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[–] 2 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Depending on the highway, the cyclist is fine. Considering they're taking a left turn it is likely a 2 lane highway, where cyclists are allowed, and that cyclist is following the road rules, even signalling their turn.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 day ago (4 children)

    Nah. The minimum speed limit on a highway is generally 40 MPH. I've never seen a bike go that fast except maybe downhill or possibly a racing bike. Most people go a max of 20 MPH.

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  • [–] 0 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

    What does the speed a cyclist can travel have to do with legality?

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  • [–] 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

    It's illegal to drive significantly slower than the free flow of traffic. Your vehicle becomes an obstacle under these conditions.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 day ago* (1 child)

    I kinda like looking up laws, so I just double checked and, in Washington state at least, it's completely legal to ride a bicycle on highways. The impeding of traffic law (RCW 46.61.425) is limited to motor vehicles. RCW 46.61.770 states that bicycles traveling slower than the speed of traffic should ride to the right, setting a legal precedent for bicycles traveling slowly on the road. It even has an exception for riding to the right if you're turning left, as the cyclist in the OP is doing.

    Not sure where all of the cyclist hate is coming from. Living in rural areas and traveling many 2 lane highways on road trips, it isn't uncommon where I am to see cyclists.

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  • [–] 1 point 19 hours ago

    (1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law: PROVIDED, That a person following a vehicle driving at less than the legal maximum speed and desiring to pass such vehicle may exceed the speed limit, subject to the provisions of RCW 46.61.120 on highways having only one lane of traffic in each direction, at only such a speed and for only such a distance as is necessary to complete the pass with a reasonable margin of safety.

    https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.425

    Here's my problem with what you say according to WA state law.

    A bicycle can't travel with the flow of traffic at a normal rate of speed or posted speed limit for a single lane highway. This means that a driver would be required to safety pass them. You are required by law to give them a minimum of 3 foot of passing space which isn't necessarily possible if they are travelling in the lane in front of you on a two lane highway (especially in no passing zones) but it's still illegal to impede the flow of traffic.

    You can be ticketed for impeding the flow of traffic on a highway. There's also no way to really yield to allow other drivers to pass said slow moving vehicle.

    Your quick search also ignores that local laws are allowed to further curtail such use by bicycles and to enact further laws to provide minimum speed limits.

    When you add to this that interstate highways very often have minimum speed limits I have a lot for questions about how legal such a thing would hold up in court.

    I personally (as someone who does cycle) would never attempt to ride a bicycle on a highway.

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