Bicycles and Cars; Who Has the Right of Way?

We all have a role to play in keeping everyone safe on our streets. There are little things we can all do that make a difference. Spread the word and change the tide

Thanks very much for all the help!

Kyle Ashley
Nick de Pencier
Mike Evans
Pam Fuselli
Constable Marc Hayford
Meredith Heinrich
Valerie Smith
Adam Sweanor
Darren Walker

[piknick]

I think the bigger problem is that cars turning right usually don't signal and so bikers don't know where they are going. I had a lady hit me and as she made the turn decided to finally turn her signal on to hide her mistake. Bikers are far more aware than drivers of cars. It's not like bikers don't drive cars, so how could they possibly know the difference right?!

[karikling]

A lot of these problems boil down to road design. Most places in the US and I think Canada as well don't have bike lanes, and even where they do the bike lanes are often crowded with parked cars and pedestrians. In places that don't have bike lanes, they also often have very narrow shoulders full of debris, which forces us onto the same lane as cars.

[OliPost]

If you even visit the Netherlands with a car: bicycles always have priority, especially in this situation.

[georgeemil]

In 2020, due to Covid19, work from home and lockdowns, motor vehicle traffic dropped tremendously. As a result road deaths dropped by 27%. Driver fatalities dropped by 53.8%, and pedestrian deaths by 36%.

Even though bicycle ridership skyrocketed, fatalities at 4 stayed the same as any typical year between 1 to 4.

So who is the most dangerous road user? Not cyclists.

[cheh]

2:41 Of course not. I'm also a biker and I wouldn't do that because it's too dangerous.
Car drivers take my right of way like once a week. It already happened 3 times that I was just 20cm away before the car would have hit me.

[MegaStephen]

I learned a very simple rule growing up and I still use it to this day. It is called 'Right of Weight', it is the simple rule that no matter if you are in the right it is always smarter for the smaller lighter vehicle to yield to the bigger heavier vehicle if it appears that the driver of the bigger heavier vehicle isn't going to yield for you. Having your way even if you are in the right means nothing if you are dead or serious maimed.

[ZielNatorilla]

When turning right in CA, and there's a broken line on the bike lane 2:30, do we enter on the solid line about 200 ft before the right turn or turn at the end as shown? Won't we be cutting the biker and fail it as a driving test critical error? A bit confused here

[JohnnyAfghanseed]

failed my road test because i didnt shoulder check and change lanes into bike lane before turning, so maybe this changes from city to city? if there are no bikes coming you can change lanes into the bike lane and turn from it

[azsky]

Those turning islands at every corner where cars turn outside of it is very necessary. I still don't see it being implemented.

[averagejoe]

I don’t think this is some sort of both sides of equal issue thing. Cars share much more of the blame in this and it’s the car dependent infrastructure to blame that disregards anyone not in a car.

[johnnydwicked]

If you come to a stop at a red light on a bike and if there's a car or multiple cars in front of you, can you just roll up to the front or do you have to wait behind the car?

[smitajky]

Unfortunately bad habits creep in. The overwhelming majority of motorists signal after they have commenced a turn rather than signalling their intent early. Even if someone makes a mistake or breaks a law, if you KNOW that is what they are going to do it can be allowed for and no collision occurs. This is not merely part of bike/car interactions. It is true for every and all interaction. Drive/ride with consideration and expect that others will do the same. I live in a rural area and the difference in courtesy between here and the city is enormous. Even though speeds are far higher so too is the safety and courtesy.

[cyclingvideoes]

Most places say to merge fully into the bikelane before turning. Overall the video had some good points, even if I might not fully agree with all of them.

[blitzndle]

straight traffic has priority, how is this a question

[diabloman]

For anyone curious about the ANSWER to the question, 2:30, since this dude just LOVES to hear himself talk.

[moshdee]

Been hit 2x on a bike: once a driver pretended to make a right turn to cut ahead of everyone else when the light turned green and another time by a car turning right across a protected bike lane.
Now I just get behind them and if they're turning right, I go around their left.

[prettyboyjesse]

I feel like this is something you'd watch at school. Nicely done.

[bmoshareholderappleshareho]

Based on my personal experiences and observations, everybody thinks they're right, regardless of how wrong they might be.

[JuanGuzman-knlt]

Thanks for making this video! Great content!

[wlbu]

The right turn part of this video needs to be a public service announcement.