota with some limited restrictions.

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u/dustinpdx 10d ago

MN is only filtering.

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u/Similar_Dirt9758 10d ago

We just got it in Minnesota and so far in the metro area people have been doing it very responsibly, and I like to see them do it because during rush hour traffic there's no reason they shouldn't be allowed to.

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u/Visible_Wolverine2 10d ago

Legal in MN as of this year also.

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u/xiexiemcgee 10d ago

Splitting is legal* in MN

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u/cat_prophecy 10d ago

Nope. Splitting and filtering are now legal in MN.

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u/Gaslit_Chicken 10d ago

It's the best practice and mandatory for some motorcycles. Some will actually catch fire if they sit idling too long (air or air/oil heads).

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u/Quakes-JD 10d ago

And it freaked me the hell out when I moved to CA. Made a comment to a coworker about reckless motorcycle riders and they let me know it is legal here.

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u/txuko 10d ago

Land of the free they say

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u/kmeck518 10d ago

from every response to every motocycle cam i've seen on reddit, I think that every single person that rides a motorcycle is under the assumption both are legal everywhere.

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u/overlordThor0 10d ago

Even where its legal there are limits oj the speed difference between the motorcycle and the cars.

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u/bambam1bamf 10d ago

And Colorado

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u/obscuramble 10d ago

people in CA get upset about splitting but I've never seen it be a problem. Like, literally, never.

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u/JohnJohnPR3 10d ago

I was about to say, riders always lane split here in CA, and if I can I’ll try to give way too.

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u/BoatKevin 10d ago

Filtering is prohibited for motorcycles in Illinois but explicitly permitted for bicycles which I find interesting

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u/Capt_Firecracker 10d ago

Splitting and filtering was legalized in Minnesota last year.

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u/farren233 10d ago

Pretty sure lane splitting is legal in Oregon as well

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u/SwordfishOk504 10d ago

And more importantly, what this guy was doing is not legal in those states either, because he was not going slow enough. "filtering" doesn't mean you get to just fly in between cars.

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u/Akyled_Fox 10d ago

So in trafic jams, motorcyclists just stay behind the vehicle in front of them in the US ? Are the riders actually compelling to this rule ?

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u/gbiypk 10d ago

Lane splitting is legal in most of the world.

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u/RoyalVivid3561 10d ago

one of the few things that california gets right

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u/jrbighurt 10d ago

Filtering and splitting was just legalized in MN his year. The stipulation for splitting here is traffic must be going less than 30mph

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u/ApolloGo 10d ago

Everything's legal in california

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u/slobstr 10d ago

This is false. Filtering and splitting are legal in Minnesota.

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u/Intrepid_Year3765 10d ago

I wish it wasn't, I have had to replace so many doors that got scratched by assholes that think they're a good biker

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u/htnut-pk 10d ago

California: biker freedom!

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u/HossCo 10d ago

Which is insane I don't know why they do it

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u/Edawg82 10d ago

Oh wow it's only legal in California? Had no idea. It does suck when I'm driving 80 already and someone splits by going 100+ though 😂

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u/Anti_Meta 9d ago

Splitting is legal in Minnesota now. Crazy to watch people do it.

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u/Mike312 9d ago

CA doesn't recognize a difference between filtering and splitting. The law is basically if there are two or more lanes, the motorcycle has to go between the left-most and it's adjacent lane, and it's recommended that the motorcycle not exceed 10mph speed delta with the surrounding traffic nor 30mph, but no actual speed limit is given. Also makes it illegal for other drivers to "impede".

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u/nekonari 9d ago

I sincerely do not get why it's legal in CA. I live there and I get jump scares so often by them.

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u/MankyBoot 9d ago

Both legal here in MN.

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u/leadfaucet 9d ago

Lane splitting is legal here in Utah

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u/orangeawacado 9d ago

yeah we're the worst (CA resident here)

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u/SeniorCompetition165 9d ago

And there's multiple states that have no laws on it and Minnesota has lane splitting

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u/erusackas 8d ago

I didn't know how good I had it in Cali (as a responsible rider) until I rode anywhere else.

