I finished my ride at 6:30 this morning. By 8:00 a.m. there was the usual heavy local traffic. I had just dropped my son and his friend off at a church parking lot for the camp bus to pick them up. I am waiting to turn left out of the lot. The traffic going past from left to right is backing up at the stop light 100 yards away to the right. About 50 yards to the left is a T intersection with a three-way stop. The traffic in the lane I would like to turn into (from right to left) has now stopped because the light is red. I look left and see a couple cars and a Honda Pilot making turns at the stop sign. Behind the Pilot is a cyclist. As the Pilot approaches, the driver stops to leave me space to cross the lane and turn left. I wave and look right to make sure no traffic is coming the opposite way. I start to pull out and as I look back left, the cyclist is coming down hard right at my window. I hit the brakes, he swerves and keeps going. I finish my turn thankful that I did not hit him but pissed off that he was passing on the right when he should have stopped behind or next to the Pilot. Please ride carefully.
I’m glad you both had quick reflexes and no one got hurt! I don’t know about where you live, but here in DC it’s perfectly legal to ride the right hand side of a lane, next to the traffic. In fact, it’s legal to split the lane and ride on the left side of traffic as well. Where I live, the cyclist you almost hit would simply have been exercising his right-of-way. I’d be pretty bummed if I had to wait in line behind cars at every stop sign and every stop light in the city on my way to work - it would take me twice as long to get here. Hell, it’s one of the major advantages of riding my bike to work. I’m not saying I don’t stop at signs and lights - I’m saying I legally pass traffic in traffic jams on either side of the lines of cars. If someone pulls out from a driveway or side road w/o looking for traffic - including bikes - that’s their bad. You might want to check what the laws are where you live. Drive carefully!
It seems like there may be trouble passing on the right if the car you go to pass makes a right. Most people don’t check behind them or to the right when turning right into a driveway. And yes the car should signal.
What’s legal and what is safe are two completely different things plus, I think you might be wrong on the law.
Generally speaking, in almost all traffic situations, the overtaking vehicle is supposed to yield so even if you have the right to ride along side the stopped traffic, my guess is that the turning cars have the right of way if they are turning from the correct lane.
If I have my turn signal on and I end up getting t-boned by a cyclist who is splitting the lane and coming up on my side, the guy has what is coming to him. If he was still alive, I’d be out of the car ripping him a new one while on the cell calling 911. He would get no sympathy from me.
I’m sure we all have passed lines of stopped cars at intersections and you may even be right that it is legal to do so. However, you better have your guard up when doing so because as the orginal poster makes clear, even a driver who is dedicated cyclist is not going to be looking for you.
I’m on the board of directors of my local cycling advocacy organization - a VERY large, successful one, with a great history. I’ve been riding on the roads of DC for over 12 years, including 2.5 as a bike messenger (while I went to law school). I’m not wrong on the law. Do you live in DC? Have you read the laws? I’m just really surprised you’d tell me I was wrong when I’m getting the feeling you’ve never even read them.
The rest of your message - well, I’m not going even going to waste my time. Please be careful - and keep your eye out for cyclists when you drive. And a little sympathy never hurt anyone - it always pays to take the high road.
didn’t really mean to sound so pissy and defensive - sorry. I’m having a really crappy day - a crappy month, actually, but whatever. We’re all on the same team, right?!
Do you have the relevant passage, I found your note interesting. It sure would make bicycle commuting much faster in urban areas being able to pass on the right or left.
So I looked and only found this from the DCMR
2202.5 The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:
(a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn;
(b) On a street or highway with unobstructed pavement not occupied by parked vehicles and of sufficient width for two (2) or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction; and
(c) On a one-way street or upon any roadway upon which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement; where the roadway is free from obstructions and of sufficient width for two (2) or more lines of moving vehicles.
I think b and c probably occur pretty often in DC. As for the original poster, it isn’t clear whether the roads in question were sufficient for 2 or more lines of moving vehicles.
In Maryland there is no special law allowing bicycles to pass on the right or left in stopped traffic, but I don’t know whether vehicles in general are allowed to pass on the right.
No worries.
I am not from DC so I have not read your cycling laws. I am somewhat familar with Michigan’s cycling laws though. Here, the law says you can only pass on the left if it is a 2 way street but on the right or left if it is a 1 way street. What is interesting is that on the one hand, the rule is cyclists have to ride as far to the right as possible but the whole vehicle code, including the parts dealing directly with cyclists uses the term “lane” in describing various duties and rights of way. I have not delved into this too deeply but my hunch is that the code would not be interpreted as creating a new “lane” for cyclists, even though they are supposed to ride to the far right side. You can ride along side cars but I assume you are considered to all be in the same lane.
