Are Bicycles Considered Vehicles?

Driving in Texas is the most common form of transportation and can sometimes leave cyclists in dangerous positions. Some drivers are not sure, are bicycles considered vehicles? Since there are fewer people riding bicycles, the laws surrounding them aren’t as well known or respected.

Bicycles ride with traffic, not against it. Riders are required to use hand and arm signals, equip their bike with safety lights for night time, and stay nearest the curb. It all seems very easy in theory, but in practice, it can become an unpredictable mess.

Bicycle safety is something that is at the top of a cyclist’s list, but normally not at the top of a driver’s list. In 2012, The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration reported 726 pedal cyclists were killed in traffic crashes. Most of these were in urban areas with dense traffic volume.

Bikes are not required to be in the bike lane, according to Texas law. They are permitted to share the road with cars as long as they are as close to the curb or the edge of the road that is safe. There is no so-called “safe passing” law state-wide, but some cities like Austin, San Antonio, New Braunfels, El Paso, Helotes, and Beaumont have implemented their own.

No law in Texas binds a bicycle to the sidewalk or prohibits them from operating on the sidewalk. It seems like some drivers believe that’s where they belong. That actually becomes more dangerous for both the rider and the pedestrians using the sidewalk.

The law states that a bicycle is a vehicle and a bicyclist has all of the same rights and duties. Bikes do have some additional requirements made for them, but they are allowed to share the road and deserve to be looked out for.

As the Summer brings out the bikes, be sure to respect their right to the road.