Apparently, Most people don't know that someone on a bike, has as much a right to use a lane on a road as your car.
They are considered, for all intents and purposes, the same as your car. In fact, I'm just going to post a bit from the texas drivers license manual on it:
So yes people, by law, the bike has just as much of a right to be on the road as you do! I actually heard someone scream at a Bicyclist once that if they "wanted to drive on the road, they should buy a car"BICYCLE TRAFFIC LAW
1. “Bicycle” means every device propelled by human power upon which
any person may ride, having two tandem wheels either of which is more than
14 inches in diameter.
2. “Vehicle” means a device, in, or by which any person or property is or
may be transported or drawn on a public highway, other than a device used
exclusively on stationary rails or tracks.
3. A bicycle is a vehicle and any person operating a bicycle has the rights
and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle, unless it cannot, by its
nature apply to a person operating a bicycle.
4. A bicyclist should always obey all traffic laws, signs, and signals. Never
ride opposite the flow of traffic. Stop at all stop signs and stop at red lights.
5. A person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than
the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as possible to the right curb
or edge of the roadway unless:
a. The person is overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in
the same direction.
b. The person is preparing for a left turn at an intersection or onto a private
road or driveway.
c. There are unsafe conditions in the roadway such as fixed or moving
objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, potholes, or
debris.
d. The lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel
side by side.
6. A person operating a bicycle on a one-way roadway with two or more
marked traffic lanes may ride as near as possible to the left curb or edge of
the roadway.
7. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable
flow of traffic on the roadway. Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway
must ride in a single lane.
One major thing in the above quote that most people don't know. Bikes DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE RIGHT if the lane is too narrow for a car to pass them safely. So yes, the Bike, driving in the middle of the lane, intentionally blocking you from passing them, IS FOLLOWING THE LAW, as IMHO, Unless the lane is at least 12 feet wide, I would easily say that "The lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side."
That being said, I also frequently see Cyclists that think they are above the law that applies to vehicles. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Not Stopping for stop signs or Traffic Lights - Sorry, if you're on the road, just because you're only doing 15-20mps doesn't mean you don't have to stop and yield. You do.
- Not signalling for turns and lane changes
- RIDING THE WRONG WAY IN THE BIKE OR MAIN LANE OF TRAFFIC
(Actually had some yahoo do this the other day, dude was in my lane, COMING AT ME... seemed oblivious. I guess he figured since he was on a bike, everyone should have to swerve out of the way for him)
I fully support bicyclists, but some of the yahoos out there on bikes apparently don't think that those big Signs and Lights that apply to cars, apply to them too.