In the State of Montana, Senate Bill 9 was just signed into law, and if you are a motorcyclist, that should mean something to you because it means that lane-filtering is now legal in the Big Sky State.
Montana becomes the third state to approve of the practice, following California and Utah, with many other states contemplating similar laws of their own.
Passing by a vote of 65 to 35, Montana’s implementation of lane-filtering of course comes with some provisions.
First of all, the law provides that motorcyclists may overtake stopped or slow-moving vehicles at a speed not greater than 20 mph.
Also, motorcyclists may only filter between lanes of stopped traffic traveling in the same direction as conditions permit, and must do so reasonably and prudently.
The full text of the law is as follows:
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR MOTORCYCLE LANE FILTERING.
Section 1. Lane filtering for motorcycles.
(1) An operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle may engage in lane filtering when:(a) the operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle is on a road with lanes wide enough to pass safely;
(b) the overtaking motorcycle is not operated at a speed in excess of 20 miles an hour when overtaking the stopped or slow-moving vehicle; and
(c) conditions permit continued reasonable and prudent operation of the motorcycle while lane filtering.(2) As used in this section, “lane filtering” means the act of overtaking and passing another vehicle that is stopped or traveling at a speed not in excess of 10 miles an hour in the same direction of travel and in the same lane.
The law will come into effect on October 1st, 2021.
Source: KRTV
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