A number of British Columbia motorcyclists are asking for the green light to zip through traffic jams by riding in between lanes of slow-moving vehicles.
So-called “lane-splitting” is illegal in the province, but many frustrated riders are skirting the law to avoid traffic bottlenecks. Proponents say the practice will ease congestion and speed up traffic flow for everyone on the road.
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Jamie Dick of Action Motorcycles in Victoria says the outlawed manoeuvre is popular among his customers.
“I think it’s a great idea for two wheels. Let them go through,” he told CTV Vancouver Island. “It’s just what motorcyclists do.”
Lane splitting is legal in a number of countries, including Sweden, Ireland, and Singapore. California became the first U.S. state to formally allow the move in August.
A 2015 study by the University of California Berkeley found allowing riders to pass vehicles travelling in the same direction is relatively safe in traffic moving at 80 kilometres per hour or less.
”We have learned that when lane-splitting motorcycle riders are involved in collisions, the most common scenario is a rider traveling too fast when a motorist attempts to change lanes,” said the study’s lead author Thomas Rice, an epidemiologist at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, in a media release.
Riders who split lanes in heavy traffic were also found to be significantly less likely to be struck from behind by other motorists.
Some driving experts remain skeptical. Steve Wallace, who operates four driving schools on Vancouver Island, says it would be safer for motorcyclists to bypass traffic on the shoulder.
“The risk is extremely high,” he said. “I would like to see an option where motorcycles can legally use the shoulder in those circumstances. B.C. might want to look at that sometime in the near future.”
Vancouver Island is known for its lengthy traffic snarls. The commute between Victoria and Langford, B.C., is commonly referred to as the “Colwood Crawl.”
Dick believes that once the law is on his side, drivers will come to see the benefits.
“It’s just a matter of getting people used to it here,” he said.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island