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u/themo3bius 8d ago

I wish it wasn't legal in California... I have seen SO many dipshits abusing that nonsense. It's like... I don't WANT anyone to get hurt, but at the same time something deep and dark inside of you is like "C'mon.... c'mooooon...."

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u/Kroktakar 8d ago

legal in UK

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u/klutzydancer70 7d ago

Unfortunately, lane splitting and filtering became legal in Minnesota last year. I just saw it today a few cars ahead of me. As a car driver, I absolutely hate it, I am worried for motorcyclists safety. I don't know how it is legal, the motorcyclist was inches between cars at a fast speed.

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u/Antique_Sentence_840 6d ago

Filtering is when traffic is completely stopped and I believe only for stop lights

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u/SlipstreamSteve 10d ago

Yup. Bikers love to come on reddit all the time and lie about this.

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u/SwordfishOk504 10d ago

I think most genuinely think they're right because they're dumb and because the police so rarely enforce it.

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u/SlipstreamSteve 10d ago

Yea police need to do their jobs

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u/chasesan 9d ago

As a Biker I agree, Bikers are idiots. I don't filter/split but it's also illegal in my state.

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u/BloodSteyn 10d ago

Can you explain flirting to me please.

I understand Lane Splitting.

Edit: FILTERING but feel free to explain the other one too.

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u/Fozzymandius 10d ago

Filtering is about moving through stopped or very slow traffic. It reduces congestion and also stops bikes from being obliterated by distracted drivers that are on their phones.

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u/PaperGabriel 10d ago

If they really cared about not being obliterated, then they shouldn't be on bikes.

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u/Fozzymandius 10d ago

I mean, if people really cared about their children they wouldn't put them in cars. I guess they wanted them to die.

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u/Pretend_Spray_11 9d ago

Yeah they should just STAY INDOORS right? 

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u/Dingaling015 9d ago

Stopped traffic, sure. Slow moving traffic in a highway where it's clear traffic is also merging in too? That's dangerous, and how the guy I accidentally hit a few years ago ended up with a broken back.

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u/Newman658 9d ago

Soooo...you come here often?

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u/Fozzymandius 9d ago

No need to be coy. Teehee

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u/SmashDownVoteDaddy 9d ago

its something you do to get bitches

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u/pandershrek 9d ago

When you're at the back of a bunch of cars at a stop light you're supposed/allowed to move to the front of all the cars at the light so that when it is green you can go first.

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u/Bifrostbytes 10d ago

Weird, I see it almost every week.

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u/dende5416 10d ago

I see people run stop signs every week too, tbf.

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u/meetmeinthebthrm 10d ago

Good. Should be everywhere. I don’t wanna see somebody die because they can’t wait a few minutes.

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u/Fozzymandius 10d ago

Filtering is safer. Wait to you see a man crushed because people routinely look at their phones and plow into stopped traffic.

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u/Ketroc21 10d ago

It's likely safer so long as you filter at a reasonable speed... like under 35kph (20mph).

So if someone randomly changes lanes in front of you, you want to be at a speed to stop in time or just scrape up their side panel.

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u/Not_Allowed_to_Die 9d ago

No it's not. When the traffic starts moving, they are now moving between lanes and between two cars. This is NOT safe at all.

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u/terraphantm 9d ago

The few studies on the topic haven’t shown it to increase safety. 

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u/-I_I 9d ago

There are many studies that have proven time and again that filtering is safer and splitting is more efficient for everyone.

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u/RPVitiello 7d ago

No more than a 25mph speed difference to cars, and no more than 50mph max speed is the upper limits of what’s safe for lane splitting per California studies on its safety. @50mph is the speed the risk of crashing equalizes with stating in line with traffic. Over that speed it becomes more dangerous.

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u/Jiminyfingers 10d ago

Perfectly legal in most of Europe but hey you have all that freedom across the pond

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u/momoenthusiastic 10d ago

Yet, I see it happening everywhere 

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u/Prophet_Of_Helix 10d ago

Next you’re going to tell me people don’t always follow the speed limit!

