Today, I’d like to discuss the new bicycle safety law that was recently passed here in Florida. This law added some things to the bicycle law and it also clarified some things from the prior law so that drivers and bicyclists know how to share the road better. Basically, if riding on a two-lane road a bicyclist should ride as far to the right side as what is safe assuming that the lane is wide enough for a vehicle to pass you and still give you three feet without crossing the centerline. If the road is too narrow for that to occur a bicyclist is allowed to take up the entire lane which would cause a car to have to cross over the centerline in order to pass you to give you the three feet buffer zone that is required. Prior to this law, it was somewhat unclear if this was actually allowed. This law makes it very clear that a car is allowed to cross the centerline, even if it’s a double yellow as long as it’s safe, and allows for them to give the bicyclist a three feet buffer zone while they are being passed. So if you’re in a vehicle and you’re approaching a bicyclist on a two-lane road you need to wait for it to be clear from cars coming in the opposite direction and make sure you go around the cyclist giving them at least three feet before getting back into the lane. You are allowed to cross the double yellow line, in fact, you would need to cross the double yellow line if the road is too narrow to provide that three feet buffer zone. As a cyclist, you are allowed to take up the entire lane to prevent a car from pushing you off the road and trying to squeeze past you and the yellow line while passing.
