Is Riding 2 Abreast Allowed If It's Not Your Fault ?



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Most state laws say that it is not allowed to
ride more than 2 abreast. But what if
you are in the left lane to make a left turn
and then 2 bicyclists come up to the
intersection (going the same direction
as you) in the right lane, already riding
2 abreast? Then there are 3 abreast. Is
the left turner then in violation?
Can you claim you were "acting under the
will of another" because it was the
other two riders who forced you into the
illegal situation? Or does two abreast
refer only to one lane of a multilane
highway? Or are riders in such a situation
simply not "abreast"?


I am not a lawyer. I do not even see email sent to this address, due to
past DOS attacks. If you wish to respond, do so through this newsgroup.
 
In article
<dGhpc2lzbWU=.492725ba83cca3441464896a81af286f@1099427053.nulluser.com>,
[email protected] says...
> Most state laws say that it is not allowed to
> ride more than 2 abreast. But what if
> you are in the left lane to make a left turn
> and then 2 bicyclists come up to the
> intersection (going the same direction
> as you) in the right lane, already riding
> 2 abreast?

The laws generally say you have to ride to the right and no more than two
abreast *except* for various situations such as left turns. So I think
you'd be fine. But then, I'm not a lawyer.

--
[email protected] is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html>
 
[email protected] wrote:
>
> Most state laws say that it is not allowed to
> ride more than 2 abreast. But what if
> you are in the left lane to make a left turn
> and then 2 bicyclists come up to the
> intersection (going the same direction
> as you) in the right lane, already riding
> 2 abreast? Then there are 3 abreast.

Probably not. The law in most states define
"abrest" for this purpose as meaning also in
the same lane. Even if not, the lawbreakers
would be the ones coming up beside you. You
were there first.
 
Arthur L. Rubin wrote:

> [email protected] wrote:
> >
> > Most state laws say that it is not allowed to
> > ride more than 2 abreast. But what if
> > you are in the left lane to make a left turn
> > and then 2 bicyclists come up to the
> > intersection (going the same direction
> > as you) in the right lane, already riding
> > 2 abreast? Then there are 3 abreast.
>
> Probably not. The law in most states define
> "abrest" for this purpose as meaning also in
> the same lane. Even if not, the lawbreakers
> would be the ones coming up beside you. You
> were there first.

"Abreast" isn't defined in Florida statutes.
What state defines it? If there is a state
that defines it, it wouldn't set a strict
precedent, but the courts would "tend to
look to it for guidance" (*) and that would
make me feel alot better about relying on it.

(*) You already know that, but just for the
benefit of others who may be reading this.

I am not a lawyer. I do not even see email sent to this address, due to
past DOS attacks. If you wish to respond, do so through this newsgroup.
 
Joshua Putnam wrote:

> In article
> <dGhpc2lzbWU=.492725ba83cca3441464896a81af286f@1099427053.nulluser.com>,
> [email protected] says...
> > Most state laws say that it is not allowed to
> > ride more than 2 abreast. But what if
> > you are in the left lane to make a left turn
> > and then 2 bicyclists come up to the
> > intersection (going the same direction
> > as you) in the right lane, already riding
> > 2 abreast?
>
> The laws generally say you have to ride to the right and no more than
two
> abreast *except* for various situations such as left turns. So I think
> you'd be fine. But then, I'm not a lawyer.


reading very carefully, it seems that, in
FLorida at least, the exception for a left
turn applies to "must ride to the right"
and not "no two abreast". But then again,
these things can be tricky. That's why I
post to usenet, for other interpretations.
I also read it at least three times, and
so on and so forth. Like the signature
says. But even though I'm not a lawyer I
am a sort of ped/bike rights person, so
I think I have a right to know what the
law says.


> --
> [email protected] is Joshua Putnam
> <http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
> Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
> <http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html>


I am not a lawyer. I do not even see email sent to this address, due to
past DOS attacks. If you wish to respond, do so through this newsgroup.
 
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