States with HOV or "Diamond" lanes - crossing the double yellow legal?

[finless]

OK I am in California. Here we call the "Diamond Lane" but to others it is called the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane.

So I use my Spyder RT to commute to work all the time. However recently the HOV lane can get backed up WORSE than regular traffic lanes. So I sometimes want to get the hell out of the HOV lane.

In Ca. the HOV lane has exit points that are dashed white line lane dividers. This is where you can exit or enter the HOV lane as a car. Most the time it is a double yellow line meaning DON'T cross! In a car if you cross the double yellow..... TICKET if you get caught!

In Ca. the Spyder is considered a motorcycle. And this brings me to my question.

Two wheelers lane split the HOV lane and the left normal traffic lane all day long. In doing so, they cross the double yellow line all the time.
I cannot find any law in Ca. that states motorcycles are exempt from crossing the double yellow. Maybe it exists or does not?
Or is it a unwritten law for motorcycles?
I would love to know this answer even in other states!

OK finally the BIG question. Can we on 3 wheeled Spyders (if doing so safely) cross the double yellow like 2 wheelers do and not get a ticket?

Anyone know?

Bob

 

[samewok]

It is called splitting for motorcycles and it is legal in Arkansas and other states.

 

[SNOOPY]

As far as our HOV lanes in Va. some are completely separate from our regular lanes by concrete barriers, no on and off when you wish.

As far as the HOV lanes elsewhere, you can go in and out of those lanes as often as you want (provided you have 2 or more in a car or are on a MC). We don't have the yellow lines you speak of.

 

[Dan_Ashley]

Here is the answer: In California no vehicle can cross those double yellow lines legally. Not even two-wheelers. However, enforcement of the law is up to the descretion of the particular officer. Therefore, if you get a nice officer, he probably won't even stop you. But if you get a jerk, you risk getting a ticket which you woul lose in court if you fought it.

 

[finless]

Here is the answer: In California no vehicle can cross those double yellow lines legally. Not even two-wheelers. However, enforcement of the law is up to the descretion of the particular officer. Therefore, if you get a nice officer, he probably won't even stop you. But if you get a jerk, you risk getting a ticket which you woul lose in court if you fought it.

OK so as I assumed... It is a unwritten freebee with 2 wheelers.

What is your opinion of doing it in a spyder?
Ticket or convo with the cop and maybe getting out of it?

Bob

 

[Dan_Ashley]

OK so as I assumed... It is a unwritten freebee with 2 wheelers.

What is your opinion of doing it in a spyder?
Ticket or convo with the cop and maybe getting out of it?

Bob

No it is not a "freebee". It is because the officers, if they happen to see a motorcycle violating this law, decide to not interject themselves into the situation. It is totally their individual descretion. If the officer likes you...if he does not...if he just wants to look at your Spyder...if someone with loud pipes just angered him...if he is on a call...if he is at the end if his shift and just wants to go home...if he hates trikes...if he hates you...

It is 100% officer descretion. 100%.

My advice: don't do it unless you are willing to pay the ticket and the higher insurance costs that come with it. Cops may (or may not) look the other way for motorcycles when there is no interferrence with other traffic. But it is really expensive. I do not have a current bail schedule or a current fees schedule, but I think 21655(a) VC violations are about $490 plus fees.

 

[finless]

Thanks Dan....

I for sure don't want a ticket! Yet I have some circumstances that in order to enjoy my commute to work requires me to do this twice on the way. There is an area well known to even motorcycle folks that is just a bad HOV STOP area! In fact it's so well known that it bugs the crap out of me when 2 wheelers go buy and do the 2 finger wave. It's a "watch out" area for 2 wheeler lane splitting guys as cars will get PO'ed and take out a cyclist just jumping the hell out of it! They know it and so do I

I will see if I can plan my ride around this or just suck it up!

Thanks Dan,
Bob

 

[Dan_Ashley]

Thanks Dan....

