In Cali, do you respect the carpool dbl yellow?

[socalrob]

Here in Cali its legal for riders to use the carpool lane. The carpool lane is seperated from the number 1 lane by one or two double yellow lines. When the carpool lane stops/slows down, how do you handle splitting traffic?

Do you ignore the double yellow & split traffic by crossing over it?
Do you only split by staying in the carpool lane & thus squeezing closer than needed to the carpool lane traffic?
Do you just sit there & not split?

I have in fact heard of riders getting tickets for crossing the double yellow. I have also ridden behind CHP riders crossing the double yellow while they split traffic.

This whole question freaks me out to the point I would almost rather ride on freeways without the carpool lanes, except the double yellow normally leaves an extra space to make splitting a joy.

[DarthRider]

Why don't you just move to Montana?

[BobFV1]

Rob -

I know what you mean - this is a conundrum. I either get fully into the carpool lane or I split, but not between the #1 lane and the carpool lane. Crossing a double yellow really doesn't have too much gray area in my home state (and the state I learned to ride and bought my first bike in). In my experience, the cops love to ticket for crossing it, and it ain't worth testing the limits.

[geechie]

Why don't you just move to Montana?

Would you believe... That reminds me of a Frank Zappa lyric.

George

[Promethean]

Where men are men and sheep are scared? :pot:


Why don't you just move to Montana?

[fnfalman]

I respect the carpool yellow line. There are riders and drivers who don't think once about crossing over, but they ain't me.

As far as cops lane splitting at excessive speed, crossing the lanes, etc., well, they got the badges and I don't. I get the tickets but they won't. So I think that I'll stick to the conservative side of the law.

[socalrob]

I respect the double yellow at speed, only entering/exiting the carpool lane at the broken white line entry zones, but if traffic is really crawling (say 15/20mph or slower) I have been known to ride on the double yellow to split, always returning to the carpool lane when speed/space permits, and I will hug cars in the carpool lane to stay on the correct side of the line.

I figure this is all technically illegal, but I have followed CHP riders doing the same. I have also fallen back into the carpool lane prior to passing a CHP cruiser, as I figure I should not fly in their face.

Moving to Montana? I think I'd get too lonely out there. My girls would probably like a horse ranch though.

[popgazer]

I respect the double yellow at speed, only entering/exiting the carpool lane at the broken white line entry zones, but if traffic is really crawling (say 15/20mph or slower) I have been known to ride on the double yellow to split, always returning to the carpool lane when speed/space permits, and I will hug cars in the carpool lane to stay on the correct side of the line.
Same here.

Besides, isn't there a discussion about making it legal for all vehicles to enter and exit the car pool lane at any location (not just at the boken lines!). Did I read this somewhere or was I dreaming ??

[BobFV1]

I respect the double yellow at speed, only entering/exiting the carpool lane at the broken white line entry zones, but if traffic is really crawling (say 15/20mph or slower) I have been known to ride on the double yellow to split, always returning to the carpool lane when speed/space permits, and I will hug cars in the carpool lane to stay on the correct side of the line.

I figure this is all technically illegal, but I have followed CHP riders doing the same. I have also fallen back into the carpool lane prior to passing a CHP cruiser, as I figure I should not fly in their face.

Moving to Montana? I think I'd get too lonely out there. My girls would probably like a horse ranch though.

Rob - last Tuesday AM riding over the Sepulveda pass South out of the Valley to LAX, I found myself doing exactly what you describe. A lot of squids were splitting that yellow line, though.

On the ride up from San Diego at rush hour last Monday night the HOV lane worked fine for me most of the way - it peters out North of the 10, so the splitting starts.

I love California and lane-splitting - it should be legal in all 50 states, IMHO!

[Wild Will]

Lane sharing should be legal everywhere. Also, when forced to stop for a construction zone, I always ride up to the front of the line and get ahead of all the cages. It's far safer for a motorcycle to be away from the tedious traffic, I tell the stop sign holders, most of whom are in agreement.

In the Bay Area, land sharing is a way of life, and cagers know that they cannot open their doors or otherwise fark around with the more mobile motorcyclists, although they are often jealous of them. Lane sharing is just plain pragmatic.

[supermotoC]

Why don't you just move to Montana?

What, and become a dental floss tycoon?

Oh man, there'd be SO many MC deaths in Texas if lane splitting was made legal here. The drivers are SO ignorant of lane discipline (and most every other driving law) that just riding alongside or coming up behind (from any angle) someone is a gamble. Really. I lived in LA for most of the '80s, and it's a different planet there. (duh!) People here still drive 75-80 on anything resembling a freeway, and traffic jams are also exercises in lane-changing for the impatient (which is nearly everybody on the road), because everything is so spread out here.
In Texas, crossing the dbl yellow is a ticketable offense, but the law is too busy hanging cattle rustlers. Also, our HOV lanes don't have time limits, as in, you can't use that lane EVER unless you have >1 people in the vehicle - 24/7. Stupid.