Knowing Your Rights as a Cyclist

Ask pretty much any motorist what they’re most irritated about on the road and quite surprisingly it usually isn’t by other motorists, but by cyclists. It’s almost as if they totally forget about cyclists and how annoying they can be in their world, that is until the annual cycling season seems to come around again. All of a sudden the entitled “motorist’s union” forgets about the road rage that is often induced by other motorist and gang up against the cyclists in their frustrations.

If you’re on the other side of the fence however and you’re a cyclist then you’ll know all too well that their frustrations and annoyance at you are unfounded to say the very least. The rules of the road are designed in such a manner that it’s all about ensuring the safety of all those who use the roads. It’s not even cyclists that take first priority – it’s pedestrians. I paraphrase of course, but go to any country where there are road rules which incorporate all those who use the roads and you’ll find that in some or other form, the rule “pedestrians take priority” exists.

In any case, it’s important for any cyclist to be up to speed with the rights afforded to them by default. Familiarising yourself with the basic rules which govern both your conduct and your safety will ensure that you always enjoy a safe and pleasant experience.

Naturally you’ll have to familiarise yourself with the finer details of the local laws which apply in your state, country or region, but generally the rights of cyclists are similar in all parts of the world where the need to ensure their safety out on the roads is acknowledged.

Pedestrians take priority

If pedestrians take priority then that simply means cyclists take second-priority, so exercise the same vigilance and patience with cyclists as you would want motorists to exercise with you.

The cyclist’s responsibility

All you have to do as a cyclist is obey the rules of the road as they are stipulated for you. Should anything happen you’ll just need to give your version of events as honestly as you can remember and the likelihood is that the law will take its due course.

Legal recourse

With the thousands of legal battles playing out in courts all across the country and the world each day, you would probably think that the one you would have walked in on was just another case of one more cyclist hit by cars that either weren’t obeying the rules of the road or indeed if it was pure accident. Normally that’s not the case because legal battles involving cyclists don’t usually ever even make it as far as going to court. With the right legal representation you can get your recourse in a speedy fashion, possibly getting a settlement that will help you get back on track via associated bills you might have to pay as a result of your cycling injury, like your medical bills. Either way, there is recourse for cyclists who fall victim to motorists who hit them, even if it was a pure accident.