Riding to right of white line - Page 2

06-15-2004, 07:49 AM

Mary wrote:
> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right of
> the white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that since
> bikers have the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to the right
> of the line is breaking the law. If someone hit me, they could claim I
> was riding illegally. I was wondering what the situation is. I live in
> Pennsylvania, and I have a feeling the rules differ from state to state.
> Sometimes it is dangerous to ride on the side because of all the junk
> and other stuff that is located there.
> Thanks
> Tom

Most (if not all) state laws consider bicycles vehicles and are require
to obey the normal traffic laws/rules when riding on the road. I don'
think it's illegal to ride on the shoulder unless it's marked as a
emergency lane but most emergency lanes are only on interstate highway
and you probably arn't allowed to ride a bicycle there anyway

Dan

-

06-15-2004, 07:53 AM

mary (or maybe Tom) wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right of the
> white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that since bikers have
> the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to the right of the line is
> breaking the law. If someone hit me, they could claim I was riding
> illegally. I was wondering what the situation is. I live in Pennsylvania,
> and I have a feeling the rules differ from state to state. Sometimes it is
> dangerous to ride on the side because of all the junk and other stuff that
> is located there.
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom

In general, the white line has little or no bearing on where I choose to
ride. That's true if it's a fog line, or if it's a bike lane stripe.

I choose my road position based on how wide the useable pavement is. A
surface with gravel, potholes & trash isn't useable. Getting too close
to a pavement edge isn't good, either. White line or no white line, I
won't ride where it's too risky. And of course, if there's not enough
room for a car to safely pass, I'll take the lane.

I live just over the state line in Ohio, and I ride in Pennsylvania a
lot. I've never had any trouble with this issue. So don't worry. Just
ride where it's safe.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

06-15-2004, 07:53 AM

mary (or maybe Tom) wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right of the
> white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that since bikers have
> the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to the right of the line is
> breaking the law. If someone hit me, they could claim I was riding
> illegally. I was wondering what the situation is. I live in Pennsylvania,
> and I have a feeling the rules differ from state to state. Sometimes it is
> dangerous to ride on the side because of all the junk and other stuff that
> is located there.
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom

In general, the white line has little or no bearing on where I choose to
ride. That's true if it's a fog line, or if it's a bike lane stripe.

I choose my road position based on how wide the useable pavement is. A
surface with gravel, potholes & trash isn't useable. Getting too close
to a pavement edge isn't good, either. White line or no white line, I
won't ride where it's too risky. And of course, if there's not enough
room for a car to safely pass, I'll take the lane.

I live just over the state line in Ohio, and I ride in Pennsylvania a
lot. I've never had any trouble with this issue. So don't worry. Just
ride where it's safe.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

06-15-2004, 07:53 AM

mary (or maybe Tom) wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right of the
> white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that since bikers have
> the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to the right of the line is
> breaking the law. If someone hit me, they could claim I was riding
> illegally. I was wondering what the situation is. I live in Pennsylvania,
> and I have a feeling the rules differ from state to state. Sometimes it is
> dangerous to ride on the side because of all the junk and other stuff that
> is located there.
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom

In general, the white line has little or no bearing on where I choose to
ride. That's true if it's a fog line, or if it's a bike lane stripe.

I choose my road position based on how wide the useable pavement is. A
surface with gravel, potholes & trash isn't useable. Getting too close
to a pavement edge isn't good, either. White line or no white line, I
won't ride where it's too risky. And of course, if there's not enough
room for a car to safely pass, I'll take the lane.

I live just over the state line in Ohio, and I ride in Pennsylvania a
lot. I've never had any trouble with this issue. So don't worry. Just
ride where it's safe.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

06-15-2004, 07:53 AM

mary (or maybe Tom) wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right of the
> white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that since bikers have
> the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to the right of the line is
> breaking the law. If someone hit me, they could claim I was riding
> illegally. I was wondering what the situation is. I live in Pennsylvania,
> and I have a feeling the rules differ from state to state. Sometimes it is
> dangerous to ride on the side because of all the junk and other stuff that
> is located there.
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom

In general, the white line has little or no bearing on where I choose to
ride. That's true if it's a fog line, or if it's a bike lane stripe.

I choose my road position based on how wide the useable pavement is. A
surface with gravel, potholes & trash isn't useable. Getting too close
to a pavement edge isn't good, either. White line or no white line, I
won't ride where it's too risky. And of course, if there's not enough
room for a car to safely pass, I'll take the lane.

I live just over the state line in Ohio, and I ride in Pennsylvania a
lot. I've never had any trouble with this issue. So don't worry. Just
ride where it's safe.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

06-15-2004, 07:53 AM

mary (or maybe Tom) wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right of the
> white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that since bikers have
> the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to the right of the line is
> breaking the law. If someone hit me, they could claim I was riding
> illegally. I was wondering what the situation is. I live in Pennsylvania,
> and I have a feeling the rules differ from state to state. Sometimes it is
> dangerous to ride on the side because of all the junk and other stuff that
> is located there.
>
> Thanks
>
> Tom

In general, the white line has little or no bearing on where I choose to
ride. That's true if it's a fog line, or if it's a bike lane stripe.

