Different reactions to the new possibilities
A report by local TV station KSTP highlights how the new legal situation is affecting everyday life. To provide a comprehensive picture of the situation, the station spoke to various stakeholders. Among others, experienced motorcycle and scooter rider Bob Hedstrom emphasized the safety aspects: lane splitting and filtering reduce the risk of rear-end collisions in slow-moving traffic. Personally, he said he had only experienced one instance of honking horns, and otherwise there had been no negative incidents. Nor had he observed any conspicuous or risky maneuvers by other motorcyclists.
Criticism and comments from the traffic authority
On the part of the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, Jay Bock takes a more nuanced view of the situation. In his assessment, both positive and negative behavior has been observed on the roads since the law came into force. For example, there was a documented case of a motorcyclist traveling at high speed between lanes on the highway – an action that is expressly not covered by the law. The authority is calling for strict adherence to the legal requirements.
Information campaign and unanswered questions
To make road users aware of the new legal situation, the state has invested around $200,000 (approx. €189,000) in an information campaign to date. Nevertheless, there is still a need for education, as the changes in road traffic require adjustments from all parties involved.
An overview of the most important legal regulations
Minnesota defines “lane splitting” as the legal sharing of a lane by a motorcycle when overtaking a vehicle traveling in the same direction, as long as the traffic is not traveling faster than 25 mph (approx. 40 km/h). The motorcycle may not exceed the speed of the rest of the traffic by more than 15 mph (approx. 24 km/h).
“Lane filtering” describes the careful passing of stationary vehicles when traffic has come to a complete standstill. A maximum speed of 15 mph (approx. 24 km/h) must be observed.
However, both maneuvers are still prohibited in certain zones. These include roundabouts, school zones, construction areas, and highway on-ramps.
Conclusion after three months
Three months after the new law came into effect, it is clear that lane splitting and filtering in Minnesota are still a learning process for all road users. The traffic authority sees a need for further information, but also emphasizes the potential of the regulations to increase safety for motorcyclists – provided they are used responsibly.
