Where to Ride on the Road

The safest way to ride is as part of normal traffic.  Bicycles should be in the right lane, riding in the same direction as traffic, and should follow all the normal rules of the road.

A few specific guidelines:

When riding on city streets with cars parked along the side, make sure there is at least three feet between the parked cars and your bike.  Avoiding the ‘door zone’ helps prevent being hit by passengers or drivers when they open their car door.

On narrow lane roads or highways, don’t ride at the very edge.  Debris and deteriorating roads can cause dangerous falls.  Cars should need to travel in the next lane to pass you, just as if they were passing another car.  Hold your own safe space and don’t let cars push you off the side of the road.

Use any designated bike lanes if you’re moving slower than traffic.  Don’t become complacent and ride too close to parked cars, however.  The best place is along a bike lane’s left edge.  Look out for any turning cars and jaywalking pedestrians, as they may not be looking out for you.

A bike is a vehicle, and should be treated as such.  The most important rule, of course, is to be attentive and informed.  Know where you should be, and let everyone around you know where you are going. 

(Information from Bicycling Street Smarts, copyright 1988, 2001, Rodale Inc.)