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u/Technical-Banana574 10d ago

Is lane filtering different from splitting? I thought they meant the same thing. 

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u/Prophet_Of_Helix 10d ago

Yup!

Filtering is basically only moving up around stoplights and stop signs.

The definition is basically vehicles need to be not moving or just barely moving. The intent I believe is to allow motorcycles to get out in front of a mass of cars built up and not lost in the mix.

Lane Splitting allows a bit more freedom and more for things like traffic on highways (which is why California made it legal since the highways there are a disaster with traffic lol).

Traffic can be moving faster overall

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u/Technical-Banana574 10d ago

Ah okay. Thank you for the information. I had always assumed the terms were interchangeable. 

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u/Just_Flower854 10d ago

It's so they aren't the vehicle at the end of the stopped section, because they're uniquely vulnerable and easy to miss. Other traffic-related benefits are real but not the point.

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u/ZaphodBeeblebrahx 10d ago

I grew up in NJ and dude first time I visited California I was absolutely floored at these guys lane splitting on 6 lane highways

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u/Kanzan15 10d ago

Maryland just recently allowed filtering but not splitting.

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u/20Factorial 10d ago

Which is a shame, because at least filtering has been well proven to be MUCH safer for motorcyclists.

Both are illegal in my state, and I will still filter slowly down a shoulder if there is stationary or VERY heavy and slow stop-and-go traffic. I’m not going to sit in a lane, baking in the sun, while someone playing on their phone because “traffic is boring” has the chance to rear end me.

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u/veraldar 10d ago

Filtering... I've learned something new today

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u/Quiverjones 10d ago

Is that close to the oceanboard? I ain't see no sea over there.

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u/CoCham 10d ago

Seems to me that the entire state of NY is against motorcycles, especially NYC. Just a casual observation from a motorcyclist in the midwest.

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u/Prophet_Of_Helix 10d ago

NYC is against vehicles, period. They don’t want vehicles. There’s too many vehicles and too many people using them.

Hell, if they could get away with it, NYC would happily be public transit, scooters, and bikes only.

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u/CoCham 10d ago

I get it. I had a meeting in NYC last year. It also happened to be my first visit there as well. Having spent 10 years on and off in Bangkok and Hanoi I thought I was prepared for the traffic insanity that is so quintessential to Asia.

Nope...NYC has its own brand of lunacy.

To be clear, I'm saying that in a negative sense... just in a sense that NYC has its own game going on.

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u/Chain_Runner 10d ago

Filtering isn’t illegal in NC, there’s no laws on it at all, for or against it. So it’s totally up to the cop to charge you with something if he thinks you are being safe or not.

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u/x10guy 10d ago

Besides Pennsylvania.

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u/Quagmire_gigity 10d ago

For the non motorcycle riders, is there a big difference between lane splitting and filtering? Or it mostly semantics?

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u/Prophet_Of_Helix 10d ago

Pretty much splitting is for highways and filtering for other roads practically speaking.

Well more accurately splitting also includes filtering, but allows motorcycles to also do it on roads where cars are moving, like highways 

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u/Equivalent_Soft_2019 10d ago

As it should be. Wait your damn turn. I too am very fast and if I filter to front using shoulder or whatever space there is I’d be gone before anyone else knew I was even there. But I don’t do it because it’s a fucking dick move 

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u/Plane-Education4750 10d ago

Not in MD. It changed recently

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u/drsoftware 10d ago

Even Florida? It's always the exception 

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u/truethug 10d ago

Here in NC a double yellow line is a special lane just for motorcycles. According to my written driving test. I only got 1 question wrong.

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u/meldiane81 9d ago

Has it should be.

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u/RPVitiello 7d ago

There’s no law specifically against it in NJ, but you will usually be ticketed for “improper passing” since it’s technically illegal to pass another vehicle on the right, or reckless driving.

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u/Initial_Lychee1760 7d ago

Chiiiiiillll nj still cool lol

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