When sharing the road with vulnerable road users or large vehicles, extra caution and understanding are necessary. Here’s how to safely and legally share the road:
🚴 Bicycles
- Cyclists have most of the same rights and responsibilities as drivers
- Typically ride on the right side of the lane, but may “take the lane” if it’s too narrow to share safely
✅ Passing Bicycles
- To pass a bicyclist in the travel lane, change to another lane whenever you can — then return to your original lane
- When you cannot change lanes, give at least 3 feet of space
- If you cannot give 3 feet, do not pass until you can
🔄 Turning & Door Awareness
- Check for bicycles before turning or opening car doors
- Common crash: a car turning right cuts off a bike going straight in the bike lane — always look over your right shoulder
- Bikes may be on sidewalks or crosswalks in some areas — treat them like pedestrians
🌙 Night Visibility
- Bikes should have:
- White headlight
- Rear red reflector or red light
- Be alert — some may not have lights
🏍️ Motorcycles
- Smaller and harder to see — look twice before:
- Changing lanes
- Turning left
- Many motorcycle crashes involve a car turning left into the rider’s path
⚠️ Lane Splitting
- Legal in California
- Motorcycles may ride between lanes in slow/stopped traffic
- In heavy traffic:
- Check mirrors before changing lanes or opening windows
- Do not block motorcycles
🚗 Following Distance
- Don’t follow motorcycles too closely:
- They can stop faster than cars
- A rear-end collision could be severely injurious or fatal
🚛 Trucks and Buses
🕳️ Blind Spots (“No-Zone”)
- If you can’t see a truck’s mirrors, the driver can’t see you
- Avoid lingering beside large trucks
🌀 Turns
- Trucks make wide turns:
- May swing left before turning right, and vice versa
- Never squeeze between a turning truck and the curb
🛑 Stopping Distance
- Trucks take longer to stop
- Don’t cut them off
- On hills, give extra space — they may roll back slightly when starting
🐢 Speed and Lane Use
- Trucks often travel slower (55 mph limit) and must stay in right lanes on highways
- If a truck is passing you, slow slightly to help them pass safely
🚌 Buses and Streetcars
- Do not pass a stopped bus or streetcar on the side where passengers are boarding/exiting
- If a bus is pulling back into traffic with its signal on:
- Yield — this is required by law
- Be aware of bus-only lanes in some cities
Sharing the road is about awareness, patience, and respect. Smaller vehicles are vulnerable, and large ones require space. Always drive defensively and courteously.