Pedestrians in Bike Lanes
Question Susan asked: My question has to do with cycling on a marked bike lane within a gated community that has a golf course and golf carts are also riding in the bike lane. The lane is specifically marked as …
Category: Bike Lanes
[caption id="attachment_2064" align="alignright" width="262"]
To meet the statute language “a lane marked for bicycle use,” the lane must have this stencil in it.[/caption]
To meet the statute language “a lane marked for bicycle use,” the lane must have this stencil in it.[/caption]
A bicycle lane is a part of the roadway intended to provide bicyclists with a more “comfortable” experience. Feeling safe does not equate to being safe. Research into the relative safety of bike lanes and shared lanes is inconclusive. The Federal Highway Administration does not have a crash reduction factor for bicycle lanes. Bicycle lanes are intended as “preferential use” lanes, not mandatory use lanes (although Florida statute 316.2065(5) now makes their use mandatory, with exceptions for unsafe conditions and situations).
In order to meet the statutory language, the paved area in question must be marked with a bicycle symbol and a directional arrow. There are numerous spaces on area roads that do not meet minimum width standards and other characteristics of correct bike lane design. Bicyclists are permitted to use such spaces, but are not required to. The width of the adjacent lane then determines whether or not the bicyclist is required to share that lane.
The minimum standard width for a bicycle lane is five feet from the lane stripe to the curb face, and a minimum of four feet of asphalt beyond the gutter pan. For state roadways with design speeds 50 mph and higher, the minimum width is 6.5 feet.
— Enforcement for Bicyclist Safety, a publication for law enforcement by MetroPlan Orlando. read online | download pdf
Impeding Other Traffic
Question Sean asked: A group of riders and myself (also a rider) were discussing the age old question of whether it’s better, from both a safety and legality standpoint, whether it’s better for us to ride single file in our …
Bus Stopped in Bike Lane
Question Steven asked: What are Florida’s rules and regulations on transit buses crossing and stopping in designated bike lanes to pick up and drop off passengers?
Making a Right Turn Across a Bike Lane
Question Myriam asked: If I am driving down sunset street and there is a bicycle path to my right and I need to make a right turn on 137th avenue, do I turn right from my lane, or do I …
Bicycle Groups and Bike Lanes
Question Elizabeth asked: Every weekend there are cyclists that gather in large numbers. They clump together spilling out of the bike lane and blocking at least half of the road. This requires vehicles to drive at a snails pace until …
Golf Carts in Bike Lanes
Question Alan asked: Perhaps you can give some advice as to the legality and options we have regarding our GSCDD Board decision to convert the designated bicycle lanes in our community to ones which permit golf carts to utilize those …
Bike Lanes Required?
Question Anon asked: The Palmer Ranch Association in Sarasota County is proposing a large community center on Palmer Ranch Parkway where there is NOT a bike lane. From what I see from the plans NO bike lane is under consideration …
Stopping on a Bike Lane
Question Amy asked: I have looked at the bike lane parking info posted and it has been very informative. I just wanted to get your input about the legality of momentarily pulling into a bike lane to pick up a …
Parking in a Bike Lane
Question David asked: In July on this year my brother was killed in a bicycle accident. He was riding in a neighborhood bike lane, marked as a bike lane with a bicycle and arrow, he ran into a trailer parked …
Bike Facilities on County Roads
Question Amanda asked: In response to a post on 10-5-09 you indicated that you were aware of a lawsuit filed to determine the applicability of Section 335.065 (and the Greenbook) to a county roadway. Can you tell me what case …