Doug Dahl says don’t let a false sense of urgency push you to make a risky decision that would have been resolved on its own in a few seconds

Doug Dahl
The Wise Drive

Q: On a two-lane road with little or no shoulder and a double yellow center line and a cyclist in the lane, who has the right-of-way, or is there one? I’m happy to share, but I was also taught not to cross a double yellow center line. As traffic backs up behind a conga line of cyclists, walkers, and or strollers, angst builds and safety be damned.

A: Maybe the problem here is that we have unrealistic expectations about driving. Also, where do you drive? I’ve never been stuck behind a conga line of cyclists, walkers, and strollers. Are you sure you didn’t accidentally join a parade?

How we drive can be part of the solution, but the fact that we drive is kind of the problem. When the road slows down, we say we’re stuck in traffic. But the reality is, we’re not stuck in traffic; we are traffic. Roads are a collective resource, built to serve everyone who is legally allowed to use them. Sometimes the collective good doesn’t work in favor of a particular individual. If you’re letting “angst build” when the road isn’t serving you personally, it’s time to reevaluate your driving philosophy.

At the same time, we don’t like to wait, whether it’s on the road, in a grocery store line, or a desperate need for a public restroom. So let’s look at what your options are.

Now, you obviously can’t maintain your lane and speed until you run into the cyclist, or any other slower-moving road user, so that answers, at least partly, who has to yield.

The law describes two ways to pass a cyclist on a road with one lane in each direction of travel. The first option is usually lousy, mainly because too many drivers are bad at spatial reasoning. The law permits a driver to pass a cyclist while staying in their lane of travel, as long as the driver slows down and leaves at least three feet between their vehicle and the cyclist.

Often that’s not possible. I’ll use a Ford F-150 as an example, since it’s the top selling vehicle in the US (followed by two other full-size pickup brands in the top five). With standard mirrors it’s eight feet wide. Road lane widths range from ten to twelve feet wide. If there’s no shoulder, the cyclist’s tires might be two feet away from the edge of the lane. Add another foot for the width of the cyclist and the three feet of space required by law and you’re at fourteen feet. Drivers who think they fit but don’t are violating the law and putting cyclists at risk.

If you can’t fit in the lane (and you probably can’t), the law requires drivers to “move completely into the lane for traffic moving in the opposite direction when it is safe to do so.” When there’s a double yellow line indicating a no-passing zone, that’s not an option. However, a cyclist (or any other slow-moving vehicle) can’t block your path indefinitely. If a vehicle has five or more vehicles lined up behind them, the law requires the rider or driver to pull over to let them pass at the next safe opportunity.

You also have the option, and often it’s the best one, to just be patient. If you’re feeling angst, try counting the seconds while you wait. Within five to fifteen seconds you’ll usually have a safe opportunity to pass. Don’t let a false sense of urgency push you to make a risky decision that would have been resolved on its own in a few seconds.