DriveSmartBC - Passing a Cyclist Safely
 

Cyclists are entitled to their share of the highway, just as motor vehicle drivers are. When they are overtaken by a motor vehicle, it is the driver's responsibility to pass the cyclist safely. It is not the cyclists responsibility to get out of the way of the driver if the cyclist is legally occupying the lane.

When you approach a cyclist and prepare to overtake, slow down, just as you would any other vehicle on the road. You need to survey the situation and make sure that it is safe to pass. If it would not be safe to pass another vehicle at that spot, it is probably not safe to pass the cyclist either.

If you have to wait for a gap in traffic to pass, remember to leave a reasonable following distance between your vehicle and the cycle. This will give you more time to be aware and react if the cyclist needs to move left to avoid an obstacle as you follow them.

Leave at least one meter of space between you and the cyclist as you pass by, more if possible. If it is multi-laned highway, change lanes. Remember that if you have a right side mirror that extends a significant distance that the space must be measured from the outside edge of your mirror, not the side of the vehicle.

Finally, you always have a duty of care as a driver. If in doubt, put yourself in the saddle and pass you would wish to be passed if you were cycling.

Reference Links

what if you're driving around a curve and suddenly encounter a slow-moving cyclist who is riding in the middle of the lane (as opposed to keeping to the right edge). and then you almost smoke the cyclist from behind if you fail to brake suddenly.

doesn't the cyclist have any duty to keep to the right, especially in a 60 km/h zone?

Yes, they do, but if the circumstances dictate, they are entitled to as much of the lane as they need to cycle safely. An example of this might be gravel on the shoulder or debris on the road.

A car in front of me today almost had a head-on collision with a car crossing the double yellow to pass a cyclist.

An automobile can get a ticket for traveling too slow, right?

If a cyclist is entitled to use the road, can they get a ticket for traveling too slowly?

Is it legal for cyclists to pass cars on the right, to get to the front of an intersection?

What pisses me off is when they do this, then proceed to hold up the entire right lane when the light turns green.

wouldn't that fall under lane splitting which is illegal in BC as far as i know?

not to mention block any cars from making a right turn. if a car has to turn right, they would need to make a wide right turn and may scare the living hell out of oncoming traffic thinking they would turn into their lane.

Well they sure as hell never seem to get nailed for it.