Originally Posted by
RollCNY
No. Such roads exist, and, absent other reasons not to, riding right and sharing the lane is acceptable on such roads. Such lanes are, as you note, relatively uncommon compared to lanes 12 feet wide or less, which is one of the reasons that it is usually not practicable to ride right.
"Standard travel lanes are 12' wide and too narrow to share, so you will need to control the lane.
Some lanes on FDOT roads are are 14' wide or a little wider. These wide lanes are actually wide enough for a cyclists and motorist to share, as opposed to a standard travel lane, which is 12' wide and too narrow to share." Source The reasoning:
"Think about the reasoning behind the 14 feet. You need at least 8 feet of lane width for a car. (That’s the narrowest parking lane width allowed, so it should be 9 feet for a moving vehicle—but we’ll say 8.) Florida Statute 316.083 states that motorists must pass bicycles at least 3 feet away. It’s safe to assume we need another 3 feet for the bicycle with a rider. Add it up and you need a 14-foot lane for bicyclists and automobiles to safely travel side by side." Source So 14 feet is still cutting it close, since it only leaves three feet for the bicyclist, not much room to maneuver around debris, potholes, etc.
Personally, since speed limits tend to be higher on wide roads (unless the additional width is for parking), I tend to find alternative routes when I'm familiar with the area. I'd rather make an 11 mile trip on roads with light to moderate traffic volume and 25-35 mph speed limits than a 10 mile trip with high traffic volume and high speed limits. It makes for a more pleasant ride, in my opinion. Thus, it is very rare that it is practicable for me to ride right in familiar urban environments; my preferred routes involve streets on which lane sharing is not safe.