Pennsylvania’s Motor Vehicle Code considers “pedalcycles or bicycles” as vehicles and provides that every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and responsibilities applicable to a driver of a vehicle, with certain exceptions.
If you ride in violation of the bicycle traffic laws, you greatly increase your risk of a crash and will likely be found at fault in the event of an accident.
Riding a bicycle on a roadway with larger, faster-moving vehicles requires prudence and confidence. As a vehicle, you have a right to ride on the shoulder or the appropriate travel lane, and you will need to assert that right by using lane control.
Placing your vehicle appropriately (taking the center of the rightmost travel lane) can greatly reduce your chances of being struck as you are more visible, acting predictably (like another vehicle), and requiring motor vehicles to fully change lanes when overtaking.
Three particular crash types are manageable with lane control:
Current motor vehicle code allows driver to overtake people riding in bike lanes even in no-passing zones if done with due care. Therefore, there is never a reason for bicyclists to encourage a motor vehicle to “squeeze by” in the same travel lane as even a 16-foot lane does not allow for the 4 feet of required clearance.
Robert Maizel is an Experienced Trial Attorney in Philadelphia with over fifteen years of trial experience.
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Saffern & Weinberg has offices located in both Center City Philadelphia and Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Attorney Robert Maizel is a Partner with the Law Offices of Saffren & Weinberg.
Robert Maizel is associated with, and is Special Counsel with the Law Firm of Saffren & Weinberg. Robert Maizel is not a Law Firm, and rather Robert Maizel is affiliated with the Law Firm of Saffren & Weinberg. All clients shall formulate an agreement with the Law Firm of Saffren & Weinberg, with the option of hiring Robert Maizel as lead counsel on your case to be heard in the State Courts of Pennsylvania, and Marc Weinberg as the lead counsel in cases to be heard in the Federal Courts of Pennsylvania.
Call Robert Maizel at 215-695-3000 to schedule your free consultation.