Weeelllll … as long as you do it carefully and slowly. Which kind of sounds like a "duh" moment.
Having grown up in California, I've always accepted the practice as normal, if annoying (I've been rear-ended while changing lanes in stop-and-go traffic). It was only on a recent visit back to the state that I realized how un-used to it I've become.
I'll assume the UC Berkeley analysis is accurate, even if having a motorcycle go rumbling past you in heavy traffic can be startling and/or annoying. I guess the main takeaway is that careful and slow (no more than 15mph over the prevailing speed) lane-splitting is … no more dangerous than ordinary motorcycle riding. Which is a whole other story …
Is motorcycle lane-splitting safe? New report says it can be
A new report by UC Berkeley researchers finds that motorcyclists passing other vehicles in the same lane, a practice called lane-splitting, does not necessarily pose a greater risk for injury, despite what some drivers might think.
I really really enjoy the part where they say "as long as you don't go 15 above other drivers the risk isn't that great" then say 69% drive 15 over with 14% going 25 over. So 73% of lane splitters are driving dangerously….its like saying its safe to smoke A cigarette, as long as you don't smoke more. Additionally nearly a 6th of all motorcycle accident were from lane splitting. That's scary to ignore
Or, in other words, "If you drive safely, you will drive safely."
So put it to the test: do an intensive public service campaign about how to safely split lanes. Give it five years. If the stats don't improve, consider eliminating it.