Sharing the Road with Pedestrians, Cyclists and Large Vehicles
Sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and large vehicles
Vulnerable road users-people on foot, on bikes, on motorcycles-have the same right to the road as you and far less protection. Large vehicles have the weight and blind spots to make a small error fatal. This domain tests whether you give space and anticipate.
Pedestrians and cyclists
- Yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks and in unmarked crosswalks at intersections. Stop well back so other drivers can see them too.
- Never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk-someone may be crossing in front of it.
- Idaho's "Idaho Stop" law lets cyclists treat a stop sign as a yield, and after stopping and yielding, proceed through a red light when the way is clear. Expect it; don't punish it.
- Pass cyclists with real clearance-three feet is a common benchmark-only when you can see far ahead. Check your mirror before opening a car door into a bike lane.
- Motorcycles get the full lane. Never share a lane with one.
Large vehicles
- Trucks have deep no-zones: roughly 20 feet in front, 30 feet behind, and a lane on each side. If you can't see the driver's mirror, they can't see you.
- A truck swinging left before a right turn is setting up a wide turn-never pass on the right.
- Trucks need much more distance to stop. Don't cut in front of one.
Worked example
A semi ahead has its right signal on but has drifted toward the center line. Reasoning: it's beginning a wide right turn, so passing on the right puts you exactly where the trailer will sweep.
Traps that cost marks
Assuming a cyclist who rolls through a stop sign is breaking the law in Idaho; passing a stopped school bus when a median separates directions; lingering alongside a truck's cab.