Bicyclist Crossing a Roadway

Question

Chuan asked: According to Florida law, when a cyclist rides across a street, must he get off his bike and walk or does it not matter?

Answer

It does matter and there are a number of options.

In a crosswalk, the cyclist does not have to dismount to cross a roadway. That applies to a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection or a marked crosswalk at another location. The cyclist has the rights and duties of a pedestrian, but is not a pedestrian and is still operating a vehicle.

s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations

(9) A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

(10) A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.

Cyclists on a sidewalk at an intersection must follow the traffic signals for pedestrians.

s. 316.130 – Pedestrians; Traffic Regulations

(1) A pedestrian (Bicyclist on a sidewalk) shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device ….

The cyclist must keep to the right side of the crosswalk as a pedestrian must.

(13) Pedestrians shall move, whenever practicable, upon the right half of crosswalks.

When at a portion of the roadway away from an intersection, a cyclist may dismount and cross the roadway as a pedestrian.

(8) No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

(10) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

(11) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.

(12) No pedestrian shall, except in a marked crosswalk, cross a roadway at any other place than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb.

(14) No pedestrian shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic control devices, and, when authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic control devices pertaining to such crossing movements.

The cyclist could also enter the roadway lawfully in the proper direction and follow roadway laws to cross to the other side.

s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations

(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle ….

See the many other posts about bicyclists in the roadway.

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