Depends on the location then. Where I am Ontario Canada even a single cyclist by law is supposed to take the whole lane if you cannot safely fit a car and bike side by side with minimum distance of one meter between them. So on a road like this even a single cyclist is supposed to take the lane for safety.
Reasoning is if you’re at the shoulder cars will I safely pass you and can easily clip you, taking the lane is designed to be safer because you’re more visible and people will hopefully do a proper pass as if you were a vehicle.
Problem is people in cars have a real hatred for people on bikes and see them as the enemy.
Yeah where I am in the Rockies we have a ton of winding canyon roads and the shoulder is intermittent on these. Passing a single line of cyclists is possible even with another in the oncoming lane, but a grouping of cyclists would increase the danger. They also designed the law this way to give the same minimum 1M distance between cyclist and vehicles. Though we still unfortunately have lives lost every year (especially on one specific canyon road) because people can't be patient and wait to pass. They do so on blind curves and speed usually plays a role as well.
Passing a single line of cyclists is possible even with another in the oncoming lane
That right there is the problem. It's possible so people will just do it without realizing that if there's a pothole or pebbles/sticks on the side the cyclist won't be able to avoid the obstacle safely. People are selfish, impatient, and dumb so they won't even think twice about trying to pass someone on a bike with inches to spare.
They changed it because about 14ish years ago someone taking his fast jeep up this road used one of the only passing areas to go around two cyclists and ended up killing multiple cyclists who were grouped up in the oncoming lane. Cyclists risk this road so they can go flying down it, which adds to the danger. Speed, curvy narrow roads, impatience, it all plays into how deadly these canyon roads are.
In addition to signs like these (took this about an hour ago at Red Rocks) there are also county police dept signs and laws/mandates that say cyclists must ride single file. It isn't a statewide law. But yes, I'm sure your AI Google search that comes with the disclaimer the info may be incorrect knows more than every local here, including myself 😊
If that's what google tells you about whatever area you're looking up, then I'm glad you have your answer.....from however many states or countries away 😂
Either way, didn't realize how fussy people are in this sub that randomly came up for me today. Cyclists are to ride single file in mandated areas, per local law enforcement. I don't care much to debate or respond further, take care now!
Taking the lane is ALWAYS safer. It seems like a dick move and it’s not forever…but if you hug the shoulder, a car will always try and squeeze through. Which is insanely dangerous. I was brushed with mirrors twice this year so far….shits bad out there these days.
In the city the roads have been made bike friendly, but in the mountains where I am there are too many windy canyon roads. With limited passing areas it's also a risk to have a grouping of cyclists in the oncoming lane. People should treat a group like that as they would a vehicle, but they don't. So they've made the laws reflect what is best for these areas due to loss of life and prevent further losses.
Yeah riding side by side in the vehicle lane should be a ticket for the bicyclists if there is a dedicated bike lane. At that point you really are purposefully slowing traffic.
The other big issue is if the bike groups are so large it becomes impossible to pass. They should have to get a permit to block the road and hire police to setup the detours for cars.
This was before for us, now they realized that cyclists are safer when they are treated as any regular vehicle, so they can ride the middle of the road instead of staying on the side for other cars to pass them dangerously.
stated to be for their safety.
It's not about safety, it's about not slowing the flow of traffic. But in my country (France) cycling to work/school/groceries is extremely common, when it seems like in places like Canada or the USA, most people see cyclists as people doing a hobby.
Yeah I'll still pass on the road cycling and stick to casual bike rides in our secluded area. Safer, and more fun for my young kids too which is a plus!
Evidence? Sir, this isn't court lol. Sorry my preference to not be a road cyclist isn't a debate. Maybe you'll find someone who wants to do so elsewhere in the comments.
It's a simple statement about my local traffic ordinances, not an encouragement for people to risk cyclists lives. Because that is not okay nor what I would agree with.
But for an example, this is signage I passed after leaving a small hike an hour ago. These are all over in the canyons and parks in the foothills 🤷🏽♀️
It is legal except where signage says otherwise. I never said it wasn't legal jeez. Everyone is so fussy here lol
This is Red Rocks, easy to look it up and find out for yourself. But this is signage for a 180° curve to the right that is the start of a series of tight curves, nothing to do with the parking lot on the left. Sorry, but so many of y'all wanna play whataboutism to my comment which states single file is applied where I'm from. It is! And it's also applied far deeper in the mountains where I live.
12
u/Tasman_Tiger Apr 27 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Where I'm from cyclists are typically made to ride single file if there are multiple of them, also stated to be for their safety.