[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/what-is-a-bicycle-buffer-zone\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/what-is-a-bicycle-buffer-zone\/","headline":"What is a Bicycle Buffer Zone","name":"What is a Bicycle Buffer Zone","description":"To make roads safer for cyclists, states and cities around the country have enacted laws requiring a \u201cbuffer zone\u201d between cars and bicycles. Buffer zones increase the space between bikes and cars, and are usually marked with painted strips and sometimes with images of bicycles on the pavement.\u00a0A raised strip of pavement between cars and...","datePublished":"2014-06-16","dateModified":"2024-05-23","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/author\/rizklaw\/#Person","name":"Rizk Law","url":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/author\/rizklaw\/","identifier":9,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/10e23ce5e6c4dadb4589cd8edf2c3f59ac356a6e876c3656917777913d9c3bc1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/10e23ce5e6c4dadb4589cd8edf2c3f59ac356a6e876c3656917777913d9c3bc1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Rizk Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/rizk-law-logo-footer.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/rizk-law-logo-footer.jpg","width":278,"height":65}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Richard-Rizk-headshot.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Richard-Rizk-headshot.jpg","width":383,"height":427},"url":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/what-is-a-bicycle-buffer-zone\/","about":["Auto Accident"],"wordCount":393,"articleBody":"To make roads safer for cyclists, states and cities around the country have enacted laws requiring a \u201cbuffer zone\u201d between cars and bicycles.Buffer zones increase the space between bikes and cars, and are usually marked with painted strips and sometimes with images of bicycles on the pavement.\u00a0A raised strip of pavement between cars and cyclists prevents motorists from driving into the buffer zone and allows cyclists to safely avoid traffic and parked cars.State Bicycle Buffer Zone LawsIn 1973, Wisconsin became the first state to pass a bicycle buffer zone safe passing law. Since then, approximately 33 states and D.C. have similar safe passing laws. In most cases, states require a three-foot distance between cars and bikes.In September 2013, California signed into law Assembly Bill 1371 the \u201cThree Feet for Safety Act,\u201d requiring drivers passing other cars or bikes to pass with at least three feet between their vehicles and the cycle or vehicle being passed. A driver violating the three-foot buffer zone can be fined from $35 to up to $100 for a first ticket and $250 for any subsequent tickets or if a collision occurs that harms the bike rider.Oregon State law ORS 811.065 (Unsafe Passing of a Person Operating a Bicycle) states \u201cThe driver of a motor vehicle may only pass a person operating a bicycle by driving to the left of the bicycle at a safe distance and returning to the lane of travel once the motor vehicle is safely clear of the overtaken bicycle. A \u2018safe distance\u2019 means a distance that is sufficient to prevent contact with the person operating the bicycle if the person were to fall into the driver\u2019s lane of traffic.Bike Zones in PortlandCyclists riding in and around the Portland area must navigate through roads and intersections which may or may not contain bike zones. The\u00a0Portland Citywide Bike Map\u00a0is your best guide for locating streets that give priority to cyclists.Bike lanes throughout the Portland area, which\u00a0must be integrated with existing streets and intersections, are often awkwardly designed and confusing. The\u00a0state-wide mandatory bike lane law\u00a0\u00a0requires cyclists to use these lanes. \u00a0Until new bike-friendly designed roads replace old outdated ones, bikers and motorists need to be extra cautious.The\u00a0Bicycle Accidents\u00a0section on this website\u00a0will tell you what you need to do in the event of a bicycle accident."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What is a Bicycle Buffer Zone","item":"https:\/\/www.rizklaw.com\/blog\/what-is-a-bicycle-buffer-zone\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]