The roads of Colorado have been undergoing a wave of change since last year, when the state cleared a lane filtering bill that finally took effect in the latter part of the 2024 riding season. Now, the Colorado State Patrol is actively issuing a reminder to motorists that while lane filtering is indeed legal, it's not a free pass to weave through traffic without caution.
Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, emphasized the distinction: "One maneuver is legal, and the other remains prohibited, so let’s all start by getting on the same page," he said, as obtained by the Colorado State Patrol. Lane splitting, the tactic of cutting between moving vehicles, remains off-limits, while lane filtering, which involves a motorcycle passing stopped traffic at a standstill, like at red lights or in gridlock, slides into the realm of legality.
Adherence to the law hinges on a set of rules; traffic must be at a dead-stop for filtering to be an option, the road must hold enough space for the passage of the motorcycle, the biker's speed should be capped at 15 mph, safety and control are paramount, and the rider must remain left, without crossing into the opposing current of traffic. "It’s up to the rider to assess each situation and determine if the conditions are safe and legal to filter – it's an option, not a requirement to filter," as stated by Col. Packard, as per Colorado State Patrol.
As traffic culture integrates these new rules, it's critical for the Colorado biking community and the drivers sharing their paths to embrace a mutual respect for road etiquette and the legislation that undergirds it, filtering is not unique to Colorado, it's been part of the traffic lexicon in several states including Arizona, California, Hawaii, Montana, and Utah, with California standing solo in sanctioning lane splitting.
