You might love motorcycles. They’re not for everyone, but some people enjoy buying one and riding it whenever they can. You can hop on your Harley, get out on the road, and enjoy the wind screaming past you as you tear up the asphalt on your way to adventure and excitement.
You must follow all laws and road rules while riding, though. If you break the law, you might regret it, and not just for legal reasons. A cop might pull you over, but you may also hit a car if you do something wrong while on a motorcycle. The car will usually get the better end of that since they’re larger and have a steel frame surrounding the passengers.
In this article, we’ll talk about lane splitting in Oklahoma. Lane splitting is something you can only do on a motorcycle and some riders like trying it whenever they can.
What is Lane Splitting?
Motorcycle lane splitting is not legal in Oklahoma, or anywhere else, for that matter. When you lane split on a motorcycle, you approach cars in two lanes side by side. Usually, the vehicles have stopped because of a red light or because they’re traffic congestion or an accident ahead.
A motorcycle rider can squeeze in between the two car lines and roll ahead until something stops them. If you do this, you’ll probably hear some angry honks from the drivers who are Unraveling the emotions behind the wheel. They don’t appreciate you using a motorcycle’s smaller size to squeeze in between them.
Why Would a Motorcycle Rider Do This?
If you want to know why a motorcycle rider would do this, the simplest answer is usually the correct one. They do it because they can. They have more maneuverability on a motorcycle than they would in a full-sized car.
A motorcycle rider might feel like lane splitting on a highway because they want to get to their destination, and they don’t feel like they should wait in line. Some motorcycle riders feel entitled and don’t want to sit there patiently till the car line starts moving again.
Not every rider does this. Plenty of Oklahoma motorcycle riders, and those in other states, will follow all traffic laws for their own safety and driver safety as well.
This is a situation where sometimes a few bad apples spoil it for the rest. Motorcycle riders can get a bad reputation from motorists because some of them enjoy lane splitting.
What Happens if a Cop in Oklahoma Sees You Doing This?
If you try lane splitting in Oklahoma or elsewhere, you might get away with it. Maybe you can use the motorcycle’s smaller size to get past lines of cars and turn off the highway to get around a seemingly endless traffic jam or a multiple-car pile-up. You might also lane split on a local road and take a side street to get to your destination.
If you do this a few times, it might become a habit. You may even feel you can do it with impunity since you have a motorcycle and no one stops you.
If a cop ever spots you doing that, though, you might face a steep fine and a lecture if they catch you. Some cops don’t mind you doing this, but many of them don’t like it too much. They may resent your attitude, and a judge might throw the book at you if you end up in court.
If You Do This Multiple Times, You Can Lose Your License
Some motorcycle riders follow the rules, but some are scofflaws. If the cops catch you lane splitting one time, they might fine you, and you’ll get points on your license. Ideally, you will learn your lesson, and you won’t do it ever again.
In other cases, you might have a person who lane splits all the time, and they won’t let a single ticket or incident stop them. If that happens, a judge might take away your license for good. They know that lane splitting can injure you or others, and they may want to make an example.
Some drivers might also take action to stop you. You might try to lane split and run into a driver with road rage issues or one having a bad day.
They may open their car door suddenly while you’re trying to pass them. If that happens, you can run into it. You might hurt yourself and damage your motorcycle, and you can only blame yourself if that happens.
Be an Exemplary Motorcycle Rider
You can improve how people look at motorcycle riders if you avoid lane splitting and other dangerous activities in Oklahoma. Some motorcycle riders love helping charities and doing other things for worthy causes. They’re exemplary while riding their motorcycles and don’t lane split or do anything else that might hurt themselves or others.
You can follow all traffic laws and stay patient if you have to wait in a line of cars. Your smaller size and maneuverability as a motorcycle rider should not serve as a reason for you to gun the engine and shoot in between rows of drivers patiently waiting for an accident to clear up.
What if the Police Catch You Lane Splitting?
If the police catch you lane splitting, and you must appear in court, you can hire a good lawyer to defend you, and maybe they can help you keep your license. If you’re a repeat offender, though, you might have little choice but to surrender your license or even spend a little time behind bars if the judge feels you acted egregiously.
If you end up in court, let the lawyer speak for you. If the judge lets you talk, make sure you seem contrite. If you say you learned your lesson and won’t do it ever again, an Oklahoma judge might show leniency. If you act defiant, they might hold you in contempt or punish you harshly. Your attitude may decide your fate.