Question about the law - NF - Bikes!

[Headhunter]

Just wondering if anyone can shed some light on this for me... I am wondering if there are any laws being broken, when a bicyclist tries to pass me, on the right at a stop or red light.

I know that anyone who has ever driven, has had to deal with the folks on bikes, riding up the curb in order to get to the front of the line at a stop.

I'll admit, It DRIVES ME NUTS!!!! I have already taken the extra precaution when I passed them the first time and now I am going to have to do it again.

Now, I am not talking about road ways that have a bike lane, I am asking about streets or roads without one.

Are these cyclists breaking the law? I sure would like to know so that I can have a civilized and informed conversation while we each jockey for position on the already busy roads.

Thanks,

 

 

HH

Edited May 11, 2015 by Headhunter

[BillM]

They aren't breaking the law going to the front of the line. Now if they were lane splitting, they might.

Edited May 11, 2015 by BillM

[Terry]

I believe the law is being broken...but never hear it being enforced

but around here if they can't pass on the right at a red, the jump onto the sidewalk and just keep trucking

[Headhunter]

Ok Bill, but if they are passing me on the right, while I am in the right lane, are they not passing on the right and is that not illegal?

Yah Terry, that's another one that gets me going... and they will be the first to get in your face if they perceive that a car has gotten in their right of way.

HH

[NAW]

I make a point to wait in line, just like the cars. There are a pile of road cycling etiquette, some are laws, and some are non-spoken laws. I don't know the legalities of doing this. But I know that it's very poor etiquette.

 

I, both from a cyclist and motorist point of view, can not STAND seeing cyclist do this either.

 

But. if you cherp the guy/girl, he's just going to yell "Share the road !!" and ride off. There's nothing you can do to stop it IMO..

[Headhunter]

There may not be anything I can do to stop it, but I would like to know that I am either in the right or not. Chances are pretty good that I'll meet up with the cyclist at the next stop and I sure would like to know that I am in the right, so to speak!

HH

[Warthaug]

Cyclists passing on the right is legally a grey area; if the road has a shoulder than it is absolutely legal. If it does not than it may be legal if certain conditions are met (i.e. if going around a left-turning vehicle, or if the laneway is a designated cycling lane (even if shared)). Cities may have bylaws altering the rules, those are just provincial ones.

 

B

[davey buoy]

It may not be right,but as said I wait in line.You have to remember for some of the bikes,keeps a couple cars off the road.?I wouldn't sweat it,it's the ones that want to turn in the left lane at a red light.That burns my .All momentum gone when they light turn yellow and then red fast.

[DRIFTER_016]

I just pull right over to the curb so they can't pass me.

Last thing I want to do is pass them at every stop light.

Each time I worry about clipping them with my mirror when the road is busy and there is no room to pull over.

[Terry]

just open the passenger door and when he slams into it say legal this..... a-pole

[F7Firecat]

in the big smoke if you pull over to the right shoulder they will then pass you on the left side of your vehicle, they should have to wait in line like everyone else

[Burtess]

The company I work at had all the outside guys take a driving / skid control course a couple years back. During the driving portion they told us to stop very close to the curb in this situation. Problem is (especially in Dundas!) a lot of the bikers will just whip around the LEFT side of you and then back over to the right side! This is not the leisure bicyclists, it is the spandex wearing "professional" bikers, and sometimes they will give you the bird when they do it... It is frustrating but you can't do anything about it.

 

Burt

[DRIFTER_016]

The company I work at had all the outside guys take a driving / skid control course a couple years back. During the driving portion they told us to stop very close to the curb in this situation. Problem is (especially in Dundas!) a lot of the bikers will just whip around the LEFT side of you and then back over to the right side! This is not the leisure bicyclists, it is the spandex wearing "professional" bikers, and sometimes they will give you the bird when they do it... It is frustrating but you can't do anything about it.

 

Burt

 

Sure you can!!!

Open your drivers door!!!

Problem solved!!!

[ckewley]

Most cyclists will not pass a cop car on the right at a stop light. As a kid a officer told me it was illegal to pass on the right, he likened it to a car hoping the curb to pass, he said you must wait in line & don't be afraid to take up the lane as it was also illegal for motorists to cram beside you. However this was 20+ years ago & the bike centric City Hall may have changed a by-law or 2.

[oldschool]

Here is a nice presentation on bicycling in Ontario. While not specific in its declarations, it does say that bikes are to be considered vehicles, and therefore have to follow the same traffic laws as cars, etc. Also, if reading about the path and spacing that bikes need to follow, it is inherent in the law that bikes cannot pass on the side of an auto and do so lawfully. At least, that is how I would translate it if I was riding the bicycle.

 

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/pdfs/cycling-skills.pdf

[musky666]

Gotta say that I hate cyclists on the roadways. Firstly- I agree that if operated on the road they would be considered bound by the same laws as any motorist, and they clearly do not operate that way. Secondly, I don't feel that they pay for the right to use roadways designed and paid for by motorists- through taxes on fuel, and yearly licensing fees. Thirdly- are they insane? trying to share a roadway with vehicles weighing more than ten times what they do, operated by often tired or distracted drivers, with only inches to spare.

