Motorist Responsibilities: Sharing the Road with Bicycles
In Kansas, bicycles have a right to be on the roads and should be treated as another vehicle. Here are some tips for sharing the road:
- Allow a minimum of 3 feet between your vehicle and a cyclist when passing. Check over your shoulder before re-entering the lane.
- If you have to speed up to pass, it's probably not safe to do so.
- On lanes that are too narrow to share, cyclists may use the full lane by riding in the middle.
- Look for approaching cyclists before making turns. They may be moving faster than you think.
- Check for cyclists before exiting a parked vehicle — a car door might open directly into a cyclist's path.
- Don't harass or endanger a cyclist. This is considered reckless endangerment by law, a misdemeanor offense.
Be Alert. Be Patient.
Above all, respect a cyclist's right to use the road. Treat them like slow-moving cars — do not tailgate, wait until it is safe to pass, and give them the right-of-way when appropriate. Be predictable by using your turn signals and following the established rules of the road.