Can a motorcycle drive down the right side of stopped traffic on a two lane country road if there is shoulder?

Question

A couple of months with my license and 1300 VSTAR - I was told by motocycling acquaintences - if traffic on a two lane road is stopped or stop and go - a motorcycle can drive (carefully) down the bike lane or shoulder of the road to keep the bike from overheating. Is this true? I'm in the state of California. Thank you

Answer 1

no it is illegal to ride on the right shoulder or bicycle lane even if traffic is backed up on a two lane road

Answer 2

I was told in California you could drive down the middle of the road (if it's a 2 lane)  to keep your bike from overheating to, don't know weather it's true or not.

Answer 3

It is illegal to pass on the shoulder of any road in the state of California.  California will allow you to lane share but you have to be within the confines of the lane.  Further, you have to be driving below 30 m.p.h and no more than 5 mph over the flow of traffic.

John

Answer 4

its illegal to pass anyone or thing on the right side unless you was told by a cop or waved by

Answer 5

Not too sure about California but MY state won't allow an illegal pass under any circumstances. Probably a warning for improper lane usage and the cop would tell you to park it and let it cool down. To pass on the shoulder or emergency lane is illegal and dangerous. Debris from the road is constantly being thrown over there and could cause you to go down. Also , some other driver (big rig) may not see you and decide he/she wants to pull over there too? Best to shut it down and cool it with the fan.

Answer 6

generally speaking, I think you are at the mercy of the police officer.  Most, if you are driving as you wrote, Carefully downt eh right side, and once pulled over, explain the air colled engine and overheating issue, the officer would probably at most warn you.

Not referenced in Administrative Code or Statutes

is the answer for "lane splitting" in California, not the answer for driving right of the roadway.

Don't want to guess, check out the source, the AMA.

Answer 7

As long as nobody opens their door.

Answer 8

The short answer, no.  I assume you chose a road with a shoulder because you would be reluctant to ride your V Star 1300 off of the pavement.  But it makes no difference because you can neither use the shoulder nor bike lane regardless of safety.  But if you can do so carefully then you can pass other vehicles upon the right so long as you stay on the "main-traveled portion of the roadway" pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 21755.  http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc2...

In regards to speed, if John’s 30 mph rule exists then I have never heard of it and certainly TV’s CHiPs lane sharing at 60 mph certainly never heard of it either.  But what the law says is that you cannot speed above what is reasonable or prudent for the conditions (CVC § 22350).  The real life CHP says, "Lane splitting by motorcycles is permissible but must be done in a safe and prudent manner."  Under most circumstances a motorcyclist will be lane splitting below the prima facie speed so the prosecution will have to prove that speed was not prudent.  http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc2...

In regards to John’s 5 mph rule, I refer him back to the CHP’s "safe and prudent" tip.  I presume the CHP is referring to CVC § 21750 for when we lane split on a four-lane or wider highway, we must do so with safety.  So it appears that the police can ticket us if we cannot stay on the main-traveled portion of the roadway and pass on the right regardless of safety, if we unsafely pass in-between lanes, or anytime we pass at an unsafe speed which under most circumstances that speed will have to be proved to be unsafe for a conviction.  http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc2...

On a side note, motorcycles contribute to reducing traffic congestion thus decreasing air pollution.  However an overheating motorcycle would not do us much good for smog.  IDK if late model liquid-cooled motorcycles are affected, but IIRC earlier air-cooled motorcycles polluted more than they should  during overheating.  Because California is the most critical of air pollution, I believe all of this was considered in their intentions to allow safe lane sharing as well as HOV-lane use for motorcycles.

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