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Difficulty: HardBicycles and Micro-Mobility Devices

A driver in the right travel lane of a roadway approaches an area where the adjacent bike lane is temporarily closed due to roadway maintenance and marked with traffic cones. A bicyclist traveling ahead signals and moves into the center of the travel lane to bypass the work area. Traffic in the adjacent left lane is heavy and moving at full speed. How must the driver legally handle this situation?

  1. Reduce speed, maintain a safe following distance, and remain behind the bicyclist until the left lane clears enough to execute a complete lane change for passing.Answer
  2. B
    Squeeze past the bicyclist within the same travel lane as long as at least twelve inches of lateral space is maintained between the vehicle mirror and the bicycle.
  3. C
    Sound the horn continuously to compel the bicyclist to yield the right-of-way and move onto the pedestrian sidewalk until motor vehicles have passed.
  4. D
    Accelerate quickly into the adjacent left travel lane without signaling to overtake the bicyclist before oncoming traffic closes the gap.

Answer

Reduce speed, maintain a safe following distance, and remain behind the bicyclist until the left lane clears enough to execute a complete lane change for passing.
When a dedicated bicycle lane is closed or obstructed by roadwork, bicyclists are legally entitled to occupy the travel lane ('taking the lane') to safely bypass the hazard. Motorists behind them must slow down, maintain a safe following distance, and wait to pass until a full, safe lane change into an adjacent lane can be made.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the bicyclist's legal right to the travel lane
Recognize that when a designated bicycle lane is obstructed by construction or hazards, a bicyclist has the explicit legal right to take the full travel lane for safety.
Traffic laws grant bicyclists full lane rights when dedicated facilities are unusable.
2
Determine the required driver reaction and safe spatial clearance
Slowing down and waiting behind the bicyclist rather than squeezing past in the same lane or swerving unsafely into heavy adjacent traffic.
Drivers must maintain required passing buffers (at least 3 feet or changing lanes entirely) and yield right-of-way when unsafe to overtake.

Key Concept

Bicyclist lane rights during bike lane closures and safe passing buffer rules
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Bicycles and Micro-Mobility Devices

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