It's time to let motorcycles drive between lanes

Some motorcyclists in B.C. want to be able to drive between lanes.

It's a practice called lane filtering: using the space between two lanes, moving in the same direction, as a lane for motorcycles.  

In situations like slow moving freeway gridlock, or a long line of cars at a stop light, it would allow bikers to scooch ahead of cars, by driving along the white lines dividing lanes.

Lane filtering is accepted practice in some European countries, and legal in California, and now a group called Lane Filter British Columbia wants the issue to be considered in that province.

Daniel Fritter, head of Lane Filter BC, says the benefits for motorcyclists are safety and convenience.

"We'd like to do it because we've seen a sharp rise in distracted driving and rear-end collisions as a result here in B.C., and getting motorcyclists out from behind that row of traffic is really key in preventing those sorts of collisions with motorcyclists." 

Fritter argues that if motorcyclists could use the space between lanes to move to the front of the pack at an intersection, it would reduce rear-end collisions involving motorcycles.

He cites a University of California Berkeley study which found collisions and injuries to motorcyclists are less severe when driving in the space between lanes, especially when travelling at roughly the same speed as other vehicles.