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Hey California Riders - did you ever think about lane splitting on the Spyder?

sshrum said:
False.

I was thinking of getting a Can-Am just for the ability to use the carpool lane as well but I got a ton of different answers from a ton of different people. I asked the Can-Am dealer and he said 'no'. I wanted something a bit more authoritarian, so I went to the CHP office and asked the OOD. Here's how he explained it to me:

Since you do not need a motorcycle license to operate it, the Can-am classes as a normal vehicle and therefore falls under the same laws as any 4 wheeled vehicle. You can not ride a 3-wheel vehicle in the carpool lane UNLESS you have a passenger.

Originally, when there were no specific laws addressing 3-wheeled vehicles, this was a grey area and the option was there. This is no longer the case as California now specifically addresses these types of vehicles.

Now this is what the status of the law was roughly 2 years ago. I'm not sure if this has changed.

Sorry to burst your bubble. Just FYI.
Click to expand...

Well that is odd because I called Officer Franks of the California Highway Patrol the day after I got 14 and he told me that you absolutely CAN use the Commute lane. I have ridden right by several CHP officers while in this lane and we exchange greetings every time. No problem. They all know 14 now and I think they like her (or at the very least are intrigued by her!). It's actually kind of cool to have a good relationship with your local law enforcement. :D

As far as lane splitting, Officer Franks was very clear - if he ever saw me doing it he would bust my :cus: !! This was not, in my view, an ambiguous answer! :roflblack:
 
sshrum said:
False.

I was thinking of getting a Can-Am just for the ability to use the carpool lane as well but I got a ton of different answers from a ton of different people. I asked the Can-Am dealer and he said 'no'. I wanted something a bit more authoritarian, so I went to the CHP office and asked the OOD. Here's how he explained it to me:

Since you do not need a motorcycle license to operate it, the Can-am classes as a normal vehicle and therefore falls under the same laws as any 4 wheeled vehicle. You can not ride a 3-wheel vehicle in the carpool lane UNLESS you have a passenger.

Originally, when there were no specific laws addressing 3-wheeled vehicles, this was a grey area and the option was there. This is no longer the case as California now specifically addresses these types of vehicles.

Now this is what the status of the law was roughly 2 years ago. I'm not sure if this has changed.

Sorry to burst your bubble. Just FYI.
Click to expand...


:lecturef_smilie: Sorry, but I disagree with the officer statement above. In section 400(a) of the DMV code clearly states that a three wheeled vehicle is a "motorcycle". And in section 21655.5(b) of the code lists the "motorcycle" as one of the vehicles that can use the "Exclusive-or Perferential Use Lanes for High Occupancy Vehicles". As far as I can tell there is no occupancy requirement for a motorcycle. The code lists the motorcycle along with "mass transit vehicle".

If the officer writes you up he will have to site the section of code for the violation. I'am no expert but, I don't think he (or she) will find any.
 
In Mass. it is perfectly legal to ride any motorcycle (2 or 3 wheel) in the HOV lanes.
Thats a BIG plus going through the big dig tunnels!
 
Lane Splitting with a Spyder?????? You Wish!!!!

There's no way on earth I'd ever try "lane sharing" here in California or any other state (including Texas).....it's just not an option. Even the two-wheelers take their own lives in their hands doing it! It just doesn't make sense as there's no place here that I'd want to get to earlier than I had planned. Commute traffic (going and coming) is a killah! Nah! I'll just take my time on my '08 RT and just take the smoove ride home or wherevah!:lecturef_smilie:
 
I wouldn't try to split lanes, but I was kind of wishing I could while I was stuck on the 5 yesterday. I have been using the HOV lanes since I got here last week, and have been around a few police, never had anyone even give me a second glance.
 
I use the HOV lanes up and down the San Francisco peninsula and never have any problems. I have numerous friends in law enforcement and all agree that they would not pull over a Spyder for using the HOV lane since it is considered a "motorcycle". On a different subject they are about evenly split on weather they would pull me over for my Glo-riders. The code is a bit fuzzy!
 
I took my sons Busa out for a ride, Now that's a bike made for lane splitting,
But i would never lane splt with any other bike i own, :shocked:
 
hjazzyherm said:
There's no way on earth I'd ever try "lane sharing" here in California or any other state (including Texas).....it's just not an option. Even the two-wheelers take their own lives in their hands doing it! It just doesn't make sense as there's no place here that I'd want to get to earlier than I had planned. Commute traffic (going and coming) is a killah! Nah! I'll just take my time on my '08 RT and just take the smoove ride home or wherevah!:lecturef_smilie:
Click to expand...

I lived in L.A. for a while, had no idea what lane splitting was until I kept finding motorcycles passing by my car door while I was stuck in traffic. I was PLENTY peeved before I knew that was legal.

I remained plenty peeved until I learned WHY lane splitting is done: it's most emphatically NOT to "beat" traffic, it's to avoid traffic. You put lots of cars in close proximity to each other, the risk of fender benders and accidents increase. Stick a vulnerable motorcycle into those tight jams, and it gets risky in a hurry.

Of course, lane splitting only works when it's legal-- *car* drivers need to know that bikes can do it, and drive accordingly. Otherwise, I agree, it's a recipe for disaster.

But since I learned the reasons why, it makes a lot of sense to me. I don't think every state could, or even should, implement it, but California seems to do just fine with it.
 
"Since you do not need a motorcycle license to operate it, the Can-am classes as a normal vehicle"

I have never heard that the Can-Am classes as a normal vehicle and does not need a motorcycle license to operate. I do not know about your state, but if you come to MO please make sure you have a motorcycle license because it is required in most states that I ride in
 
SpyderLady said:
"Since you do not need a motorcycle license to operate it, the Can-am classes as a normal vehicle"

I have never heard that the Can-Am classes as a normal vehicle and does not need a motorcycle license to operate. I do not know about your state, but if you come to MO please make sure you have a motorcycle license because it is required in most states that I ride in
Click to expand...


If a motorcycle license is not required in your home state, And as long as the Spyder is registered in that state and the driver of the Spyder has a drivers
licence from that state you are legal in all states. :thumbup:
 
3 wheeler in carpool lane

My question would be how does the DMV register the Spyder as a motorcycle or? If a motorcycle then it is legal to ride in the carpool lane.
 
Allmag said:
My question would be how does the DMV register the Spyder as a motorcycle or? If a motorcycle then it is legal to ride in the carpool lane.
Click to expand...

Post this question in the California Thread, I'm sure someone who has a Spyder in California will know.:thumbup:
 
SpyderLady said:
"Since you do not need a motorcycle license to operate it, the Can-am classes as a normal vehicle"

I have never heard that the Can-Am classes as a normal vehicle and does not need a motorcycle license to operate. I do not know about your state, but if you come to MO please make sure you have a motorcycle license because it is required in most states that I ride in
Click to expand...

California is a weird beast. You can "drive" the Spyder with a car license, but pretty much everything else in the law requires consideration as a motorcycle.

There's license reciprocity across state lines. I'm not 100%, but I think *all* states recognize each others' licenses in that regard (although, only for riding through-- if a California Spyder rider moved to Virginia for example, they'd need to get their M license to ride the Spyder here even if they've been riding their Spyder for years under their auto license).
 
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