The only unpredictable threat comes from the left (doesn’t it always) in the form of a driver sliding out of a driving lane and into the bike space. On this trip, it happened a few car lengths ahead of the stoplight – a beige minivan started drifting over in front of me. In these situations, I usually try to continue moving forward so long as I do not risk my safety. If I can get an understanding of the driver’s intentions and a clear view of the surrounding traffic, I'll try going around on the left, but otherwise I'll roll slowly behind the car until the lane clears. Sometimes, I just stop behind the car.
In this particular case, the car started drifting when I was about level with the back bumper so my options were reduced. I had no view of the blinker, no opportunity to see if I had a cyclist behind me, and no space to angle my wheel left to drift behind the car. I also knew I was in the blind spot, a fact I learned the hard way the one time I had been hit by a (glacially) turning car. Sensing imminent danger, I reached into my bag of safety moves - I extended my left hand out over the handlebars and tapped on the sliding door with my open palm when the car was about a foot away from the front wheel. This did the trick – the car straightened out, and I soon pulled up at the red light.
The minivan pulled up alongside me. It was just one guy in the car and he had just lost all interest in the phone on his dashboard. He introduced himself by screaming about hitting his car, then starting yelling a string of threats and expletives. I asked him if he wanted to call the police and ask them if I was wrong, a suggestion to which he responded by yelling “FUCK YOU!” over and over again, each shout growing with intensity, until his tanned skin had turned a deep shade of sunburn. It occurred to me that if he had a heart attack and died on the spot I might end up in front of a judge lecturing me about the intricacies of manslaughter charges so I resisted the urge to do my best Last Samurai impersonation (I have enjoyed our… conversation) and pedaled through the intersection when the light turned green.
Now, this delightful exchange was a little unusual even by my standards but the basic premise isn’t uncommon. In Cambridge, some lights don’t turn change until the sensor notes a biker and a driver loudly exchanging their views on how the other party was wrong. It led me to do something I should have done four years ago – research the commonwealth’s bike laws. This would bring some clarity to what I admit was my opinion rather than my knowledge about the rules on the road. Was a bike lane off limits to cars in the same way as a sidewalk... or was it like the right lane on a two-lane road? Were those folks who biked past on Central Square’s sidewalks petty criminals... or just hopeless losers? It was time to find out.
I looked up information and came up with the following useful links:
- A compilation of links to various bike laws from Mass.gov
- A six-page excerpt from the Massachusetts driver's manual about bicycle rights
- The rules listed on Cambridge's city website
- The rules listed on Boston's city website
- The rules listed by Massbike.org (sounds official, no?)
The full laws make for interesting reading. On the whole, it seems the law favors bikes every time. My conclusion suggests a possible rule of thumb for all drivers – when in doubt, yield to the bike. However, I found plenty in the laws that suggest most bikers could learn a bit from reviewing those links.
As always, the law is a better guide than my filtered thoughts, but I pulled together some highlights below for those interested in only a cursory glance.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Cars get it wrong...
Bikes can use the full driving lane even if there is a bike lane available.
Bikes can pass on the right within a travel lane.
Bikes can move to the front of an intersection at a stop light.
Cars must give three feet of clearance when passing.
Cars cannot stop or park in the bike lane (Boston city website).
Bikes get it wrong...
Bikes have to stop at red lights (and stop signs, and for pedestrians in crosswalks).
Riders must keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times.
Bikes on the sidewalk cannot travel above a walking speed.
Bikes can ride side by side as long as they do not block passing traffic.
