Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 13, 2014 at 5:14am

Good question. I'm going to say legally always single file although on quiet rural roads that is not gonna happen.

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Permalink Reply by H2 on June 13, 2014 at 5:22am

I would say C - two maximum as long as not impeding traffic

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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on June 13, 2014 at 5:23am

This happens to me on some longer rides out in rural Wisconsin and it would be plain rude not to ride single file when someone's overtaking.  When there's no one else around it's no problem; you just pay attention so you don't get in anyone's way.

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Permalink Reply by Eric R on June 13, 2014 at 5:35am

Mr. Kevenides touched on this topic the other day on (Spoiler alert!) UrbanVelo.org.

I rode two abreast'ish yesterday on a few small stretches on Milwaukee and Augusta with a friend but we rode as close as possible to each other and rode pretty slow so passing us should have been easy for other people on bikes.

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Permalink Reply by Tania Sebastian on June 14, 2014 at 1:22am

The correct answer is #3 or C: A maximum of two bicyclists may ride side-by-side, as long as the normal and reasonable movement of traffic is not impeded. This does not mean you're required to single up for vehicles that can pass you without waiting. The law's focus is more on situations when a vehicle has to wait to pass.

You can test your bike safety knowledge with more questions like these at BikeSafetyQuiz.com. Happy Bike Week Chicago!

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 24, 2015 at 6:52am

Tania, while riding along with a group of cyclists during a typically busy, (off rush hour) but not terribly congested traffic, where they were occasionally riding two abreast and occasionally taking the lane to proceed forward. The group then encountered a woman SUV driver behind them screaming that it was illegal what they were doing, and they should get out of the way because bikes cannot keep up to the same speed as vehicles.This, she said was her interpretation of the law.

After she lectured the cyclists, she was observed accelerating quickly (speeding?) to arrive and wait, at the next and subsequent stoplights.

The cyclists were not impeding the 'normal' flow of traffic.

You mentioned that the law's focus is more on situations when a vehicle has to wait to pass. Does the law focus even more on situations where the driver is extremely impatient?

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Permalink Reply by Reboot Oxnard on June 15, 2014 at 11:42pm

No more than two riding abreast, so long as traffic is not impeded. Cyclists moving slower than normal traffic flow must move as far to the right as practical, with certain exceptions (left turns, dodging potholes, etc.).

Rules of the Road pamphlet boils the law down to "Ride single file. Do not ride next to each other if possible."

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Permalink Reply by Steve Courtright on September 24, 2015 at 7:48am

Note: there are more stringent statutes adopted by some towns that explicitly require bikes to ride single file. 

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Permalink Reply by Waymond Smith on September 25, 2015 at 5:45am

C.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on September 25, 2015 at 6:05am

If it is a marked lane 14 feet or less (most are 12 feet rural down to 10 feet urban), then a vehicle cannot safely pass a bicycle while remaining in the lane.  The vehicle needs to change lanes to pass and the bicyclists can remain side by side.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on September 28, 2015 at 4:43pm

Some of the streets in Chicago seem like they have less than 10 feet.  Parked cars on each side and two cars driving in different directions seem like they barely have room to squeeze through.  The 10 feet is the current ASHTO recommendations for new streets for slow traffic.

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