I am speaking of the weekend warriors that ride the more rural roads north of the city- their numbers are growing and I feel they're a hazard to other motorists and themselves.

Sorry to hijack this thread.

[Musky or Specks]

The worst is E Bikes. Like screw you if you don't have to pedal it's a vehicle and should be insured and licensed

[LefroyFisherman]

If they want to be treated the same as a vehicle then they should have to abide by the same rules, so frustrating when downtown.

[Raf]

I am speaking of the weekend warriors that ride the more rural roads north of the city- their numbers are growing and I feel they're a hazard to other motorists and themselves.

these guys are out in rush hour. i commute to mississauga on these rural roads north of town with nary a shoulder. insane & it make no sense why they'd be out there at peak times. off peak and wknd have at 'er.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Raf

[bare foot wader]

I had a confrontation with a cyclist before, I despise most cyclists and I'm an avid mountain biker myself, their attitude on the road sucks.....I believe unless there is a local bylaw in place they are allowed to pass on the right, provided it is "safe to do so" and that is the grey area.....I was turning right and a leg shaving, spandex clad roadie smashed into me, dude starts screaming spitting on my truck (casual FYI - you don't look tough wearing spandex....)

 

I told him to call the cops and after a few minutes of cursing and pretending to be hurt he pedalled away....I called a cop buddy and asked his opinion, he said with my turn signal on it was unsafe for the cyclists to pass me

[blaque]

Dont even get me started

[Headhunter]

Ok... I finally got a few minutes to look into this, as I was not satisfied with what I learned from this thread. (Not complaining, appreciate everyone's input!)

First call was to Service Ontario, who then referred me to MTO, who then referred me to MTO Enforcement, who then referred me to the OPP Hotline, who then referred me to my local police division. What's truly amazing to me, is that none of these "experts" could answer the question definitively. That is until, I contacted my local police division.

The answer to my question, is it legal for a bicycle to pass on the right is a resounding NO! The constable I spoke with, said that a bike on the road is under the same rules of the road as any other vehicle and that passing on the right, whether the vehicle being passed is moving or not, is ILLEGAL!!!!!!

So, I will get a smidge of satisfaction the next time this happens and I inform my two wheeled friend that they are breaking the law. I know it's not gonna stop them from calling me an annul orifice as they ride into the sunset (or next set of lights!) but I will happy to let them know that at least this annul orifice has his poop together!

HH

Edited May 12, 2015 by Headhunter

[Joey]

Ok... I finally got a few minutes to look into this, as I was not satisfied with what I learned from this thread. (Not complaining, appreciate everyone's input!)

First call was to Service Ontario, who then referred me to MTO, who then referred me to MTO Enforcement, who then referred me to the OPP Hotline, who then referred me to my local police division. What's truly amazing to me, is that none of these "experts" could answer the question definitively. That is until, I contacted my local police division.

The answer to my question, is it legal for a bicycle to pass on the right is a resounding NO! The constable I spoke with, said that a bike on the road is under the same rules of the road as any other vehicle and that passing on the right, whether the vehicle being passed is moving or not, is ILLEGAL!!!!!!

So, I will get a smidge of satisfaction the next time this happens and I inform my two wheeled friend that they are breaking the law. I know it's not gonna stop them from calling me an annul orifice as they ride into the sunset (or next set of lights!) but I will happy to let them know that at least this annul orifice has his poop together!

HH

 

Good to know Joe, it drives me nuts too.

 

I guess I shouldn't mention I was a bike courier in downtown Calgary in my younger years eh

[Terry]

you know someone will post they spoke to the cops and were told it was legal.....they never seem to know for sure

thats what lawyers and judges are for

[AKRISONER]

i can tell you right now, there is no law pertaining to this. If it is, it is not enforced at all because I pass cop cars stuck in traffic on the right weekly. I cycle every day to work in downtown toronto and if I along with every other cyclist in Toronto were to wait in traffic lines, we would never get anywhere.

 

When you are in the city literally every single cyclist has to do this out of necessity due to gridlock.

 

The best bet is to just use roads with bike lanes, however its not always 100% an option.

 

 

I do have to laugh at the cyclist related sentiment, I as a driver and cyclist would like to point out the general stupidity of the majority of drivers far exceeds that of cyclists on average. I personally know along with most other cyclists that we have wayyyy more at stake in a collision with a motor vehicle. For a car driver a collision with a cyclist is a nuisance, for me its a matter of life or death.

 

I cannot tell you the amount of times ive nearly been hit by drivers making completely idiotic maneuvers such as turning right at an intersection from the left lane on a two lane road, or more commonly, clearly seeing me riding down a road, however feeling that because I am a cyclist it is the right of the motor vehicle operator to pull out from a side street directly infront of me even though you make eye contact with me and acknowledged that I am visible.

 

Hate all you want, but if you expect me to contribute to the environment by sitting in gridlock for an hour a day, vs passing some stopped cars on the right come at me bro lol

Edited May 12, 2015 by AKRISONER