Rights and duties of cyclists in traffic

The law imposes certain duties on every user of public roads and grants them certain rights. The traffic law in force in Poland protects participants in traffic in the most possible way from unfortunate events, provided all parties act in accordance with its spirit. So remember, a lot depends on you in this regard.

The safest place for a cyclist when using public roads is the right shoulder. This results both from the general rule of right-hand traffic, which requires keeping to the right edge of the road, and is also expressed expressis verbis in Article 16 of the traffic code. Moving towards the middle of the road is only possible when turning or when the traffic lane allows leaving the intersection in more than one direction. For many years, bicycle lanes have been created in Poland, and cyclists should use them if they are available. It is also possible to use sidewalks for riding, but only when the weather is bad, when riding with a child up to 10 years old, or when three conditions are met simultaneously: the sidewalk is at least 2 metres wide, traffic on the road exceeds 50 km/h, and there are no separate bicycle lanes.

Yes, but under two conditions. As stated in Art. 33 of the Traffic Code, riding bicycles side by side is permitted only when it does not constitute an obstacle to other road users and does not pose a threat to road safety. So while such riding on communal or country roads will not be a problem, it is better to avoid it when moving along busy routes, many of which are in the Podkarpackie region.

Of course, you should remember about a set of mandatory equipment - lights and reflectors, having at least one efficient brake, and a warning signal. An absolute and key duty is also to exercise caution when moving, and particular caution at intersections and during all manoeuvres.

Let us start by noting - just because the law states our right to something, it does not mean that we can perform these activities recklessly and without thought. Aiming to protect traffic users who are without the protection of car bodies and safety systems - pedestrians and cyclists - the law requires drivers to give them priority at pedestrian crossings and when crossing bicycle path continuations and sidewalks. However, this does not mean that a cyclist has the right to rush onto a crossing or passage without exercising the necessary caution. This is a dangerous situation with potentially tragic consequences. A driver may be distracted, fail to notice a cyclist for various reasons, or in any other way cause a collision. In this situation, the right of way means little without caution on the part of the cyclist.

When moving on the road, apply the principle of limited trust to other road users. Certainly, no one wants to harm you intentionally, but accidents happen every day. It is worth maintaining kindness towards drivers and pedestrians to ensure everyone's safe return home.