I for sure don't want a ticket! Yet I have some circumstances that in order to enjoy my commute to work requires me to do this twice on the way. There is an area well known to even motorcycle folks that is just a bad HOV STOP area! In fact it's so well known that it bugs the crap out of me when 2 wheelers go buy and do the 2 finger wave. It's a "watch out" area for 2 wheeler lane splitting guys as cars will get PO'ed and take out a cyclist just jumping the hell out of it! They know it and so do I

I will see if I can plan my ride around this or just suck it up!

Thanks Dan,
Bob

write letters to Cal-Trans (yes. Really), CHP, and your state assemblyman. Letters. Snail mail. Not email. Describe the situation, time of day, the danger and the exact location. Ask them to re-stripe the freeway, and make it legal and safe. Be polite, and ask for their help. It could take a year to get it re-striped, but it will take forever if you don't ask.

 

[finless]

write letters to Cal-Trans (yes. Really), CHP, and your state assemblyman. Letters. Snail mail. Not email. Describe the situation, time of day, the danger and the exact location. Ask them to re-stripe the freeway, and make it legal and safe. Be polite, and ask for their help. It could take a year to get it re-striped, but it will take forever if you don't ask.

What I am hearing is Ca plans to get ride of the double yellow all together in the future anyway!

On facebook this is what was said:

Soon there the HOV lane law with be amended. It will read something like this. HOV lane can be used for single passenger vehicles during posted hours. Also, used for passing of disabled vehicles that block traffic. HOV lanes will have double wide broken white lines. This is being currently tested on the SR60 east of the 215 in Moreno Valley.

So maybe this will go away?

Opinion?

Bob

 

[Dan_Ashley]

What I am hearing is Ca plans to get ride of the double yellow all together in the future anyway!

On facebook this is what was said:




So maybe this will go away?

Opinion?

Bob

I sure hope it goes away. It was a stupid idea from the getgo. Nobody car pools because they can use the car pool lane. The idea that people would just doesn't respect what we know about human nature. People car pool out of convienance and cost savings. As a result the incidence of car pooling has not increased--except when gas prices exploded. Then the increased car pooling was due to gas prices not use of car pool lanes.

Using the HOV lanes as regular lanes will increase freeway speeds and will reduce wasted gas from stop snd go driving a lot more than the government trying to force people to car pool by refusing to widen freeways and providing a very minor HOV benefit to car poolers.

It can't go away soon enough! When this was first started, in the early 1980's a group of professors penned a letter to the then Governor (moonbeam) Brown--yes, the same guy we have now. We had exactly 276 signers. All PhD level. Ranging from psychologists to traffic engineers, from mathematicians to criminal justice types, from safety engineers to statisticians (me). Governor moonbeam did not even respond to our letter.

So, I hope they get rid of this bad idea.

 

[finless]

Moonbeam.... that is funny!

I am a hard ass Republican is a state of liberals and Demo's.... But I have to say I liked moonbeam at the time ( think I was like mid 20's). Hell he was dating Linda Ronstat!
Only thing that PO'ed me at the time (I am 54 now) was he melatonin'ed us! I did not see lady bugs, grass hoppers, etc for YEARS! Only now are things coming back (insect wise) to what I remember as a kid.

My how things have changed though. Sorry to say I did vote for him this go around but alas, might as well be Arnold again
Nothing is happening and this state needs a lot of work!
BUT... I would still not live anywhere else and I do happen to know the difference as I was not born here in Ca.!


Bob

 

[Dan_Ashley]

I am a hard ass Republican is a state of liberals and Demo's....
Nothing is happening and this state needs a lot of work!
BUT... I would still not live anywhere else and I do happen to know the difference as I was not born here in Ca.!


Bob

I love living here. It is one of the best places...even though our government is soooooo screwed up. The only other place I would consider as being this nice is Tahiti--but Tahiti does not have enough asphalt to keep my riding addiction satisfied.

I used to be a republican, but I decided they are not conservative enough (Goldwater will rise again!).

Write those letters...on a topic like changing those stripes, the letters will probably work.

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Nor Cal

What I am hearing is Ca plans to get ride of the double yellow all together in the future anyway!

On facebook this is what was said:




So maybe this will go away?

Opinion?

Bob

no yellow lines in Nor Cal.

