Colorado’s roads are becoming a racetrack for “crotch rocket” motorcyclists who flout the law, weaving through moving traffic with reckless abandon. Law enforcement must prioritize stopping this menace.

The state’s new lane filtering law, which permits motorcyclists to pass between stopped vehicles in traffic jams, was meant to ease congestion and enhance safety. Instead, riders have taken it to an illegal extreme, splitting lanes in flowing traffic — a dangerous practice that’s outlawed in Colorado and demands a robust law enforcement crackdown.

This isn’t something older generations saw with the motorcycling communities that ride Harley-Davidsons and Indians. This is a younger, more self-centered and careless community of mostly young adrenaline junkies. Each time motorists see one dead on a highway, it means parents, siblings, friends and colleagues are about to get news that will rip their hearts out.

As motorcycle deaths surge, the Colorado State Patrol and local agencies must act decisively.

A recent Denver Gazette report highlights the state patrol’s increased enforcement in high country areas targeting aggressive and impaired driving, a response to rising road dangers. This effort must include a focus on lane splitting, where motorcyclists zip between moving cars, often at speeds exceeding 100 mph.

City data from the Colorado Department of Transportation confirms danger: Motorcycle fatalities rose from 103 in 2019 to 149 in 2023, with preliminary 2024 figures showing no relief. Speeding and reckless behavior, including illegal lane splitting, are key contributors.

Lane filtering, when done legally at low speeds in stopped traffic, can reduce rear-end collisions. But when riders exploit this law to dart through moving vehicles, they endanger everyone.

A July 10 media report detailed a motorcyclist clocked at 120 mph on C-470, weaving through lanes and using the shoulder to pass. These thrill-seeking rides are deadly. A single miscalculation can trigger multivehicle crashes, as seen in recent I-70 and I-25 incidents where the Colorado State Patrol investigated fatal motorcycle collisions.

The Gazette’s editorial board long has championed road safety, and we applaud the Colorado State Patrol’s recent efforts, like the new Pikes Peak drunken driving task force, which nabbed four offenders in one weekend. But lane splitting demands targeted action.

Unlike California, where lane splitting is legal with restrictions, Colorado’s law bans it when traffic is moving. Yet, enforcement lags as riders, emboldened by lax oversight and their ability to outrun patrol cars, treat highways like their personal raceways.

Videos on X show crotch rockets weaving through Denver traffic, taunting police with impunity. This isn’t freedom; it’s chaos. And let’s not forget the case of Rendon Dietzmann — the crotch rocket poster boy — who posted a video on YouTube showing him riding from Colorado Springs to Denver in 20 minutes, at speeds approaching 200 mph along I-25.

Law enforcement must prioritize high-visibility patrols and use tools like drones and aircraft, which tracked a 120-mph rider to a Golden business for arrest. Fines and license suspensions should hit hard, with repeat offenders facing impoundment and incarceration. Public awareness campaigns, like the Colorado State Patrol’s billboard warnings about reckless riding, are a start but need teeth.

Colorado’s roads are for everyone, not just adrenaline junkies with supercharged, high-speed motorcycles. With motorcycle deaths climbing, the Colorado State Patrol and local police must crack down on illegal lane splitting.

Tougher enforcement, steeper penalties and public education can curb this menace. Let’s keep our highways safe and stop letting them serve as playgrounds for reckless riders who twist a new law into a license for danger.

The Gazette Editorial Board