Two wheels to the front: Arizona to legalize lane splitting. Maybe.
Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Motorcycle
Picture this: It's ten minutes after five o'clock, you're heading north on the 405 freeway, leaving Los Angeles. You won't appreciate your favorite two-wheeled conveyance much more than at this moment. If you spend time traveling through California, you know the practice of lane-splitting can shave hours off of an otherwise grueling commute. The act of passing slowed or stopped cars between lanes, however, appeared to be limited to to the Golden State, with slim hopes of spreading east. Until now, that is.
Under House Bill 2475, Arizona lawmakers would allow lane-splitting during aone-year "trial period.". This would only encompass Maricopa County, home to the Phoenix metro area and its surrounding suburbs.
Local news reports indicate differing opinions over the plan's safety. That said, riders who lane-split in California (not to mention the millions who regularly do so every single day in Europe and Asia) will tell you the practice can indeed be performed safely. What's more, lane-splitting reduces fuel consumption, travel times and roadway congestion.
As traffic grows more intense each year, it's hard to view attempts to reduce congestion as anything but positive. If Arizonans need another excuse to enjoy their year-round riding conditions, it could soon come with the passing of Bill 2475.
[Source: ABC15.com | Image: akeg via CC-SA 2.0]Two wheels to the front: Arizona to legalize lane splitting. Maybe. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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