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Awesome Place

I love living here. It is one of the best places...even though our government is soooooo screwed up. The only other place I would consider as being this nice is Tahiti--but Tahiti does not have enough asphalt to keep my riding addiction satisfied.

I used to be a republican, but I decided they are not conservative enough (Goldwater will rise again!).

Write those letters...on a topic like changing those stripes, the letters will probably work.

Ca is expensive but we have such an awesome array of different ryding environments. Here in Northern California we can be in the country in 10 minutes, at the coast in an hour, the foothills in 20 minutes, and the high Sierra in 45 minutes. I love it. Yellow lines are unique to So Cal, though we do have a few toll roads that have them, but not the carpool lane.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Fin, if CA considers the Spyder a motorcycle then why don't they require you to have a Motorcycle endorsement on your license? I had heard that Spyders were not allowed in the HOV lanes in CA and for obvious reasons can not legally lane split.

In NV the HOV lanes have solid white lines between them and the regular travel lane and you can't cross a solid white line either.

 

[stevedfive]

California's motorcycle endorsement for your driver's license only applies to two wheeled motorcycles, not three wheeled motorcycles. The motorcycle safety course is also not required for three wheeled motorcycle operators. A M1 endorsement is for two wheeled motorcycles and a M2 is for mopeds. Motorcycles with a side car and three wheeled motorcycles only require a Class C drivers license.

 

[finless]

Fin, if CA considers the Spyder a motorcycle then why don't they require you to have a Motorcycle endorsement on your license? I had heard that Spyders were not allowed in the HOV lanes in CA and for obvious reasons can not legally lane split.

In NV the HOV lanes have solid white lines between them and the regular travel lane and you can't cross a solid white line either.

As Steve said we have a interesting loop hole here in Ca.
My understanding of it is 3 wheels do not require a MC endorsement because of side cars. This was done years ago to allow older people who could not ride 2 wheels and pass the riding test on 2 wheels, to ride 2 wheels with a side car (thus 3 wheels). When the Spyder came out it fell into this same category. But it is still classed as a MC and allowed in the diamond lane.
I fully expect one day this might change when there are enough spyders on the road to bring attention to the loop hole.

Bob

 

[Mets79ST2013]

CA HOV lane

OK I am in California. Here we call the "Diamond Lane" but to others it is called the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane.

So I use my Spyder RT to commute to work all the time. However recently the HOV lane can get backed up WORSE than regular traffic lanes. So I sometimes want to get the hell out of the HOV lane.

In Ca. the HOV lane has exit points that are dashed white line lane dividers. This is where you can exit or enter the HOV lane as a car. Most the time it is a double yellow line meaning DON'T cross! In a car if you cross the double yellow..... TICKET if you get caught!

In Ca. the Spyder is considered a motorcycle. And this brings me to my question.

Two wheelers lane split the HOV lane and the left normal traffic lane all day long. In doing so, they cross the double yellow line all the time.
I cannot find any law in Ca. that states motorcycles are exempt from crossing the double yellow. Maybe it exists or does not?
Or is it a unwritten law for motorcycles?
I would love to know this answer even in other states!

OK finally the BIG question. Can we on 3 wheeled Spyders (if doing so safely) cross the double yellow like 2 wheelers do and not get a ticket?

Anyone know?

Bob

I move from Morgan Hill to the east cost but I can tell you that you will get a ticket, but is up to the cop that stop you.

I was stop and the cop just give me a warning, he told me that it it illegal to do so, hope I help you.:doorag:

 

[Chupaca]

As I see it..!!

the reason they don't bother the bikes is the fact they are very narrow. You don't get stopped if your front wheel crosses the line a bit here and there as long as you don't change lanes. A bike drifting back and forth is similar. A spyder on the other hand does have to change lanes to achieve the same pass. So no...don't try it on these roadsters you will pay...:lecturef_smilie:

 

[Dan_Ashley]

I really dont want to hear political opinions here. Take it to Craigslist 'Rants and Raves' or better yet 'Casual Encounters'

As for Goldwater, he would be considered a screaming liberal by today's Conservative standards.

Nobody sprayed 'Melatonin' on California.

For those of you who can't read, Califonia is not getting rid of HOV lanes, just the STRIPES

.??.????