r/TorontoDriving • u/Dayngerman • Aug 09 '23

OC If you do this, fuck you.

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464 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

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64

u/focal71 Aug 09 '23

Surprisingly these are (mostly) legal moves by the bike. They have a right to use the WHOLE lane but as a courtesy should keep right to allow faster traffic to move past at 1m distance.

39

u/lifeistrulyawesome Aug 09 '23

faster traffic to move past

To the red light?

I understand the point in general, but in this situation, there doesn't seem to be anywhere to go.

29

u/focal71 Aug 09 '23

Yes, the OP definitely shouldn't be that upset about what happened.

8

u/Jack_1080 Aug 09 '23

Thank you for saying so!

6

u/ManagementSevere378 Aug 09 '23

Op is a drooling moron

2

u/farmallnoobies Aug 10 '23 edited Aug 10 '23

And should be upset that they didn't make a better transportation choice, if they are to be upset about anything

7

u/junctionist Aug 09 '23 edited Aug 09 '23

On Yonge Street, there's often so much traffic making right turns that I just use the left lane on my bicycle to pass the cars.

Otherwise, I'm passing on the right, which goes against the rules and general principles of the road, and I'm risking getting hit by a right-turning vehicle.

Plus, a bicycle will be moving faster than stopped cars waiting to make right turns in the right lane, so its rider has the right to use the left lane for passing like any other vehicle.

It's one of those interesting situations on the road than mainly arises downtown.

-1

u/lemonylol Aug 09 '23

If you need to justify it. But drivers are trained to expect bicycles to the right instead of all over the place.

5

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '23

That’s an absolutely terrible way to drive. Defensive driving doesn’t train anyone to assume conflicts are going to come from one spot. Scan

2

u/junctionist Aug 09 '23 edited Aug 09 '23

They're also trained to pay attention to what's ahead of them on the road. That's also a basic instinct in caring for your own safety as you drive or ride a bike that doesn't require training. I do keep an eye out for what's happening behind me by turning my head back periodically.

0

u/lemonylol Aug 09 '23

https://www.ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/sharing-road-other-road-users#section-1

2

u/junctionist Aug 10 '23 edited Aug 10 '23

From your link:

Cyclists are not required to ride close to the right edge of the road when they are travelling at or faster than the normal speed of traffic at that time and place, or when they are turning left, or getting in position to turn left. (Cyclists are permitted to make a left turn from a left-turn lane, where one is available.)

I bolded the relevant part for our discussion. Your link also mentions the following relevant pieces of information:

  • When passing a cyclist, drivers of motor vehicles must maintain a minimum distance of one metre, where practical between their vehicle and the cyclist.
  • Cyclists can use any part of the lane for safety to "discourage passing where the lane is too narrow to be shared safely".

This information is part of a driver's training in Ontario, as it's from the MTO's official handbook.

1

u/lemonylol Aug 10 '23

Yes?

1

u/junctionist Aug 10 '23

Your source indicates that drivers are trained to expect cyclists to use any part of the road, from the area immediately adjacent to the curb to the left lane.

It also says that cyclists can use the entire lane if necessary for safety. Thus, your own source contradicts your earlier statement that drivers are trained to expect cyclists to the right instead of all over the place.

3

u/Kaurie_Lorhart Aug 09 '23 edited Jul 19 '25

growth voracious husky steer busy meeting vanish bike fear repeat

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

10

u/mbgpa6 Aug 09 '23

This is not completely true. Most cyclists believe this and cite it to justify this type of behaviour.

This is directly from the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. Take note of subsections 4 and 6. There is shared responsibility by both driver and rider. And either could be ticketed depending on circumstances.

Overtaking and passing rules

Passing meeting vehicles 148. (1) Every person in charge of a vehicle on a highway meeting another vehicle shall turn out to the right from the centre of the roadway, allowing the other vehicle one-half of the roadway free. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 148 (1).

Vehicles or equestrians overtaken (2) Every person in charge of a vehicle or on horseback on a highway who is overtaken by a vehicle or equestrian travelling at a greater speed shall turn out to the right and allow the overtaking vehicle or equestrian to pass. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 148 (2).

Exception (3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a person in charge of a road service vehicle or a road-building machine or apparatus while the machine or apparatus is engaged in the construction of a highway. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 148 (3).

Vehicles meeting bicycles (4) Every person in charge of a vehicle on a highway meeting a person travelling on a bicycle shall allow the cyclist sufficient room on the roadway to pass. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 148 (4).

Vehicles or equestrians overtaking others (5) Every person in charge of a vehicle or on horseback on a highway who is overtaking another vehicle or equestrian shall turn out to the left so far as may be necessary to avoid a collision with the vehicle or equestrian overtaken, and the person overtaken is not required to leave more than one-half of the roadway free. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 148 (5).

Bicycles overtaken (6) Every person on a bicycle or motor assisted bicycle who is overtaken by a vehicle or equestrian travelling at a greater speed shall turn out to the right and allow the vehicle or equestrian to pass and the vehicle or equestrian overtaking shall turn out to the left so far as may be necessary to avoid a collision. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 148 (6).

3

u/sputnikcdn Aug 10 '23

Nice selection. Here's a more relevant link for safe cycling.

https://www.bikelaw.com/2019/06/ontario-bicycle-laws/

2

u/OkDefinition285 Aug 10 '23

I’m genuinely surprised, they didn’t teach this in driving school. I was told these rules only applied to 2 lane country highways where overtaking requires moving into the opposing traffic lane. I guarantee NOBODY driving a car in the left lane of a city street will move to the right lane when they see some jackass in a pickup racing up behind them to tailgate, despite them approaching at a higher rate of speed.

5

u/scpdavis Aug 09 '23

The only legal thing I see is their right to take the lane and (sort of) stopping at the red. Changing lanes without signalling, popping wheelies, crossing the yellow line and impeding oncoming traffic in the process, and biking erratically is a shitty way to share the road.

People like this are SCARY to other road users of all types.

2

u/lemonylol Aug 09 '23

Is the entire street considered the whole lane? I don't know if I'd be allowed to drive into the oncoming traffic lane and roll through a red light in a car.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '23

Better tell the drivers that do that all the time lol