Florida Bicycle Law

Question

Christy asked:  We live in a townhouse-style condominium. The president of our association recently told us that our kids are not allowed to ride their bicycles and scooters in the courtyard. (Two of our kids are too small to ride on the street yet.) Today she informed us that NO ONE can ride bicycles or scooters on the STREETS, either. She says it’s private property and they can do that, and if we “let people ride” on the streets, we’ll lose our insurance coverage and have to have a huge assessment. I see on your page that a bicycle is defined legally as a vehicle, so it would seem that they can’t do this. What is your advice? read more…

Question

Rodney asked:  Does the three-foot minimum passing statute apply to motorists if a cyclist is operating in a designated bicycle lane?

If not, wouldn’t it be more prudent to forgo the use of the bicycle lane with regards to unsafe speed differentials and passing clearances between the cyclist and motorist? read more…

Question

Colby Asked:  Concerning the Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs, is this actually Florida law as stated on the street signs? I am familiar with the MUTCD but not these particular signs.  If so, I am unclear on how the 3-foot passing law correlates with a “full lane” for passing. read more…

Question

D. asked:  I was reading about the question about a bicyclist turning left from near the center on a rural two lane without signaling.  http://flbikelaw.org/2010/03/left-turn-by-bicyclist/ However, what if the bicyclist is in fact signaling for a left turn after checking behind to control the lane?  But while initiating the turn, a motorist approaching from the rear, makes a passing maneuver and there is a collision.  What does the law say about that? read more…

The following text was created for the Orlando Police Department Bulletin. This was an initiative by Officer Bill Edgar, a member of our officer advisory panel. If you would like to duplicate it for distribution in your department, please contact us and we will send you the text and illustrations.

(Page 1)

It may not look right because you don’t see it very often, but this is legal and it’s the safest position for a bicycle driver

But don’t cyclists have to ride as far right as practicable?

316.2065(5)(a)(3) states that a cyclist does NOT have to stay right: “When reasonably necessary to avoid any condition, including, but not limited to, a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, animal, surface hazard, or substandard-width lane, that makes it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For the purposes of this subsection, a “substandard-width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.”

FDOT has determined that 14ft is the minimum width which allows most motor vehicles to pass cyclists within the travel lane. (See second page for diagram.)

The lane pictured above is 13ft wide. Most of the lanes in Orlando are 10-12ft wide. Bicycle drivers are not required to keep right, and are encouraged, for their safety, to occupy enough lane that motorists recognize they must change lanes to pass. By riding this way, cyclists can avoid road hazards, operate more predictably, encourage overtaking motorists to pass safely and discourage common motorist mistakes that result in crashes. read more…

Question

Jayeson asked: 316.2065 (5) has an exception for making left turns but not for continuing straight/avoiding right turn lanes. This would seem to imply that a cyclist must move into a right turn lane which would then require taking the right turn. A common example is where a narrow road widens and then forms two lanes at traffic lights, with one lane for right turns and one for straight through and left turns. read more…

Recently, a cyclist was cited for violation of the “keep right” provisions of FS 316.2065-Bicycle Regulations.  It was upheld in traffic court. read more…

Question

Melissa asked:  A person riding on a bike in the middle of a two lane county road makes a left turn but does not signal. The automobile driver sees the person on the bike in the right lane and goes into left lane to pass the person on bike. The person on the bike without signaling goes into the right front side of automobile. If the person on the bike fails to signal, what law would this be under in the state of Florida? read more…

Question

James asked:  Is it legal to ride a bike with a small motor on the roads in Florida? read more…

Question

Tim asked: Are cyclists required to pay tolls while passing through a toll both? read more…