Did Montana Legalize Lane Splitting
Montana Senate Bill 9, which will go into effect on October 1, 2021, states that motorcyclists may share lane if: SB 9 allows the operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle to pass stopped or slow vehicles at a maximum speed of 20 mph to filter between stopped traffic lanes traveling in the same direction, when conditions permit and specify reasonable and careful operation of the motorcycle during track filtration. Police are asking drivers and motorcyclists to be careful when filtering lanes. Lane Splitting will be legal in Montana starting October 1, 2021. The senator who sponsored SB9, Russell Tempel, is a motorcyclist. I think it takes a rider in the legislature to start something like this. This could be a challenge for a motorcycle rights group trying to convince lawmakers to do so without prior knowledge of the motorcycle. I think the legislator sponsoring a bill has to be a driving force to really understand the benefits. If lobby groups want more states to introduce lane filtering laws, it would be up to them to target states that have a motorcyclist among their representatives. Montana will be only the third state to legalize lane filtering. The other two are California and Utah. Lane splitting, which usually refers to a motorcyclist driving between 2 lanes heading in the same direction, is one of the most controversial and misunderstood actions. Some are concerned about the safety of lane filtering. On March 3, 2021, montana was only the 3rd.
The state that legalized lane sharing when Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 9. The new law will come into force on October 1, 2021. Motorcycle groups, including the American Motorcyclist Association, have long advocated that motorcyclists who share lanes in heavy traffic are much less likely to be hit from behind by other motorists. AG: I don`t think most people imagine a lot of traffic jams in Montana. What is the impact of track filtering in your condition? The American Motorcyclist Association motorcycle enthusiasts are big fans of Lane Splitting and were happy to see the progress in Montana. Filtering and lane splitting are the same thing. Since you think they are “clearly not the same”, please explain why. Lane splitting (also known as “striped driving” or “filtering”) occurs when a motorcyclist is driving in the same direction between 2 lanes. Lane splitting usually occurs when traffic slows down on a highway, but some motorcyclists share lanes to get to the top of traffic at a traffic light. 2. As used in this Division, “lane filtering” means the act of overtaking and passing another vehicle stopped or travelling at a speed not exceeding 10 miles per hour in the same direction of traffic and in the same lane.
In comparison, Utah allows drivers to filter stopped traffic up to 45 miles per hour as long as there are multiple lanes. Bills proposed in other states have similar guidelines, although none have found enough support to go anywhere. In October, lane filtering will become legal for motorcyclists in the state of Montana, which experts say will reduce traffic jams, but could make the bike more dangerous. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte this week signed a bill that allows motorcyclists to travel between lanes under certain traffic conditions. The new law means Montana joins California and Utah in officially recognizing lane splitting as a legal form of district. Most research has shown that pathway splitting is beneficial. It is the third U.S. state to legalize a form of motorcycle lane filtering. However, critics of lane splitting argue that motorcyclists drive aggressively between cars, which scares drivers and creates dangerous situations, such as when a car tries to change lanes. Research shows that drivers should even drive less than 20 mph in some situations. For example, a one-year study concluded that lane sharing is generally no more dangerous than riding a motorcycle when the driver is traveling at speeds similar to or slightly faster than surrounding traffic.
However, the maneuver becomes more dangerous when a motorcyclist drives or drives more than 10 miles per hour faster than the traffic the motorcyclist passes. Osborne added that he might consider lane filtering when traffic is congested, but that it`s difficult to do so on wider motorcycles. Section 1. Track filtering for motorcycles. (1) A driver of a two-wheeled motorcycle may perform lane filtering if: For the full AMA position on the lane splitting, see americanmotorcyclist.com/lane-splitting/. As I`ve heard, filtering involves navigating between cars at a traffic light to move forward when the signal changes (see multiple mentions of “stopped”). Dividing means sharing lanes regardless of speed, as I understand it. “If we`re going to overtake left or right in the same lane, then I`m afraid we`re going to have situations where riders don`t see the bikes overtaking, and we could have an incident,” St. John said.
Historically, track splitting has never been mentioned in Montana laws. However, on March 2, 2021, Montana became only the 3rd state (Utah and California are the others) to explicitly legalize lane sharing under certain conditions. GS: It`s about educating the public about this new law, because I think bikers will be scared when they share a motorcycle lane for the first time and say, “Wait! Why is this driver crazy and driving between lanes? Hopefully, at some point, the driver will find out that this step is legal. At the end of the day, I think motorcyclists who drive to the top of the pack, say at a traffic light, are doing motorists a favor. We are out of their way. Don`t worry about drivers in their blind spots or fast and sudden in the left lane. I just spoke with WADA CEO Russ Ehnes, who lives in Montana and was present at the signing ceremony, about the state`s plans in terms of educating the traveling public on SB9. At this time, neither he nor I are aware of any formal public information programs on this subject.
But honestly, the Montana Trail isn`t about holding your hand. Montanans tend to be self-sufficient; Just go out and do it. California (AB 51, 2016) and Utah (HB 149, 2018) were the first two states to codify and sign lane splitting or filtering laws. Efforts to legalize and formally recognize lane filtering/splitting will be considered in three more states during the 2021 legislature. I agree with Mike. It has always been my understanding that, although related, lane splitting and lane filtering are always two different actions. Filtering is the action of dividing lanes when approaching a traffic stop, such as a stop sign, or more commonly when approaching a red light. One of the main arguments for allowing filtering is not only the goal of being ahead of traffic, but also for security reasons. The effect of lane filtering positions a motorcyclist between cars at a traffic stop, providing better protection against a possible rear-end collision, which we all know is a significant cause of many serious motorcycle injuries and deaths.
I believe that Berkley`s study explicitly highlighted this as one of the most important positive aspects of enabling runway filtering. Lane splitting, also known as lane filtering, in which motorcycles share lanes with cars and trucks to reduce traffic jams, is a widespread practice around the world. In the United States, only California has allowed this practice for many years, although it was only sanctioned by law in 2016. (Two studies in 2014 showed that the practice is safe.) In 2018, Utah became the second state to legally recognize track splitting. And now Montana has enacted a law to allow the practice, which will go into effect on October 1, 2021. “As support for lane sharing continues to grow across the country, I am committed to helping more motorcyclists engage their state legislators on this issue,” Cipoletti said. I conclude by recalling that neither filtering nor lane division is mandatory in states that allow traffic in the lane. Drivers can make up their own minds in heavy traffic.
We`ll see the best results if motorcyclists stick to the ambassador mindset described by Geneviève, whether it`s dividing, filtering, or deciding to stay in traffic. Staying up to date and driving safely will take us all a little further down the road. Perhaps the only thing slower than traffic jams is the spread of legalized lane sharing in the United States. That makes Montana`s new one-page Lane Filter Act one of the biggest lane-sharing advances since Utah passed its own screening law in 2018. GS: Advertising from California about channel splitting hasn`t always been positive. I hope montana can track accidents and that we will see a decrease in rear-end collisions or an increase in the safety of other drivers as a result of the new law.
