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Should motorcycles be allowed to use carpool lanes?

JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
As I was sitting in stop and go traffic on the 15 freeway in San Diego this morning, wishing I had ridden to work instead of taking the car, I started to wonder how many other states have carpool lanes and how many of them allow motorcyclists to ride in them without any passengers.

Personally, I think it is a good idea and safer for motorcyclists because you aren't sitting in the stop and go traffic nor do you have to lane split (which is probably safer, if done in a prudent manner, than sitting in stop and go traffic-but let's not debate that today).

So, what do you think? Does your state allow motorcycles to ride in the carpool lanes? Does your state have carpool lanes? Do you think it should be allowed? Why or why not?
 
NC allows it.

I wonder if it should be allowed, since one of the purposes of the lanes is pollution reduction, and motorcycles are relatively heavy polluters.

Personally, I don't really care.
 
Georgia allows it.

You'd have to have a death wish to drive a motorcycle in Atlanta traffic, though. Even the HOV lanes are usually stop-and-go.
 
Sure, as long as you maintain the speed limit +10MPH. Nothing I've seen compares to driver's aggravation than any vehicle going 60 in the left lane, then they get abreast other people going 60 in the slower lanes and madness ensues, I've seen drivers swoop in the breakdown lane to get around the mess, I wouldn't do it because of the heavy fine if you get caught and all the crap seems to wind up in the breakdown lane= tire damage.
 
BUTCH1, does the HOV qualify as the far left, if we are talking what lane should be faster?
 
It's allowed in California. I'm OK with it as long as "wide" bike riders understand that it's very risky for drivers in the left lane to "make room" for them by bearing left so that they are able to pass between closely packed cars. It's common to find all kinds of trash and debris on the left shoulder, and I have seen some bikers get quite upset because some drivers are reluctant to risk tire damage by bearing left just so they can bypass the car in front of them...
 
Sure, as long as they don't abuse lane splitting laws. Lane splitting reduces traffic if done properly - instead of the bikes waiting in traffic they are cutting through it and getting out of the way from everyone else. My issue is when idiots lane split doing 70 MPH and I'm doing 20, or when they lane split when I'm doing 60+ -- it's unnecessary and super dangerous. It's often the very loud bikes doing it too, so you nearly go deaf when they rip past you.

From CA DMV's site:
1) Travel at a speed that is no more than 10 MPH faster than other traffic – danger increases at higher speed differentials.

- A speed differential of 10 miles per hour or less allows an alert, competent rider enough time to identify and react to most dangerous situations that can occur.

- The greater the speed differential, the less time a rider has to identify and react to a hazard.



2) It is not advisable to lane split when traffic flow is at 30 mph or faster --- danger increases as overall speed increases.

- At just 20 mph, in the 1 or 2 seconds it takes a rider to identify a hazard, that rider will travel approximately 30 to 60 feet before even starting to take evasive action. Actual reaction (braking or swerving) will take additional time and distance.

- Braking and stopping distance varies greatly based on a multitude of factors (rider, machine and environment).

- As speed increases, crash severity increases.
Click to expand...
 
Technically it's legal in all states, unless a specific state decides it's not safe:

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/faq.htm#faq15

Why are motorcycles allowed in some HOV lanes?
Motorcycles are permitted by federal law to use HOV lanes, even with only one passenger. The rationale behind allowing motorcycles to use HOV lanes is that it is safer to keep two-wheeled vehicles moving than to have them travel in start-and-stop traffic conditions. States can choose to override this provision of federal law, if they determine that safety is at risk.
Click to expand...

I think it's a good idea. It seems safer for motorcycle riders to have less traffic. Most riders aren't slow either, so it's not like they're grannies clogging up the HOV lane.
 
Yes. The purpose of most carpool lanes (in legislative histories) is to reduce congestion and motorcycles achieve this purpose extremely well.

ZV
 
I spent all last week in the Bay Area and pretty much every motorcycle was using the carpool lane. I have no idea if it was legal or not.

I was lucky enough to have two passengers basically the entire time so was able to use the car pool lane (some roads are 2+ some are 3+).

Side note: I am always amazed when I go to the Bay Area because people drive SLOW. I mean really slow. People take forever to get up to speed and once they get to 63'ish that's it. Lots of people drive right down the middle lane going under 60.
 
tweakmonkey said:
Sure, as long as they don't abuse lane splitting laws. Lane splitting reduces traffic if done properly - instead of the bikes waiting in traffic they are cutting through it and getting out of the way from everyone else. My issue is when idiots lane split doing 70 MPH and I'm doing 20, or when they lane split when I'm doing 60+ -- it's unnecessary and super dangerous. It's often the very loud bikes doing it too, so you nearly go deaf when they rip past you.

From CA DMV's site:
Click to expand...
If the speed limit is 70 and you're going 60, I am splitting.

And those items on the DMV web site are suggestions, not the law. (Just so there is no confusion)
 
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If you want to carpool... Ride two up, then I say they should be allowed. If you are riding/driving single occupant then you should not be allowed.
 
yes because the horizontal size / person ratio is very low, probably just as low or lower than a car with 2 people in it, especially if the traffic is stop and go.
Anyway I think carpool lanes are a weird concept but they don't exist here, maybe they do work. I mean, what if the carpool lane doesn't fill to max capacity and meanwhile the other 2 lanes are jammed? Wouldn't it be more efficient to use the max capacity of the road? It needs serious statistic measurements (i.e. measure if there actually are less cars on the road actualized to the natural increase of cars over time, measure if people are actually taking less time to get to work etc.)
 
Michigan doesn't have car pool lanes. So motorcycles, electric cars/hybrid, and cars packed to the brim with smelly people are all just as screwed in traffic as everyone else.
 
oldsmoboat said:
If the speed limit is 70 and you're going 60, I am splitting.

And those items on the DMV web site are suggestions, not the law. (Just so there is no confusion)
Click to expand...

Luckily you can get a ticket for that. You can safely pass a vehicle (using another lane) like the rest of the drivers rather than split at those speeds. I have no compassion for any splitter getting side swiped doing such a reckless pass.
 
I think splitting above 45mph is just dumb, but what do I know. I have no issues with them splitting while we're all stuck going 2-30mph. But when you splitting cars going 70%+ the speed limit in bumper to bumper, you're now asking for a horrible accident.
 
As long as there are 2 or more people on the motorcycle, they should of course be allowed to use carpool lanes the same as cars with 2 or more people.

Also, they should be allowed to use bike lanes.
 
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