I choose my road position based on how wide the useable pavement is. A
surface with gravel, potholes & trash isn't useable. Getting too close
to a pavement edge isn't good, either. White line or no white line, I
won't ride where it's too risky. And of course, if there's not enough
room for a car to safely pass, I'll take the lane.

I live just over the state line in Ohio, and I ride in Pennsylvania a
lot. I've never had any trouble with this issue. So don't worry. Just
ride where it's safe.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

06-15-2004, 09:21 AM

mary wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right
> of the white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that
> since bikers have the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to
> the right of the line is breaking the law. If someone hit me, they
> could claim I was riding illegally.

Someone else being charged or blamed for an accident depends on whether *they*
were doing something illlegal, not you.

This is a common misconception about law. People seem to think that any mistake
they make invalidates any other claim they might have, like in children's games.
This is simply not true. The law is more sophisticated than that.

In your case, riding a bicycle or driving a car to the right of the fog line is
probably not illegal. What *is* illegal is not passing safely, or not
maintaining a safe following distance. So if someone hits you from behind,
they're almost always 100% at fault, unless it can be proven you were riding
erratically.

> I was wondering what the
> situation is. I live in Pennsylvania, and I have a feeling the rules
> differ from state to state. Sometimes it is dangerous to ride on the
> side because of all the junk and other stuff that is located there.

This is why you should ride in the lane proper, to the left of the fog line, but
"as far to the right as practicable" (as VA law says, and probably PA law too).
It is the responisbility of other vehicles to pass safely.

Matt O.

06-15-2004, 09:21 AM

mary wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right
> of the white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that
> since bikers have the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to
> the right of the line is breaking the law. If someone hit me, they
> could claim I was riding illegally.

Someone else being charged or blamed for an accident depends on whether *they*
were doing something illlegal, not you.

This is a common misconception about law. People seem to think that any mistake
they make invalidates any other claim they might have, like in children's games.
This is simply not true. The law is more sophisticated than that.

In your case, riding a bicycle or driving a car to the right of the fog line is
probably not illegal. What *is* illegal is not passing safely, or not
maintaining a safe following distance. So if someone hits you from behind,
they're almost always 100% at fault, unless it can be proven you were riding
erratically.

> I was wondering what the
> situation is. I live in Pennsylvania, and I have a feeling the rules
> differ from state to state. Sometimes it is dangerous to ride on the
> side because of all the junk and other stuff that is located there.

This is why you should ride in the lane proper, to the left of the fog line, but
"as far to the right as practicable" (as VA law says, and probably PA law too).
It is the responisbility of other vehicles to pass safely.

Matt O.

06-15-2004, 09:21 AM

mary wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right
> of the white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that
> since bikers have the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to
> the right of the line is breaking the law. If someone hit me, they
> could claim I was riding illegally.

Someone else being charged or blamed for an accident depends on whether *they*
were doing something illlegal, not you.

This is a common misconception about law. People seem to think that any mistake
they make invalidates any other claim they might have, like in children's games.
This is simply not true. The law is more sophisticated than that.

In your case, riding a bicycle or driving a car to the right of the fog line is
probably not illegal. What *is* illegal is not passing safely, or not
maintaining a safe following distance. So if someone hits you from behind,
they're almost always 100% at fault, unless it can be proven you were riding
erratically.

> I was wondering what the
> situation is. I live in Pennsylvania, and I have a feeling the rules
> differ from state to state. Sometimes it is dangerous to ride on the
> side because of all the junk and other stuff that is located there.

This is why you should ride in the lane proper, to the left of the fog line, but
"as far to the right as practicable" (as VA law says, and probably PA law too).
It is the responisbility of other vehicles to pass safely.

Matt O.

06-15-2004, 09:21 AM

mary wrote:

> In the area where I live it is sometimes safer to ride to the right
> of the white line on the berm of the road. Somewhere I read that
> since bikers have the same responsibilities as cars that to ride to
> the right of the line is breaking the law. If someone hit me, they
> could claim I was riding illegally.

Someone else being charged or blamed for an accident depends on whether *they*
were doing something illlegal, not you.

This is a common misconception about law. People seem to think that any mistake
they make invalidates any other claim they might have, like in children's games.
This is simply not true. The law is more sophisticated than that.

In your case, riding a bicycle or driving a car to the right of the fog line is
probably not illegal. What *is* illegal is not passing safely, or not
maintaining a safe following distance. So if someone hits you from behind,
they're almost always 100% at fault, unless it can be proven you were riding
erratically.

> I was wondering what the
> situation is. I live in Pennsylvania, and I have a feeling the rules
> differ from state to state. Sometimes it is dangerous to ride on the
> side because of all the junk and other stuff that is located there.

This is why you should ride in the lane proper, to the left of the fog line, but
"as far to the right as practicable" (as VA law says, and probably PA law too).
It is the responisbility of other vehicles to pass safely.

Matt O.