Arizona now Permits limited lane sharing

[luffrr]

The law is convoluted and not as liberal as California.  However, in Arizona you can wear a gun and no helmet.... and now even cut up between cars to the front of the line and be the first to go when the signal changes to green!  The law has some confusing aspects to it. You can't cut between the cars if they are "moving."  There must be at least two lanes in the same direction.  The posted speed limit cannot be greater than 45MPH (so no freeways) Therefore, California freeway style of lane sharing is still forbidden in Arizona. Oh, and you can't go faster than 15MPH when you do it.  But you can ride with a gun with greater than ten rounds in the magazine (concealed or open carry.)  The new law can be found here:  

https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/bills/sb1273p.pdf

 

[Pasta Burner]

The gun part aside…because these are two very separate regulations.  we started doing this in Utah a few years ago, 2019 I think.  The primary focus is to prevent bikers from getting rear ended sitting at a traffic light, it has nothing to do with cutting in line.  We call it lane filtering.

Edited August 4, 2022 by Pasta Burner

[luvmy40]

This sounds like a reasonable and fairly safe thing to do and allow. The lane splitting ala CA seems to me to be a suicide pact for bikers.

[Joe in WV]

6 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

The gun part aside…because these are two very separate regulations.  we started doing this in Utah a few years ago, 2019 I think.  The primary focus is to prevent bikers from getting rear ended sitting at a traffic light, it has nothing to do with cutting in line.  We call it lane filtering.

When I was riding in Wyoming on Chief Joseph scenic highway a few years back they actually instructed bikers to go to the front of the line in highway construction for exactly the same reason.  Way to many distracted drivers out there...

[Pasta Burner]

The problem with lane filtering, especially when it’s first enacted is that most non riders know nothing about it and think you’re just an asshole cutting in line.  When I do it I’m watching faces in mirrors judging other drivers reactions to me.

[cowpuc]

I ALWAYS enjoyed lane spitting back when I chewed tobacco. Get er up to 100 mph, stick my naked head out into the wind, turn my head so my ears didnt fill up with spit  and let er rip. It was a whole lot better than swallowing the stuff which always gave me heartburn. One time, back in the 1970's when I was Tigging tube (thought ya had me didnt ya @flyday58, thought I was gonna say tigging pipe didnt you?) for the Boilermakers I was up at 290 feet in the Power House tigging a wall of Super Heaters and had a mouth full of Days O' Work chew and had to spit. There are no lanes when your up there, just you, your "Pimp" (helper who does all the leg work like fitting walls for you), a Tig torch and a gorgeous view of the boiler activity below. I saw no one below so I let er go.. That great big wad of spit headed down and instantly filled with air and took on the shape of a tobacco chew spit umbrella. The umbrella moved from side to side in "the hole" below as I and my pimp watched it in amazement.. It suddenly caught an updraft and headed toward the boiler walls below us and disappeared into the east wall at about 140 feet down. I looked at my pimp and we both starting laughing and laughed until we heard a crew of Iron Workers down there scream "Stop spitting!!!". Back to work.. The end. 

[PastorCurt]

16 hours ago, cowpuc said:

I ALWAYS enjoyed lane spitting back when I chewed tobacco. Get er up to 100 mph, stick my naked head out into the wind, turn my head so my ears didnt fill up with spit  and let er rip. It was a whole lot better than swallowing the stuff which always gave me heartburn. One time, back in the 1970's when I was Tigging tube (thought ya had me didnt ya @flyday58, thought I was gonna say tigging pipe didnt you?) for the Boilermakers I was up at 290 feet in the Power House tigging a wall of Super Heaters and had a mouth full of Days O' Work chew and had to spit. There are no lanes when your up there, just you, your "Pimp" (helper who does all the leg work like fitting walls for you), a Tig torch and a gorgeous view of the boiler activity below. I saw no one below so I let er go.. That great big wad of spit headed down and instantly filled with air and took on the shape of a tobacco chew spit umbrella. The umbrella moved from side to side in "the hole" below as I and my pimp watched it in amazement.. It suddenly caught an updraft and headed toward the boiler walls below us and disappeared into the east wall at about 140 feet down. I looked at my pimp and we both starting laughing and laughed until we heard a crew of Iron Workers down there scream "Stop spitting!!!". Back to work.. The end. 

