Sharing the Road (Pedestrians, Cyclists, Motorcycles, Heavy Vehicles)
Sharing the road covers the users most likely to be hurt by a moment of inattention: pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and heavy trucks.
Pedestrians
- Yield at crosswalks and never pass a vehicle stopped at one; someone is probably crossing in front of it.
- A pedestrian using a white cane or guide dog has the right of way; stop and wait quietly rather than honking.
- Watch for children around school buses and playground zones.
Cyclists
- Nova Scotia requires at least one metre of clearance when you pass a cyclist.
- Check your mirror and shoulder before turning right; a cyclist coming up your right side is invisible until it is too late.
- Do not open your door into the door zone, and expect cyclists to move out from the curb when the lane is too narrow to share.
Motorcycles
- Their speed and distance are hard to judge, so look twice at intersections before turning across a lane.
- Never share a lane with a motorcycle.
Heavy vehicles
- Trucks have large no-zones behind, beside, and in front; if you cannot see the driver's mirror, the driver cannot see you.
- Trucks swing wide before a right turn and need far more room and time to stop than a car.
- After passing a truck, do not pull back in until you see the whole cab in your mirror.
Worked example
You are behind a cyclist at 60 km/h on a two-lane road with oncoming traffic. Passing legally requires at least one metre of clearance, and oncoming cars make that impossible right now, so you slow and wait. Squeezing past inside the lane with less than a metre is a chargeable offence even when nothing happens.
Traps
- Passing a cyclist and then immediately turning right across them.
- Assuming a truck's signal means it is turning away from your side.
- Walking behind a truck that is reversing.