Originally Posted by
kickstart
That's still conditional, not carte blanche to use any and all traffic lanes as one sees fit without restriction as some imply.
Now you are just making up things. No one is saying any and all traffic lanes and you know it.
The Virginia state law achoo posted and the Illinois state law below gives tremendous latitude to the cyclist. Also note that I have actually gone out and measured lane widths, and the vast majority of streets in my area would be considered "substandard lane width" roads. Meaning, the cyclist has no legal responsibility to keep to the right. Also the underlined "and safe" below was a recent amendment to the law in Illinois, giving cyclists even more latitude in determining the best lane position.
The fact is, cyclists have way more legal right to use the lane than they exercise. So much so, that when cyclists actually do exercise that right, they are often insulted and threatened, and then other cyclists scold them for it.
(625 ILCS 5/11-1505) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1505)
Sec. 11-1505. Position of bicycles and motorized pedal
cycles on roadways -Riding on roadways and bicycle paths. (a)
Any person operating a bicycle or motorized pedal cycle upon a
roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time
and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as
close as practicable and safe to the right-hand curb or edge of
the roadway except under the following situations:
1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle, motorized
pedal cycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction; or
2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or
into a private road or driveway; or
3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions
including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked
or moving vehicles, bicycles, motorized pedal cycles,
pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width
lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb
or edge. For purposes of this subsection, a "substandard width
lane" means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle or
motorized pedal cycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by
side within the lane.
4. When approaching a place where a right turn is
authorized.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle or motorized pedal cycle
upon a one-way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes
may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as
practicable.