Originally Posted by
wsbob
"...with a first statement that cyclists are prohibited from using much of the roadway followed by a list of exceptions under which that prohibition does not apply. ..." John Forester
In other words, where exists on or at bike lanes, bike paths, etc, what could be any one of or number of situations or conditions from what would be a very long list of bike lane and bike path situations or conditions covered under the list of exceptions directly part of the law, people biking in Oregon
Are Not Prohibited from riding main lanes of roadways where bike lanes, MUP's, cycle tracks are adjacent to the roadway.
For any readers that would like to study Oregon's bike specific laws for themselves, here again, is the link to a site providing the text for ORS 814.420, and by the way, on the sidebar to the left of the page, also links to other Oregon bike related laws:
http://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/814.420
Originally Posted by
John Forester
Traffic laws are meant to be used by the people every day in situations that often involve life or death decisions. As Wsbob makes clear, the bicycle traffic laws, be they for Oregon or other states, are so confused that only specialists in them can understand them, assuming that they can be understood (which is problematic). Creating traffic laws that are so confusing that only specialists can obey them is obviously the wrong path. This is particularly so when all that is required is nothing at all for states in which bicycles are defined as vehicles (as in Oregon), and for states in which bicycles are not defined as vehicles, granting cyclists the rights and duties of drivers of vehicles. That's all that's required.
I can't speak to state's bike specific laws other than Oregon's and maybe New York's, but
Oregon's bike specific laws actually are fairly easy to understand and comply with, though for a reliable understanding of them, it does help to read them and think about what they specify. Oregon's bike laws aren't confused, though (2) of 814.420 has some uncertainty that could benefit from clearing up.
ORS 814.420 is actually quite a good law for cyclists in its specifying to some extent rather than arbitrarily leaving to individual interpretation, some of the vast array of situations and conditions creating the need for people that bike to not ride in bike lanes, on bike paths, etc. While I don't know for sure...haven't been able to read about Oregon legislative committee discussion leading to creation of the law...I think outlining for all road users, various situations and conditions people that bike likely would encounter in bike lanes, paths, etc, possibly was part of the reason the law was created.