Colorado · Handbook chapter 9 · 5 min read

Chapter 9: Sharing the road

Sharing Colorado roads with motorcycles and lane filtering, trucks and their No Zones, railroad crossings and quiet zones, Denver light rail, bicyclists and the three-foot rule, and pedestrians.

Why this chapter matters

Everyone has a right to the road. Colorado has some distinctive rules here, such as motorcycle lane filtering, stop-as-yield for cyclists 15 and older and light rail on Denver streets.

Motorcycles

• Motorcyclists are entitled to a full lane and often move within it to see, be seen and avoid hazards.
• Lane filtering: a two-wheeled motorcycle may pass vehicles in the same lane when those vehicles and the ones in the next lanes are stopped, there is room, and the rider goes no faster than 15 mph.
• Motorcycles are hard to see and can speed up and stop faster than you expect, so increase your following distance.

Trucks and buses

• They need more room to turn and change lanes. Stay behind the white stop bar at signals; many are placed to give trucks room to turn.
• Their blind spots are called No Zones. A car in a No Zone cannot be seen.
• Do not pass or stop close to a truck or bus that is backing up.
• Pass trucks and buses quickly and on the left when you can, and do not pull in front until you can see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror.

Railroad crossings

• The round yellow advance warning sign is the only round traffic sign. It gives you room to stop before the crossing.
• An R X R marking and stop line may be painted on the road. Stay behind the line; if there is none, stay at least 10 feet from the tracks, because trains overhang the rails by about 3 feet.
• Crossbucks are treated like a YIELD sign. A plaque below shows how many tracks there are.
• In a quiet zone, a No Train Horn sign means trains will not sound their horns; watch the lights and gates.
• Always stop when the lights flash, and do not cross until they stop. While gates are down, the road is closed.
• A freight train at 55 mph needs about one mile to stop, and trains look slower than they are.
• Never stop on the tracks, and do not start across until there is room on the other side. Do not shift gears on the tracks.
• Buses and trucks carrying hazardous materials must stop at most crossings, so be ready to stop behind them.
• If your car stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and move far away, even if no train is in sight. Call the number on the blue Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign; give the DOT crossing number on it so the railroad knows exactly where you are.

Light rail

• Denver's RTD light rail cars weigh up to 40 tons and cannot stop quickly. They obey the same signals and signs as other traffic, sometimes running against the flow of other vehicles.
• Never turn in front of an approaching train, and look all ways before crossing the tracks.
• Lights, warning lights or gates at a light rail crossing all mean stop and do not cross. Never drive around a gate even after a train passes; another may be coming.
• Overhead wires hang 18 feet 6 inches above the tracks. Treat any fallen wire as live and call 911 or RTD.

Bicyclists

• Bicycles are vehicles with most of the same rights and duties.
• Give at least three feet when passing, measured from your mirrors or any attachment. You may cross a double yellow line to do so when no traffic is coming. If you cannot give three feet, stay behind.
• Cyclists may ride in the center of the lane to avoid hazards, and may ride side by side if they do not impede traffic.
• Cyclists have the right of way in a bike lane. Do not stop, park or drive in one, except to cross it when turning or entering a driveway or alley.
• Since 2022, cyclists aged 15 and older may treat a STOP sign as a YIELD sign, and a red light as a STOP sign, when the intersection is clear.
• Open your car door with the hand farther from the door (the Dutch Reach) so you turn and see cyclists behind.
• Avoid honking close to cyclists unless a crash is about to happen.
• A driver turning left in front of an oncoming cyclist or motorcyclist is one of the most common causes of these crashes, so look twice and judge their speed before you turn.

Pedestrians

• Pedestrians have the right of way at all intersections and crosswalks, marked or not.
• Do not assume they can see or hear you; some are deaf or blind.
• Never stop on a crosswalk, and never pass a vehicle stopped at one.
• Look for pedestrians when turning, backing and near schools, parks and bus stops.