ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.
Kristine asked, “When making a right turn, and a bicyclist is using the bicycle lane and going straight, who has the right of way?”
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Trooper Steve has discussed many vehicle vs. bicycle traffic questions, but he said “there is always more that we should know.”
“Being in Central Florida, with the constant promotion of pedestrian and bicycle safety, this is a great question because it’s probably the most common situation you encounter,” Trooper Steve said. “If a bicyclist chooses to use a bicycle lane, they own that travel lane just like you do in your vehicle. If someone wanted to enter your travel lane, they would have to yield right of way to you. You have to do the same for the bicyclist.”
If a driver was attempting to make a right turn, whether onto another road, into a shopping center or wherever, they would would be required to yield to a bicyclist in the bike lane.
“This would also apply from a traffic light,” Trooper Steve said. “The bicyclist would always have the straight through right of way if they were present.”
This can be confusing, though, because having to yield to a person on the right is not very common.
“A bicyclist would also be required to obey all roadway traffic laws while using that bicycle lane, meaning if the traffic light is red, and the bicyclist intended to continue forward, they would have to stop,” he added. “Too often, a bicyclist picks and chooses which laws they want to obey when on the road. All traffic laws apply when a bicyclist chooses to use that bicycle lane.”
If you have a question for Trooper Steve, submit it below.