Bicycles Have Every Right to Be On the Road | Bay County Bike Accident Lawyers
Bicycle accident lawyers in Bay County, FL field calls about bicyclists all the time. Many drivers of motor vehicles don’t like seeing a bicycle on the road. They are slow, difficult to pass, and if you accidentally hit one, the damage to the cyclist could be catastrophic. Many drivers would like to see bikes eliminated from public roads altogether, but that isn’t going to happen. Bicycles are allowed by law to be on the road, just like any other kind of vehicle. So, maybe it’s time to learn how to get along?
Bicycling has some incredible benefits for the body. Can you imagine how many calories are burned going uphill or even maintaining speed? It is also an amazing cardiovascular workout, and it speeds up the metabolism even after the ride is over. In fact, bicycling is one of the best exercises a person can engage in. In our time of growing waistlines and sinking health, we need to encourage every form of exercise we can.
Of course, it’s not just human bodies that benefit. When people bike to work, to the store, to anywhere at all instead of using a car, they are preserving fossil fuels. They are reducing the amount of exhaust in the air, the wear on the roads, and are keeping our environment cleaner and healthier. When you consider the benefit to the body and to the world, biking is an incredibly good idea. Ask any Bay County, FL accident lawyer; if everyone obeys rules of the road, it is also very safe.
Obeying those rules is the issue, however. When there is a bike lane, it is easy to know where the bicycles will be and to give them a wide berth on the road. Accident lawyers in will also tell you that bikes have the right to use the road even if there is no bike lane at all. That’s right; except for the highway and the freeway, bikes can be on the road even with no bike lanes. They will be sharing the road with motor vehicles. The relevant statutes concerning the rights and responsibilities of all those onFlorida Highways is Chapter 316. Further, there are subsections of 316 that deal with bicyclists, pedestrians and how the rules of the road apply to them. As always, each case is different, so please refer specifically to Florida Statute Chapter 316 when dealing with bike accidents in our state.
This doesn’t mean that it’s a free for all, however. Just as motor vehicles have to obey the law, so do cyclists. Now, they may not be able to maintain a minimum speed limit, but they need to obey lane markers, road signs, street lights, and they must signal before they turn, just like any car or truck. Accident lawyers in Bay County, FL know that bikes are maneuverable like motorcycles, but they are still fragile and vulnerable. Other drivers must use caution in their presence.
Bay County accident lawyers get involved with bicycle accidents every day. When motor vehicles give cyclists respect, however, everyone is safer. If you pass a bicyclist, make sure that you give him or her plenty of room on the road. Keep your eyes open and on the lookout, as bikes can be easy to miss. And, most importantly, remember that bikes have just as much right to use the road as everyone else.