Arizona · Handbook chapter 7 · 3 min read

Chapter 7: Sharing the road

Passing bicyclists with 3 feet to spare, bicycle rules, motorcycles and Arizona's lane filtering law, the truck No-Zone and wide turns, and slow-moving vehicles limited to 25 mph.

Why this chapter matters

Bicyclists and motorcyclists have far less protection than you do, and trucks cannot stop or see the way a car can. The test checks the specific rules Arizona sets for each.

Bicyclists

• Bicyclists follow the same traffic laws and have the same right-of-way as drivers.
• Give at least 3 feet when passing a bicyclist going your way, and do not honk as you pass; it can startle the rider into a crash.
• Dim your headlights for bicyclists at night.
• Riders keep near the right edge but may legally move left to turn left, avoid hazards, pass, or when the lane is too narrow to share.

Rules for bicyclists

• Ride with traffic, no more than two abreast, and as far right as practicable.
• Use hand signals, and never ride under the influence.
• At night: a white headlamp visible from 500 feet and a rear reflector. A flashing red rear light adds visibility.

Motorcyclists

• Most car and motorcycle crashes happen when a car turns in front of a motorcycle, because the driver did not see it or misjudged its distance and speed.
• A motorcycle's small size makes it seem farther away and slower than it is.
• Riders shift within the lane to avoid oil, potholes and debris, and their turn signals do not cancel themselves. Be sure what a rider is doing before you pull out.
• A motorcycle is entitled to the full width of a lane. Never crowd into its lane, and do not cut back in too soon after passing.

Lane filtering

A motorcyclist may pass vehicles stopped in the same direction and lane only when the street has at least two lanes going that way, the posted limit is 45 mph or less, and the motorcycle goes no faster than 15 mph.

Trucks and buses

• Do not cut in in front of a truck. Trucks take about twice as long to stop, and braking in front of one halves its stopping room.
• Stay out of the No-Zone, the large blind spots in front, behind and along the sides.
• Follow at a safe distance: a truck blocks your view ahead.
• Trucks make wide right turns and may leave space on their right. Do not pass on the right when a truck may be turning right.
• If you break down, get as far off the road as you can. A truck can weigh as much as 25 cars.

Slow-moving vehicles

Farm machinery often moves at 25 mph or slower, can be wider than one lane and may swing left before turning right. The slow-moving vehicle emblem means the vehicle cannot go faster than 25 mph. It has a legal right to be there, so be patient and pass only when it is safe.