I remember lane splitting in California 1967 !@#$%

[Stig / Major Tom]

In 1967 I worked for a few weeks at a machine shop in Pasadena. (Tab-Loc, or some such - he'd patented a quick change motorcycle sprocket)
Because I had no wheels of any kind - I rode pillion with a co-worker.
He always sifted through the two lanes on our side of the busy 4-lane blvd.
I well remember this particular day for 3 reasons:
1) it was raining hard
2) he was filtering slowly through cars, misjudged one and knocked me off in the road. My knees just outside his knees - which he forgot to allow for. He stopped and we continued...
3) when I arrived at work that Monday I learned that my 'temp' job was over. (The order was filled.)

The boss , a little registered card-carrying communist, wouldn't let him take me home - 15 miles distant.
I was wet, sore and unemployed.
I didn't hurt anybody.....I don't think.
I thumbed and walked and was home by noon.

My goofy 18 yr old SoCal wife was thrilled that I could spend the day with her!
We were kids, me 19, - "no worries, we'll figure out something!"

After a few more Calif. bummers - we bought two carboard suitcases and took a Greyhound (41 nights and 5 days??) to Massachusetts, my home, where I had started out from 12 mos before hitching to Calif..

Gene, the rider, was kind of a jerk on a good day.....

Good times
Stig

[stuo]

 Lane splitting is still legal in CA thanks to the CA Highway Patrol, which testified against a bill that would have made it illegal. Scooters are great at lane sharing: legs are tucked in and my GV 250 has retractable mirrors, making the bike a smidge over two feet wide. Traffic here is terrible and it often would take two traffic light cycles to clear an intersection in my car but I'm always at the front of the line on Sharkey.









 = 

[randyo]

I see the benefit of lane splitting in urban traffic, something I never see where I live, I think there is more benefit to legal passing on double yellow like Vermont

[Neil955i]

I’m thankful it’s always been legal here in the UK. In fact many more observant drivers will actually move over to ease your passage!  Back in the 80’s, my 40 minute commute into Birmingham would have taken 2+ hours in a car.

Yes, I’ve seen the YouTube vids of loons filtering at insane speeds, but my rule of thumb was/is anything much above 10-15 mph and I’d slot back in lane.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I’m thankful it’s always been legal here in the UK. In fact many more observant drivers will actually move over to ease your passage!  Back in the 80’s, my 40 minute commute into Birmingham would have taken 2+ hours in a car.

Yes, I’ve seen the YouTube vids of loons filtering at insane speeds, but my rule of thumb was/is anything much above 10-15 mph and I’d slot back in lane.

I think the law is no more than 15mph past slow moving traffic.
Or maybe that's just the advisory in California?
Stig