WSET.com - ABC13Will Virginia Reverse Motorcycle Law?

Reporter: Dhomonique Ricks l Videographer: Jemon Haskins

Lynchburg, VA - Right now it is illegal for motorcycles to ride side by side in the same lane in the state of Virginia, but this 40 plus year old law may be changing.

Two delegates have proposed laws aimed at making riding side-by-side legal, and Monday it passed in the House.

Some motorcycle riders and drivers say they are for it.

"It's been tried before in different states and has turned around and worked very well, so I can find no reason why they couldn't do it here," said motorcyclist Jeffrey Sutphin.

Sutphin has been riding for more than 55 years. He says riding in single file is a thing of the past.

Virginia is one of only two states in the country that do not allow motorcyclists to ride side-by-side. Sutphin says there are lots of benefits for motorcycles to ride next to one another.

"It's just more comfortable to ride right next to a person where you can tell exactly he's going to do. He's right next to you," Sutphin said.

"If you need to make a hand signal or talk to somebody, you really don't need to take your eyes off the road," said Mark Daniel, owner of Honda Suzuki of Lynchburg.

Daniel says there are many other benefits, such as helping with visibility. Motorcycles typically have one headlight, so two riding next to each other can help illuminate dark streets. 

Sutphin says there are critics out there who like things the way they are.

"Some people are afraid that if one person gets messed up, the whole group will get messed up because they're not spaced, not staggered," he said.

But Daniel says that is not the case.

"In all the studies, there's been no proven fact that its caused accidents. So I think it's going to be a good thing for groups that ride together," he said.

The bill is now headed to the Senate Transportation Committee. If it passes there, it will go to the full Senate for consideration.

If everything goes as planned and the governor signs it, it could go into effect as early as July 1.