Unsafe Motorcycling Also Illegal, CHP Says | NBC 7 San Diego

Unsafe Motorcycling Also Illegal, CHP Says

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    We're seeing an increased number of motorcycle fatalities these days, and that's partly because more people are riding them.

    Many people are opting for motorcycles over cars because of high gas prices and a tough economy, and being able to get through a traffic jam shaves time off your commute.

    But we've all seen motorcycles weave in and out of traffic at high speeds, and California Highway patrol says that isn't safe, or legal.

    Yuri Sanchez rides a motorcycle to work almost every day. And seeing bikes weave in and out of traffic makes even him nervous.

    "When traffic is really moving and you know, a bike comes between cars you wonder 'wow - what if I'd have done a lane change right there and not seen those people,'" he said.

    According to the California Highway Patrol, the number of motorcycle fatalities increased by twenty percent between 2010 and 2011. That's partly because there are more people driving them; over a hundred thousand more in California in the last year.

    Many of those who ride say it's a cheaper and shorter commute because they can maneuver around traffic by splitting lanes; and in California, it is legal. But sharing lanes can be dangerous, especially at high speeds when it amounts to weaving in and out of traffic.

    According to California Highway Patrol, unsafe lane changing isn't legal no matter what you're driving. They caution those who ride bikes to be when moving around traffic, and remind drivers of cars to watch out for them.