Riding to right of white line - Page 3 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

06-15-2004, 10:21 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, 10:48 AM

mary <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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.

In California everything to the right of the white line on the right
side of the road is the "shoulder" (unless it is called a "bicycle lane"
or something else on a sign). Vehicles may not in general travel on the
shoulder, but an exception is written into the law for bicycles which
may (or may not at, their option) use it.

Assuming the definitions are the same I think the situation is identical
in Pennsylvania. Take a look at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

in section 3505 for the exception.

Dennis Ferguson

06-15-2004, 10:48 AM

mary <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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.

In California everything to the right of the white line on the right
side of the road is the "shoulder" (unless it is called a "bicycle lane"
or something else on a sign). Vehicles may not in general travel on the
shoulder, but an exception is written into the law for bicycles which
may (or may not at, their option) use it.

Assuming the definitions are the same I think the situation is identical
in Pennsylvania. Take a look at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

in section 3505 for the exception.

Dennis Ferguson

06-15-2004, 10:48 AM

mary <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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.

In California everything to the right of the white line on the right
side of the road is the "shoulder" (unless it is called a "bicycle lane"
or something else on a sign). Vehicles may not in general travel on the
shoulder, but an exception is written into the law for bicycles which
may (or may not at, their option) use it.

Assuming the definitions are the same I think the situation is identical
in Pennsylvania. Take a look at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

in section 3505 for the exception.

Dennis Ferguson

06-15-2004, 10:48 AM

mary <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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.

In California everything to the right of the white line on the right
side of the road is the "shoulder" (unless it is called a "bicycle lane"
or something else on a sign). Vehicles may not in general travel on the
shoulder, but an exception is written into the law for bicycles which
may (or may not at, their option) use it.

Assuming the definitions are the same I think the situation is identical
in Pennsylvania. Take a look at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

in section 3505 for the exception.

Dennis Ferguson

06-15-2004, 10:48 AM

mary <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> 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.

In California everything to the right of the white line on the right
side of the road is the "shoulder" (unless it is called a "bicycle lane"
or something else on a sign). Vehicles may not in general travel on the
shoulder, but an exception is written into the law for bicycles which
may (or may not at, their option) use it.

Assuming the definitions are the same I think the situation is identical
in Pennsylvania. Take a look at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

in section 3505 for the exception.

Dennis Ferguson

06-15-2004, 12:18 PM

"Matt O'Toole" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>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.

What's a fog line?

06-15-2004, 12:18 PM

"Matt O'Toole" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>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.

What's a fog line?

06-15-2004, 12:18 PM

"Matt O'Toole" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>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.

What's a fog line?

06-15-2004, 12:18 PM

"Matt O'Toole" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>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.

What's a fog line?