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Ride Better Tips
Ed Hernandez, photo by Liz Clayman
Use this tip sheet to learn the basics of riding your bike in the road with traffic.
Traffic Principles
- Always ride with the flow of traffic
- Do not ride on the sidewalk
- Allow yourself room to maneuver around hazards
- Roads with higher traffic volumes should be given right-of-way
- Always use signals to indicate your intentions to move position
- Look behind you to indicate your desire to move and to make sure that you can
- Traffic in your destination lane has the right-of-way
- Making eye contact with drivers lets them know that you see them
- Signal and make your lane change early, before you need to
- Position yourself in the right-most lane that goes in the direction of your destination
- Ride in the right third of the lane
- Avoid being overtaken in narrow-lane situations by riding in the middle of the lane
- Position yourself relative to the speed of other traffic
- Left-most lane is for fastest moving traffic, right-most for slower traffic
- Yield to faster moving vehicles by staying to the right in the lane
Where to Ride
- All 50 states say that people on bikes are to ride "as far to the right as practicable"
- No clear definition of practicable has been identified
- Always ride in a straight line; do not swerve between parked cars
- Give yourself enough room on your right to maneuver in an emergency
- Ride in the middle or right third of the lane if there is not enough room for lane sharing
- Slower moving vehicles travel to the right of faster moving ones
- Follow the same rules as motorists including yielding right-of-way and signaling
Ride just to the right of the travel lane to remain visible to other motorists
Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars
- If a lane narrows ahead or is blocked by a bus, establish your position in traffic early
- Avoid riding where glass and other trash accumulates on the right side of roadways
- Grates and gutterpans should be avoided by positioning yourself away from them
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Lane Positioning
- Ride in the same direction as traffic; stay far enough away from curb to avoid hazards
- Ride in the right third of the right-most lane that goes in the direction you are going
- Ride in the middle of the lane if traveling the same speed as traffic or in a narrow lane
- Always ride in or near a travel lane; stay visible by riding where drivers are looking
- Wear bright clothing
- Do not pass on the right; motorists are not looking for other vehicles there
- Ride in a straight line, not in and out of parked cars on the side of the road
- Beware of cars merging into the roadway from a parallel parking position
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars
- If there is not enough room to share the lane
- If traveling the same speed as other traffic or if hazards narrow the usable width
- Before intersections and turns to assert your position on the roadway
- Do not ride completely to the right; you will be more visible 3-4 feet away from traffic
- Place yourself, so right turning cars and cars entering will be more likely to see you before they turn
- Be careful of motorists passing on the right around left-turning vehicles
Turning
- Before a turn: scan, signal and move into the lane that leads to your destination
- Ride in the right third or middle of the lane, as lane width dictates
- To cross multiple lanes, move one at a time, scanning and signaling each move
- If your lane turns into a right-turn only lane (and you’re not turning), change lanes before the intersection
- Changing lanes too late could result in an overtaking motorist turning in front of you
- Maintain a constant position relative to the curb or shoulder during a turn
- Most drivers do not always expect to see people on bikes in the roadway
- Do not ride directly next to another vehicle unless you are passing
- If you can't see bus, truck or car mirrors, the drivers can't see you
- Signal well before the intersection; make sure you are in proper lane position
- Left arm out and down with palm to the rear to indicate stopping
- Left or right arm straight out to indicate left or right turn
- Allows you to avoid dangerous situations before they happen
- Let’s you see what is going on around you
- Communicates with other drivers that you are about to maneuver to another position
Lane Changing
- If you are familiar with the traffic patterns, be sure to get in the correct position early
- Keep in mind the relative speed between you and other traffic -- plan accordingly
- Be aware of road conditions that would impede your progress across lanes
- Look for traffic, pedestrians and hazards in front of you and behind
- Identify lane markings and traffic control devices for an approaching intersection
- Keep an eye out for bus stops, driveways, crosswalks and other special traffic zones
- Signal your intention to turn or change lanes
- Relative speed may require you to move quickly and decisively when it is safe to do so
- In high speed overtaking traffic situations, cross all lanes at once when safe
- Move after signaling in low- and same-speed traffic situations
- If you get caught between lanes while crossing traffic, ride the white line until clear
- Your safety is paramount while changing lanes; if traffic is too heavy, use crosswalks
- Ride to red light then move to left turn lane if volume and speed do not allow crossing
How to Avoid Getting Doored
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars: far enough away to avoid a suddenly opened door
- Never swerve between parked cars; use the outside of the next car as your guide
- Avoid riding on the right side of any stopped car, especially if it is near the curb
- As you begin to overtake cars in urban settings, always pass them on your right
- If you are traveling at the same speed as traffic, ride in the center of your lane
- As traffic begins to speed up, signal and begin moving to a lane on your right
- If a car stops in front of you suddenly, stop, look for exiting passengers, then pass on left
- Make sure that you stop safely before you release the handlebar to signal and pass
- Maintaining control of your bike is the most important task
- Before turning, look for cars double-parked in your destination lane
- When turning, take the lane so you don't get forced to the right of a stopped car
- Plan your turn so that you remain at least three feet to the left of any stopped cars
- You do not have to ride within a bike lane if you are avoiding a hazard
- Cars must not drive in bike lanes but bikes may leave bike lanes at any time
- Stay out of the door zone, even if this means riding on the edge or outside a striped bike lane
How to Ride in Bike Lanes
- Bikes are not required to travel in bike lanes when preparing for turns
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars
- Avoid bike lanes that you think are poorly designed or unsafe; alert your local government
- Avoid riding in lanes that position you on the right side of a right turn lane – if you are not turning
- Bike lanes should stop before an intersection to allow for bikes to make left turns
- Always signal as you move out of a bike lane into another traffic lane
- Report obstructions and poor maintenance to your local government
- Avoid riding immediately adjacent to curbs where trash collects
- If debris forces you out of the bike lane, signal your move out into traffic
- Stay out of the door zone, even if this means riding on the edge or outside a striped bike lane
- Watch for brake lights, front wheels, signals and driver movements
- Position yourself in the field of vision of a motorist pulling out of a parking space
- Avoid riding in lanes that position you on the right side of a right turning motorist
- Move out of the right turn lane if you are not turning right
- Ride in the rightmost lane that goes in the direction that you are traveling
- Move out of the bike lane well in advance of the intersection; signal every move
- Position yourself in the rightmost left-turning lane
- Reposition yourself after executing the turn; remain clear of parked cars
Traffic Lights
- People on bikes, just like motorists, must obey all traffic control devices
- It takes longer to travel through an intersection on bike; plan to stop for yellow lights
- Avoid cars that run red lights by waiting for the signal to turn green and scan to make sure it's clear
- Bikes must activate a vehicle detector just like a motor vehicle
- Detectors are embedded in the roadway; look for squares cut into the roadway
- Detectors use magnetic forces to pick up vehicles, not weight
- In most states, after three minutes, you can treat a red light as a stop sign
- Pass through a red light only as a last resort
- Yield to other vehicles while crossing the roadway
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