I can see how it would be pretty easy for a layman to read a set of statutes like this and interpet it to mean you can ride your bike up to an intersection along a line of stopped or slow cars but just because you can do that does not mean you are in a different “lane” than the cars so all bets are off once cars start turning. And, at least in Michigan, on any 2 way street, a cyslist does not have any right to pass a car on the right side anyway so my guess is you’d have no claim whatsoever to any right of way if you got clipped by a car making a right turn in front of you.
The bottom line however is that the law is not going to protect you. The fact is 99.99% of drivers (even cyclists who get behind the wheel) are not going to look for cyclists coming up on them before they make a turn so it if the cyclist wants to be safe, they must take responsibilty for avoiding a collision.
Yup agreed - I’d have been killed a hundred times by now if I put my faith in car drivers actually obeying the law. The longer I’ve been out here, the more conservatively I ride. Sometimes I’m jealous when I see the crazy kids whipping through traffic the way I used to when I was younger and “immortal” (well, ok, stupid) - but then I figure my well-being is more important than my silly “bad-ass” self image (-;
Sorry for the hi-jacking
Please cite the relevant DC laws to me. I live in Maryland. I know the Maryland laws and it is the rule that bicycles must respect the same laws as cars. It would have been illegal for a car to have passed the Pilot on the right hand side. It is equally unlawful to pass on the shoulder when there is a traffic jam. The cyclist was wrong and did not have the right of way. The Pilot had the right of way but stopped rather than block the exit to the church. The cyclist needed to stop when the Pilot stopped. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to see cyclists refusing to obey traffic laws. Everytime I see it I think there goes another cyclist pissing off another driver who may just not be so careful when it is me they are approaching when I am on my bike.
As the Pilot approaches, the driver stops to leave me space to cross the lane and turn left.
This is one thing that pisses me off…people who don’t follow the rules of the road and do something unexpected. You don’t stop in the middle of a road, even if you’re trying to be “nice” and let someone pass. I’ve seen this happen before when someone leaves space for you to turn, but nobody realizes that the cars coming the other way haven’t stopped to “let you in” and WHAM - you get hit. Just this past weekend I’m riding in the right lane, signaling loud and clear I’m turning LEFT with my arm stretched out, waiting for the car going the opposite direction (coming toward me head on) to pass. What does she do? She hits the breaks and STOPS to let me turn left in front of her!!! What an IDIOT!!! The cars behind her WENT AROUND HER and would have hit me and she sat there as if it was my fault. I was secretly hoping she would have been rear-ended, but no such luck.
I also believe here in Indiana, IF you had hit the cyclist, the driver of the Pilot would have some fault because by stopping, he or she would have been implying it was safe to cross, when in fact it was not.
Out of curiosity, is passing on the right legal in all states in the US?
I think it’s really stupid…it’s a big cause of accidents (until people realize they have mirrors AND a dead spot…)…forbidden in most European countries.
forbidden in most European countries.
Not the civilized one, there we don’t allow passing on the left as we still drive on the correct side so that a gentleman may have ready access to his sword.
Blocking intersections is illegal. Blocking exits and entrances may also be illegal … it is certainly rude and causes more problems than the ones you describe. But, hey to each his own I guess. Stay safe.
Nope, he is right. You let them go and you take on the liability for a clear lane (in NC). Seems crazy but it is true. My mom had some kid pull right into her lane after a nice lady let him pull out of the McD’s parking lot. Mom T-Boned the kid. She only saw him for a split second as he was crossing her lane. The lady who let the kid out got the ticket.
Let’s all just be safe out there and remember that we can’t predict what that idiot is going to do. We also need to remember that sometimes we are the idiot.
*** Blocking intersections is illegal. Blocking exits and entrances may also be illegal … it is certainly rude***
We’re not talking about an intersection, and we’re confusing friendly courtesy with appropriate and PREDICTABLE driving - they can’t always happen together. It’s exactly what we talk about as cyclists on the road - ride in a legal and predictable fashion, and you should be safe. Cars who, out of courtesy, stop to “let someone through” or “let someone cross” when they’re NOT SUPPOSED TO BE STOPPING are not only breaking the law but they’re endangering others. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be nice (letting someone change lanes in front of you to avoid someone on the shoulder, not cutting people off, etc) - but in a legal and predictable manner.
And I believe here in Indiana, again, passing on the right shoulder IS allowed, but only if you are the first car behind the turning car. e.g., Car 1 is turning left, car #2 and back may pass on the right shoulder in sequence. If Car #2 decides to sit there and wait, then it is illegal for ANY car from #3 back to pass (many do anyway). This is usually the scariest part of my rides on roads - when I’m on the right and a car is turning left right next tome. I’m just waiting for some bozo to pass him on the right and slam into me.
What’s funny is that we’re debating friendly/courteous behavior of drivers, when in fact I think society is getting DRASTICALLY worse with their courteous behavior on the road, such as not signaling until they’ve already begun to turn (if at all), barreling through an intersection before it’s their “turn”, etc. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve crossed a road (going through the intersection) and a car turns in front of me that I *thought *was going straight (no turn signal). If people just do what they’re supposed to do, and not worry about rudeness or courtesy, the roads will be safer.