Now Puc, you have gone and done it. I laughed so hard at this post that it interfered with my nap time!!! I will never look at lane splitting the same again!

[cowpuc]

2 hours ago, PastorCurt said:

Now Puc, you have gone and done it. I laughed so hard at this post that it interfered with my nap time!!! I will never look at lane splitting the same again!

LOL ya lop eared Preacher varmint @PastorCurt.. Here is some inside info that may help ya get back to snoozing after saying a short prayer for Tippy (my wife of 42 years next month) cause its kind of sad.. The story you read above is, as all my stories are,, TRUE, real things that actually happened. Can you imagine what my precious GOD LOVING wife has put up with thru the years?  Now say a quick prayer for my bride and go back to tender slumber brother.. LOL

[PastorCurt]

8 hours ago, cowpuc said:

LOL ya lop eared Preacher varmint @PastorCurt.. Here is some inside info that may help ya get back to snoozing after saying a short prayer for Tippy (my wife of 42 years next month) cause its kind of sad.. The story you read above is, as all my stories are,, TRUE, real things that actually happened. Can you imagine what my precious GOD LOVING wife has put up with thru the years?  Now say a quick prayer for my bride and go back to tender slumber brother.. LOL

Now my dear @cowpuc ,  you know of course, that I was in training to compete with @Marcarl in the napping competition of the VR Olympics. I have heard that he is unbeatable in the U-turning segment but vulnerable in the napping part! And I will surely pray for Tip. She has done above and beyond any mere mortal!

[videoarizona]

I don't know guys.... This lane splitting idea just scares the crap out of me. To many idiots out there.....

[RDawson]

Not a chance I’m doing it here, they’ll try to wreck you. I got absolutely cussed out by a woman last week for stopping with my front wheel beside her rear bumper leaving me an escape route if the truck behind me didn’t stop.  You’d have thought I ran over her dog or something. 

[luffrr]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:53 AM, Pasta Burner said:

The gun part aside…because these are two very separate regulations.  we started doing this in Utah a few years ago, 2019 I think.  The primary focus is to prevent bikers from getting rear ended sitting at a traffic light, it has nothing to do with cutting in line.  We call it lane filtering.

I rode for years in California and never was rear-ended because I moved to the front of the line. I moved to Arizona in 2004 and I get rear-ended before this bill passed. It is about the extra hazard of getting rear-ended.  Even if the guy behind you stops, there is no guarantee the guy behind him will.  

[luffrr]

41 minutes ago, RDawson said:

Not a chance I’m doing it here, they’ll try to wreck you. I got absolutely cussed out by a woman last week for stopping with my front wheel beside her rear bumper leaving me an escape route if the truck behind me didn’t stop.  You’d have thought I ran over her dog or something. 

That's where the side-arm comes in.  

[luvmy40]

7 hours ago, luffrr said:

I rode for years in California and never was rear-ended because I moved to the front of the line. I moved to Arizona in 2004 and I get rear-ended before this bill passed. It is about the extra hazard of getting rear-ended.  Even if the guy behind you stops, there is no guarantee the guy behind him will.  

It's not the moving to the front at a stop part that's nuts. It's splitting lanes at speeds over a crawl that is stupid. I know there people in my area that would open a door or move into your path on purpose if they saw someone lane splitting. Just out of spite. These are the same people who purposely drive 5 or 10 mph under the speed limit, until there's room to pass and then they speed up until you can't pass, and slow down again. I see this every day. Last week I watched a guy, going 15 MPH slower than the posted speed stomp the gas and drag raced a legally passing car until the passing car had to back off due to oncoming traffic. Then, sure enough the guy slowed back down under the speed limit. Just pure evil.

