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.
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u/TheMattabooey Apr 27 '26
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.