Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More - View Single Post - Bad bicycle reporting on Channel 5 in Kansas City

02-19-2005, 11:01 AM

>>VC section 307.190 is the relevant cite. Note that riding two abreast is
>>specifically permitted in Missouri "when not impeding other vehicles".
>>
>>Based on the accounts in news article, the riders were not at fault for
>>riding two abreast, but would be at fault for not "singling up" once they
>>were aware a vehicle was behind them.
>
>What's interesting to me is that there's no provision for how long the
>riders have to 'single up'. If you take two relatively uncoordinated riders
>who have not to this point practiced this, it could take quite a while.

It can be argued that under some conditions, the riders are *never* required
to "single up". VC 307.190 states that the rider shall exercise "due care
.... when the lane is too narrow to share with another vehicle".

I read this to mean that if the lane is too narrow to share, you may "take
the lane" and overtaking traffic must wait until it is safe to move into the
other lane and pass.

Did the road conditions in this incident meet this criteria? I don't know.

>So it seems to me that it's almost a given drivers are going to be
>significantly delayed in passing two unaware, uncoordinated cyclists.
>Obviously the people who wrote the law had to realize that once they allow
>two-abreast riding they've got to take into account not the
>well-coordinated team, but the least possible coordinated team.

In my personal experience, I try to keep the big perspective. I can't
remember the last time I was delayed by a cyclist, "significantly" or
otherwise (and I live in a cycling hotspot). But I am delayed
"significantly" by motor vehicles on a daily basis.

>So how do you judge when the riders are 'at fault' for not singling up.
>Perhaps they just took too long for this impatient driver. In that case the
>burden for passing safely has to be on the larger faster vehicle - yes even
>if it takes a minute to get coordinated and allow a safe pass.

Agreed, You cannot be "forced" into performing an unsafe pass.

Chris Neary
diabloridr@comcast.net

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

02-19-2005, 11:01 AM	#19 (permalink)
Chris Neary Posts: n/a	Re: Bad bicycle reporting on Channel 5 in Kansas City >>VC section 307.190 is the relevant cite. Note that riding two abreast is >>specifically permitted in Missouri "when not impeding other vehicles". >> >>Based on the accounts in news article, the riders were not at fault for >>riding two abreast, but would be at fault for not "singling up" once they >>were aware a vehicle was behind them. > >What's interesting to me is that there's no provision for how long the >riders have to 'single up'. If you take two relatively uncoordinated riders >who have not to this point practiced this, it could take quite a while. It can be argued that under some conditions, the riders are never required to "single up". VC 307.190 states that the rider shall exercise "due care .... when the lane is too narrow to share with another vehicle". I read this to mean that if the lane is too narrow to share, you may "take the lane" and overtaking traffic must wait until it is safe to move into the other lane and pass. Did the road conditions in this incident meet this criteria? I don't know. >So it seems to me that it's almost a given drivers are going to be >significantly delayed in passing two unaware, uncoordinated cyclists. >Obviously the people who wrote the law had to realize that once they allow >two-abreast riding they've got to take into account not the >well-coordinated team, but the least possible coordinated team. In my personal experience, I try to keep the big perspective. I can't remember the last time I was delayed by a cyclist, "significantly" or otherwise (and I live in a cycling hotspot). But I am delayed "significantly" by motor vehicles on a daily basis. >So how do you judge when the riders are 'at fault' for not singling up. >Perhaps they just took too long for this impatient driver. In that case the >burden for passing safely has to be on the larger faster vehicle - yes even >if it takes a minute to get coordinated and allow a safe pass. Agreed, You cannot be "forced" into performing an unsafe pass. Chris Neary diabloridr@comcast.net "Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh