Bicycle conflicts

Bicycles face similar conflicts as motor vehicles at both signalized intersections and roundabouts. However, because bicyclists typically ride on the right side of the road between intersections, they face additional conflicts due to overlapping paths with motor vehicles. Conflicts unique to bicyclists occur on each approach to conventional four-leg intersections, as depicted in Exhibit 5-7 (showing left turns like motor vehicles or left turns like pedestrians).

At roundabouts, bicycles may be provided the option of traveling as a vehicle or as a pedestrian. As a result, the conflicts experienced by bicyclists are dependent on how they choose to negotiate the roundabout, as shown in Exhibit 5-8. When traveling as a vehicle at a single-lane roundabout, an additional conflict occurs at the point where the bicyclist merges into the traffic stream; the remainder are similar to those for motor vehicles. At double-lane and larger roundabouts where bicycles are typically traveling on the outside part of the circulatory roadway, bicyclists face a potential conflict with exiting vehicles where the bicyclist is continuing to circulate around the roundabout. Bicyclists may feel compelled to “negotiate” the circle (e.g., by indicating their intentions to drivers with their arms) while avoiding conflicts where possible. Bicyclists are less visible and therefore more vulnerable to the merging and exiting conflicts that happen at double-lane roundabouts.

When traveling as a pedestrian, an additional conflict for bicyclists occurs at the point where the bicyclist gets onto the sidewalk, at which point the bicyclist continues around the roundabout like a pedestrian. On shared bicycle-pedestrian paths or on sidewalks, if bicyclists continue to ride, additional bicycle-pedestrian conflicts occur wherever bicycle and pedestrian movements cross (not shown on the exhibit).