Edited August 6, 2022 by luvmy40

[saddlebum]

On 8/4/2022 at 5:13 PM, cowpuc said:

I ALWAYS enjoyed lane spitting back when I chewed tobacco. Get er up to 100 mph, stick my naked head out into the wind, turn my head so my ears didnt fill up with spit  and let er rip. It was a whole lot better than swallowing the stuff which always gave me heartburn. One time, back in the 1970's when I was Tigging tube (thought ya had me didnt ya @flyday58, thought I was gonna say tigging pipe didnt you?) for the Boilermakers I was up at 290 feet in the Power House tigging a wall of Super Heaters and had a mouth full of Days O' Work chew and had to spit. There are no lanes when your up there, just you, your "Pimp" (helper who does all the leg work like fitting walls for you), a Tig torch and a gorgeous view of the boiler activity below. I saw no one below so I let er go.. That great big wad of spit headed down and instantly filled with air and took on the shape of a tobacco chew spit umbrella. The umbrella moved from side to side in "the hole" below as I and my pimp watched it in amazement.. It suddenly caught an updraft and headed toward the boiler walls below us and disappeared into the east wall at about 140 feet down. I looked at my pimp and we both starting laughing and laughed until we heard a crew of Iron Workers down there scream "Stop spitting!!!". Back to work.. The end. 

Hard to believe a gentleman like you Puc would do something like that. .....Wait I minute ...N0w that I think of it...I don't remember you being a gentleman you crazy old coot

[Joe in WV]

2 hours ago, luvmy40 said:

It's not the moving to the front at a stop part that's nuts. It's splitting lanes at speeds over a crawl that is stupid. I know there people in my area that would open a door or move into your path on purpose if they saw someone lane splitting. Just out of spite. These are the same people who purposely drive 5 or 10 mph under the speed limit, until there's room to pass and then they speed up until you can't pass, and slow down again. I see this every day. Last week I watched a guy, going 15 MPH slower than the posted speed stomp the gas and drag raced a legally passing car until the passing car had to back off due to oncoming traffic. Then, sure enough the guy slowed back down under the speed limit. Just pure evil.

The police can and should, fine fine people like that for aggressive driving.

These idiots are of the same cloth as people that write something on the internet but would never say it to your face.

[saddlebum]

32 minutes ago, Joe in WV said:

The police can and should, fine fine people like that for aggressive driving.

These idiots are of the same cloth as people that write something on the internet but would never say it to your face.

You gotta wonder what makes em tick.

[Pasta Burner]

3 hours ago, Joe in WV said:

The police can and should, fine fine people like that for aggressive driving.

These idiots are of the same cloth as people that write something on the internet but would never say it to your face.

True as that may be, good luck having a cop actually witness this behavior.

[Joe in WV]

4 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

True as that may be, good luck having a cop actually witness this behavior.

Things change very slowly which sometimes is a good thing. I remember when these characters could get in the passing lane and hold everyone up behind them. Now it's illegal  in most states. This  really bugged me as you don't have any idea why someone wants to go faster than you (nor should you care...).  I've had to rush my wife to the emergency room twice in the past month and used my 4 flashers and drove 80-85mph.    The tractor trailer drivers were all polite and just got out of the way...   as it should be. 

 

[circa1968]

While I no longer ride in heavy commute traffic and try to avoid as much heavy SF Bay area traffic as possible these days, especially on the motorcycle, I have to weigh in on the 'crazy CA' lane splitters.  So first, yes, there are the occasion crazy (young) idiots who weave in/out freeway speed and they could be ticketed for that as a judgement call by the police if its unsafe for them or surrounding vehicles (although law enforcement in CA is essentially non-existent these days....but that's another topic so I'll stop there).

Second, I spent many years safely and easily splitting lanes during rush hour commute traffic - yes, even on my original '99 Venture, back in the day.  It can be safely done and I can assure the reality on the bike is much different than the perception. 

The safe way (perhaps only way) is when traffic is at a crawl or stop.  For the most part, I typically would be 'in' traffic, moving at the same pace and when it slows to a crawl or stop, is when its safe to move into the space between lanes at a slow, safe speed.  If traffic came to a sudden stop, so would I before proceeding to split.