The lady who let the kid out got the ticket
THAT’S what I’m talking about!!! Hope the kid was OK - and I don’t stop to let anyone through for that very reason.
Again, don’t know where the original poster lives, so maybe it’s illegal to ever pass stopped cars there (doubt it - but I’d have no way of knowing). I’d point out, if the cyclist had passed the Pilot on the left side, within the same lane (assuming there was oncoming traffic in left lane), it still would likely have caused our friend here the same near-miss, with a few extra seconds to spare. Anyhoo, here you go (these are DC regulations promulgated under the law):
** DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MUNICIPAL REGULATIONS TITLE 18. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC CHAPTER 12. BICYCLES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES, AND MISCELLANEOUS VEHICLES**
…
1201.3 (a) A person operating a bicycle may overtake and pass another vehicle only under conditions which permit the movement to be made with safety.
(b) A person operating a bicycle may overtake and pass other vehicles on the left or right side, staying in the same lane as the overtaken vehicle, or changing to a different lane, or riding off the roadway, as necessary to pass with safety.
(c) If a lane is partially occupied by vehicles that are stopped, standing, or parked in that lane, a person operating a bicycle may ride in that or in the next adjacent lane used by vehicles proceedings in the same direction.
And, just FYI for MD - no prohibition against cyclists passing motor vehicles, simply a requirement to “exercise due care.” Yes, it perhaps it would have been physically impossible for a motor vehicle (well, except a motor cycle, but that’s a whole other issue - in many jurisdictions it’s legal for motor cycles to split lanes as well) to pass the Pilot - but a bicycle can, and MD law does not make it illegal:
** ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND – TRANSPORTATION Bicycle Related Definitions and Laws** TITLE 21 VEHICLES LAWS – RULES OF THE ROAD
Subtitle 12. Operation of Bicycles and Play Vehicles
21-1205 Riding on roadways or on highway.
(a) Riding to right side of roadway. – Each person operating a bicycle or a motor scooter at a speed less than the speed traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing on a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable and safe, except when:
(1) Making or attempting to make a left turn;
(2) Operating on a one-way street;
(3) Passing a stopped or slower moving vehicle;
(4) Avoiding pedestrians or road hazards;
(5) The right lane is a right turn lane; or
(6) Operating in a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle or motor scooter and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(b) Riding two abreast. – Each person operating a bicycle or motor scooter on a roadway may ride two abreast only if the flow of traffic is unimpeded.
(c) Passing. – Each person operating a bicycle or motor scooter on a roadway shall exercise due care when passing a vehicle.
You are confusing the right to pass with who has the obligation to avoid a collision when the vehicle being overtaken makes a proper turn. They are two different issues and confusing them can have deadly consequences for a cyclist so if you are out there spreading the word that it is legal to go zooming by a line of stopped or slow cars as you approach an intersection, please stop.
Under the DC ordinance you cite, the cyclist is the party specifically charged with the responsibility to pass “only under conditions which permit the movement to be made with safety” I read the DC statute as making it the cyclist’s responsibility to avoid the collision with a turning car, not the car driver’s.
The Maryland statute is less clear but does specifically state that the cyclist “shall exercise due care when passing a vehicle.”
I gotta get back to work - so I’m going to have check out of this after this. But I didn’t think we were talking about cars turning at intersections - I thought we were talking about a car pulling out of a driveway - the car the cyclist is passing isn’t turning, and another car is pulling out of a driveway, right? do I want to keep my eye out for someone pulling out of a driveway in front of me while I exercise my legal right to operate a bicycle on the road? Absolutely, who wouldn’t?! I’d rather be upright and unscathed and a little ticked that an inattentive car driver didn’t fully check for oncoming traffic before pulling out of a driveway, than bloodied on the pavement but still be “right.” I’m as careful as any middle-aged, experienced, daily commuter/ bike racer could be. Like I said yesterday, sometimes embarassingly so as compared to some of my crazier friends.
He simply asked me to cite the laws that allow a bike to pass a car on the right or left - I think. Maybe I didn’t keep close enough track of this thread. I don’t know…
A lot of our differences here might come from the fact that most of my concerns relate to riding in the city (where car drivers often make illegal right turns from the middle lane when I’m travelling in the right lane (parked car lane is considered a bicycle right-of-way), going straight ahead, just btw), whereas most of you folks are probably talking about the 'burbs, where it’s even scarier to me! There’s a difference, I’ve found, as to what the major dangers are. Not that I don’t ride in the 'burbs or the “country” (what’s left of it around here, anyway) most weekends- it’s just my daily concerns are with city riding and drivers.
I’m happy to say I’m wrong when I am, but I’m afraid I’m going to be pretty steadfast about my rights as a cyclist - doesn’t mean I’m not terribly careful. The organization I mentioned earlier has some good resources regarding safe cycling - waba.org