DriveSmartBC - Cyclists Passing on Right
 

Something must have struck a nerve lately as I have received a number of requests to deal with cyclists passing other traffic on the right hand side. One near miss on a right turn even had the cyclist shaking their fist and cursing the driver. No doubt cyclists have their issues with the behaviour of motor vehicle drivers but passing on the right is something cyclists do when in most cases they should not.

In British Columbia, cyclists have the same rights and duties as the driver of a motor vehicle. That means they must obey the same traffic rules and must be treated as if they were another car or truck on the highway. It also means that cyclists may receive a traffic ticket for traffic rule violations as well.

Our traffic rules generally forbid passing on the right. It may only be done if there is an available lane on the right, when a one way street is of sufficient width or when overtaking a vehicle signaling a left turn. However, one must do so safely and must not travel off the roadway. Roadway means the portion of the highway that is improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic, but does not include the shoulder.

On highways that have a paved shoulder separated from the roadway by a solid white line, the cyclist must ride on it if it is practicable to do so. While the shoulder may be wide and unobstructed, the cyclist is still forbidden from passing overtaken traffic on the right while they are riding here.

Reference Links

An addition to that What is it with Richmond cyclists riding in the middle of the lane where a safe bike lane is right next to them and riding at night with no lights and barely visible reflectors only on their pedals.
I see this on a regular basis on my drive home down Gilbert. I'd suggest the popo setup at these busy bike intersections/routes and inform the cyclists of the rules regulations and common safety practices. Not ticket them, educated them for the better of the general public and in the name of safety. It can't be expected that everybody knows these rules and it can't be expected that everybody will go to a website to learn them. A proactive approach is needed much like speed traps but without the sting of a costly ticket.

So basically anything a car can/cannot do by law, a cyclist must follow the same rules, regardless if the smaller size of a bike permits the cyclist to do otherwise.

In other words, a car turning right has the right of way over a cyclist going straight through.

^
I'd like to know this too

I know we should shoulder check before making a right turn but if an accident were to occur I'd like to know who's in the wrong.

I also don't see anything that would translate to permitting a cyclist to pass stopped cars on the right, such as when a row of cars is lined up at an intersection and the cyclist is sharing the same lane as the cars.

Too bad the motorcyclists get away with this as well... I'd like to do something about it, but I don't want to piss off any HA's!

I think responsible lane-splitting should be allowed, but too many cyclists think they own the road and can do whatever they want. I also had a cube truck pass me on the right on Wednesday... moronic people...

Motorcycles don't do this the way cyclists do.
I only see this when traffic is completely stopped but a cyclist will keep passing cars on the right by the curb even though a car is making a right turn with a signal on! I almost hit many cyclists from this but I see them at the last second. One day im probably going to run their ass over and since they don't have insurance, I'm screwed anyways.

I see cyclists running red lights all the time as well, like today when the light turned red and I was crossing a street on foot, a cyclists nearly ran into me even though I had the right of way. I think next time im just going to shove the cyclists on their ass to protect myself. What if they ran into me?

The only problem with that is you'd have to define "reasonable" in the MVA, then everyone forms their own interpretation of the word and you end up with a whole mess.

The MVA needs to be 100% cut and dry with drivers and cyclists following the letter of the law to a T.

The way I see this section in the MVA cyclists are not permitted to advance their position in stopped traffic while in the same lane as the cars. If cars come to a stop and the cyslist is 10 cars back from the red light, it appears that he is required by law to remain in the 11th position.

^lane filtering is legal in California. If the traffic is stopped I dont see why cyclists and motorcycles shouldnt be allowed to filter through the front so they dont have to watch their back for some bonehead coming in too hot and rear ending them

that should be allowed imo
but what shouldn't be allowed is passing cars on the right when they have their right signal on and are in an obvious position clearly indicating their desire to turn right.

The problem is that they filter to the front, and then they hold up the entire right lane of traffic when the light turns green.

Motorcycles do not hold up traffic.

This is why the driver's test includes deep should checks at right hand turns.

Yes what the bikes is doing is illegal and stupid, yet they do it and you're going to be in trouble if you hit them, so you should watch out. I agree with you and hate it, yet you're not going to change the behaviour of all bikes, so might as well deal with it.

^ the reason why I didn't hit them is because I did shoulder check...but it just pisses me off that they try to ride by anyways even when my right turn signal is on....
Another thing that I do is when I see a bicycle on the curb, I will pull right upto the curb so that they can't get by and block me but they just go around the left side...

When I am on my bike or motorcycle I am very weary of passing on the right near and intersection. So many people don't even look right when turning right, they are too busy looking left for a break in traffic.

Hell I even find this while walking across an intersection, I have to make sure the driver made eye contact with me and isn't going to run me over trying to gun it into an opening in traffic.

that's exactly what people forget.... TO LOOK IN THE DIRECTION THEIR VEHICLE IS MOVING IN.

sometimes when i'm a pedestrian, i make eye contact with the driver, and they think i am giving them the OK to go while i have the right of way and they have a red.....

... I was obviously talking about cyclists.

That only applies to cyclists. I would never pass anyone on a motorcycle on the right like that especially when they signal to turn right.

What are the rules for motorists passing cyclists on the left with out changing lanes when both are going the same direction?

so if you LANE split and the door opens, who is at fault?
50 50?
lane split = at fault
opening door without due caution = at fault. (my dad got in trouble for striking a cyclist and had to pay for damages)

I think this is one reason why it has been an issue for lane splitting, along side with other safety issues.

bumping, hoping to get an answer on this.

Exactly the same as when you are passing another motor vehicle on the left.