I can't say how fast, but definitely not 25+MPH.  It takes slow speed handling skills, respect, patience and diligence and a sincere commitment to safety first, for you and the vehicles around you.  Going at an appropriate pace, it was never unusual to see drivers move over and give me even more space, as they saw me approaching.  As soon as traffic starts to flow is when its time to stop splitting and re-merge back into a spot in traffic.  The only 'close call' I can think of was when a driver one car ahead of the one I was currently passing opened his door to dump out coffee.  I was going at a slow enough speed to safely stop and neither he, nor I was in danger, but perhaps might have been different if he waited longer & didn't look first.  I've never seen an accident from safe lane splitting either.  As a driver, the worst part are the "hey, wanna hear how loud my pipes are' jerks.  They will jump right next to you & blast it, fortunately, they are few and far between.

I'm not a daredevil or a big risk taker and I would still split lanes today - when its safe to do so, as described - if needed.

[saddlebum]

Here in the southern part of Ontario, even if it was acceptable I doubt I would attempt it. There are so many arrogant and bad drivers drivers in  this part of the province that even the trucks I deal with say of all the states and provinces they drive through they hate driving through the greater Toronto area the most.

Edited August 7, 2022 by saddlebum

[cowpuc]

3 hours ago, circa1968 said:

While I no longer ride in heavy commute traffic and try to avoid as much heavy SF Bay area traffic as possible these days, especially on the motorcycle, I have to weigh in on the 'crazy CA' lane splitters.  So first, yes, there are the occasion crazy (young) idiots who weave in/out freeway speed and they could be ticketed for that as a judgement call by the police if its unsafe for them or surrounding vehicles (although law enforcement in CA is essentially non-existent these days....but that's another topic so I'll stop there).

Second, I spent many years safely and easily splitting lanes during rush hour commute traffic - yes, even on my original '99 Venture, back in the day.  It can be safely done and I can assure the reality on the bike is much different than the perception. 

The safe way (perhaps only way) is when traffic is at a crawl or stop.  For the most part, I typically would be 'in' traffic, moving at the same pace and when it slows to a crawl or stop, is when its safe to move into the space between lanes at a slow, safe speed.  If traffic came to a sudden stop, so would I before proceeding to split.

I can't say how fast, but definitely not 25+MPH.  It takes slow speed handling skills, respect, patience and diligence and a sincere commitment to safety first, for you and the vehicles around you.  Going at an appropriate pace, it was never unusual to see drivers move over and give me even more space, as they saw me approaching.  As soon as traffic starts to flow is when its time to stop splitting and re-merge back into a spot in traffic.  The only 'close call' I can think of was when a driver one car ahead of the one I was currently passing opened his door to dump out coffee.  I was going at a slow enough speed to safely stop and neither he, nor I was in danger, but perhaps might have been different if he waited longer & didn't look first.  I've never seen an accident from safe lane splitting either.  As a driver, the worst part are the "hey, wanna hear how loud my pipes are' jerks.  They will jump right next to you & blast it, fortunately, they are few and far between.

I'm not a daredevil or a big risk taker and I would still split lanes today - when its safe to do so, as described - if needed.

Tweeks, Tip and I spent many many years "lane splitting" in Cali and I gotta say I always thought lane splitting there was a wonderful attribute to traffic control and encouragement to ride a motorcycle in those endless 5 lane traffic jams. It made the beauty of riding a motorcycle in California and in such congestion not only doable but fun. In all those miles of doing so we also never did have or even see an accident as a result of doing so. I would be very careful if I were still riding/touring of lane splitting in a State that has just approved the action though because California is a "seasoned" State of the practice and, very similar to new traffic lights or other changes in traffic flow causing issues, I bet it will take time for all riders/drivers to get the hang of it. Just like doing away with helmet laws, I am in total support of lane splitting. Anything that makes riding a motorcycle a little closer to true freedom is good by me..