Drivers need to help motorcyclists who are splitting lanes
Q. Hi Honk: I know motorcyclists in California get to split lanes. I’ve been driving Orange County/Los Angeles roads for 24 years as part of my job, so the crowded roadway is a home away from home once traffic begins. I see the following happen A LOT: A motorcycle rider who is splitting lanes through bumper-to-bumper traffic is slowed or stopped by a car who is too close. So the motorcycle rider will start gunning his throttle to alert the driver so he moves over. Is the driver in the wrong? Do we have to make way for motorcycle riders?
Jose Smith, Huntington Beach
A. Yes.
“Drivers in the far-left lane (where lane-splitting is common) should move to the left of their lane to give motorcyclists ample room to pass,” said Rafael Reynoso, an officer and spokesman for the California Highway Patrol based in San Juan Capistrano. “Intentionally blocking or impeding a motorcyclist in a way that could cause harm to the rider is illegal. …
“If they are there, the car should give them enough space … to share the lane with them,” the good officer said.
“All road users, including motorcyclists and motorists, are encouraged to respect each other and share the responsibility of creating a safer roadway environment,” he added. “It all comes down to being courteous.”
Indeed.
Q. While driving on the northbound I-5 Freeway approaching the 91, Caltrans has painted bright highway logos in the lanes. They tell drivers which lane to get into, depending on whether the motorist wants to jump on the 5 or stay on the 91. Will this concept expand to other freeways?
Mario Luna, Anaheim
A. Those things are extra helpful, especially to those not familiar with the area, right Mario?
Orange County is getting its first wave of freeway logos, which Caltrans calls “route shields,” because that is what they look like: Shields emblazoned with the freeway’s number.
There are three other stretches in the county that recently got the shields, and a few more will get them next summer. Honk bets more will follow.
“They are placed about 400 feet before the overhead signs to give motorists notice of the interchanges ahead, so they can plan their exit and avoid changing lanes erratically at the last minute,” Van Nguyen, a spokeswoman for Caltrans in Orange County, told Honk in an email. “The route shields are placed at locations that experience congestion due to excessive lane-changing maneuvers, at locations that have complex lane assignments … and at complex freeway-to-freeway interchanges.”
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