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How To Properly Share The Road With A Cyclist

Even if you are not an avid bicycle rider and just a regular weekend fun kind of bicycle rider, you want to make sure that you are safe from vehicles sharing the road with you. If you are the driver, you want to make sure that you do not have any type of collision or accident involving a cyclist as well.  You never want to put yourself or others in danger, after all, you don’t want yourself or someone you love getting hurt, and you do not want to be responsible for hurting someone else.

When it comes to sharing the road, it may not be limited to just bicycle riders as a lot more alternative forms of transportation are becoming more mainstream, such as rollerblading, mopeds, scooters, or skateboarding. We have listed some easy rules and things to remember when you are driving to help ensure a safe trip for yourself and the person using an alternative method of transportation on the road.

  • Give Space
    • A lot of things can happen in the blink of an eye when driving, including dodging a pothole, and the same thing can occur for a cyclist such as encountering road damage, animal, etc. So, either one of you may have to move a few feet at a moments notice to avoid something in the road. With that being said, you want to give at least 3 feet of space when approaching or passing a cyclist on the road, even more, if possible.
  • Patience
    • Bicycle lanes are more common within city limits, but outside the city, they are unusual to see, meaning that you may find yourself in a position to unsafely pass a cyclist on the left. So, please be patient, and drive behind the cyclist if you have to for a while until it is safe for you and the cyclist for you to pass.  Especially on roads that are only two lanes, you will have to ensure that you have enough time to safely pass the cyclist with enough room and enough time to avoid oncoming traffic from the opposite direction.

If you or a loved one are a new driver or about to become one and need insurance, contact Maryland Auto Insurance today for a no-hassle quote.