Sharing the Road with Other Users
Everyone else is a hazard and a partner
Bermuda's roads are shared by cars, buses, taxis, goods vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, and the island's distinctive minibuses and ferries-linked traffic. Large vehicles need more room and have significant blind spots; never ride alongside a bus or lorry where the driver cannot see you. If you cannot see the driver's mirror, the driver cannot see you.
Pedestrians are the most vulnerable group. Give them space, expect them to step out from between parked cars, and remember that children and visitors unfamiliar with left-hand traffic may look the wrong way. Cyclists and horse riders deserve a wide, slow pass.
Specific interactions
When following a bus, allow extra stopping distance and be ready for it to pull in abruptly. At crossings, be prepared for pedestrians who have misjudged your speed. When overtaking, leave clearance and do not cut back in sharply. Visitors driving rental scooters and cars are common and may be unpredictable - give them room.
Traps to watch
- Sitting in a large vehicle's blind spot.
- Overtaking a cyclist too closely or at speed.
- Assuming a pedestrian has seen you because you have seen them.
- Forgetting that visitors may check traffic in the wrong direction.
Rule of thumb
Treat every other road user as capable of an unexpected move, and leave yourself a gap wide enough to absorb it.