Lane Splitting in TX

[Samsonite]

It's best just to not do it

[andym]

It's getting there but what a long process  it has to go through. Only two of the seven completed.
***********************************************
Stage 1
Bill filed by Carona on 1/21/2009.
Stage 2
Bill reported out of Senate committee on Transportation & Homeland Security with vote of 7 Ayes, 2 Nays, 0 Present Not Voting, 0 Absent.
Stage 3
Not reached.
Stage 4
Not reached.
Stage 5
Not reached.
Stage 6
Not reached.
Stage 7
Not reached.

***********************************************
Last Action:   03/24/2009 S Placed on intent calendar

Subjects:   Vehicles & Traffic--Rules of Road (I0860) MOTORCYCLES (S0782)

Senate Committee:   Transportation & Homeland Security   
Status:   Out of committee
   
Vote:   Ayes=7   Nays=2   Present Not Voting=0   Absent=0

Actions: (descending date order)
Description    Comment    Date          Time          Journal Page
S     Placed on intent calendar            03/24/2009           
S     Committee report printed and distributed            03/20/2009      11:11 AM     
S     Reported favorably w/o amendments            03/20/2009           642
S     Testimony taken in committee            03/18/2009           
S     Considered in public hearing            03/18/2009           
S     Scheduled for public hearing on . . .            03/18/2009           
S     Referred to Transportation & Homeland Sec.            02/17/2009           268
S     Read first time            02/17/2009           268
S     Filed            01/21/2009           
S     Received by the Secretary of the Senate            01/21/2009           

[Cher]

Thanks Andy, good info.

[muskrat]

It's best just to not do it

look who's talking 

[Ronr]

Pretty cool info - Thanks Andy

[andym]

Thanks Andy, good info.

Pretty cool info - Thanks Andy

I keep looking at the SB 506 bill page hoping for each stage to be passed.

I really want this to pass, for me this is a benefit of riding.  I know some do not feel it is a good idea but that is where choice comes in.

[NorDog]

I know some do not feel it is a good idea but that is where choice comes in.

I know there are a number of people here who think lane splitting is a bad idea, and maybe in Texas, for now, it is.  But how many of them have been stuck on the highway for two hours (in a 65 mph zone) literally going 10 miles an hour for two car lengths and then stopping comletely for 10 seconds, and then  going 10 miles an hour for two car lengths and then stopping comletely for 10 seconds,  going 10 miles an hour for two car lengths and then stopping comletely for 10 seconds, ad infinitum?

Okay, not ad infinitum, but for two hours, or an hour.  How many can put up with this for even 15 minutes?  Especially when one can easily see that one can easily zip right around someone.

At some point one realizes that lane splitting is actually safer than being a sitting target, sitting in static in some frustrated driver's blind spot for hours at a time.

That's why so many in SoCal lane split without a second thought.  The other day I saw a CHP officer lane splitting with a Z1 rider right behind him.  The week before that I saw two CHP officers splitting the lane.

At some point traffic becomes so bad that a motorcyclist has no other choice, especially an air cooled machine in the summer time.  Well, there is one other choice: Drive your car and sit for a couple of hours to dirve 25 miles.

[♣ McKraut ♣]

i hope it passes just so that there is one more incentive to ride a bike instead of a car, and in turn help cut down on the overall traffic congestion here.

that and it absolutely sucks balls to be sitting on the highway stopped in the middle of the day in the middle of summer, in full gear.  i don't know about the rest of you, but texas summers are dangerous for me...i dehydrate very quickly when the air is no longer moving...

[andym]

They have been busy today.

Stage 3 Bill passed the Senate


S      Rules suspended-Regular order of business              03/25/2009
S     Record vote            03/25/2009 
S     Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment            03/25/2009           
S     Vote recorded in Journal            03/25/2009     
S     Three day rule suspended            03/25/2009     
S     Record vote            03/25/2009        
S     Read 3rd time            03/25/2009        
S     Passed            03/25/2009        
S     Record vote            03/25/2009     
S      Reported engrossed              03/25/2009          
 

[♣ McKraut ♣]

huh....weird; i didn't think they actually did anything there...

[GeorgeInDallas]

I just got this from another riding group in Dallas:

This is the update that JUST came out!

Great news! The Texas senate has just passed the motorcycle lane sharing bill. Now it's up to the house. We're almost there!

Special thanks to Michael Lemm and Moira Zinn (who was there) and everyone who contacted their state senator to ask them for this bill.

I'll send another announcement with action items to help get it passed in the house when we have more info.

When the next info is sent out, I'll be sure to forward it on to you. I heard from a number of you that you jumped on your phones yesterday and made calls to your state Senator to voice your support. It worked! Thanks.....Raine

[Cher]

Very cool 

[RED]

When this does pass I thnk the first people who should start splitting are the troopers! The city officers! With a bunch load HDs and Ducs right behind them so everyone can get the picture. All this during a mid-summer traffic jam in downtown Houston/Dallas/El Paso/Austin/San Antonio...etc. You get the picture. 

[andym]

This does not look good. 

Bill:       SB 506

Legislative Session: 81(R)    Council Document: 81R 4578 JAM-D    

Last Action:   05/04/2009 H Withdrawn from schedule    

[caffeinejunkee]