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Cyclist Responsibilities
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You must obey all traffic laws and regulations of the Commonwealth.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1
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You must use hand signals to let people know you plan stop or turn.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 item2
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You may ride two abreast, but must facilitate passing traffic. This means riding single file when faster traffic wants to pass, or staying in the right-most lane on a multi-lane road.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (1)
MGL Ch89 Sec2 paragraph1
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You must keep one hand on your handlebars at all times.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (6)
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Your brakes must be good enough to bring you to a stop, from a speed of 15 miles an hour, within 30 feet of braking. This distance assumes a dry, clean, hard, level surface.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (7)
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You must have your headlight and taillight or red reflector on if you are riding anytime from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (8)
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During the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, you must wear reflectors on both ankles if there are no reflectors on your pedals.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (9)
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During the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, you must have reflectors visible from the side.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (9)
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You must notify the police of any accident involving personal injury or property damage over $100.
MGL Ch85 Sec11b paragraph1 (11)
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When stopped for violating a traffice law, you must provide your name and address.
MGL Ch85 Sec11e paragraph1
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Motorist Responsibilities
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Motorists must stay a safe distance to the left of a bicyclist (or any other vehicle) when passing. Motorists are also prohibited from returning to the right until safety clear of the bicyclist.
MGL Ch89 Sec2 paragraph1
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Motorists must pass at a safe distance. If the lane is too narrow to pass safely, the motorist must use another lane to pass, or, if that is also unsafe, the motorist must wait until it is safe to pass.
MGL Ch89 Sec2 paragraph1
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Motorists must not drive in marked bicycle lanes except for the purpose of turning, passing, or parking.
MGL Ch89 Sec4B paragraph1
MGL Ch90E Sec1
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Motorists and their passengers must check for passing bicyclists before opening their door. Motorists and their passengers can be ticketed and fined up to $100 for opening car or truck doors
into the path of any other traffic, including bicycles and pedestrians.
MGL Ch90 Sec14 paragraph1
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Motorists are prohibited from making abrupt right turns (“right hooks”) at intersections and driveways after passing a cyclist.
MGL Ch90 Sec14 paragraph1
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Motorists must yield to oncoming bicyclists when making left turns. The law expressly includes yielding to bicyclists riding to the right of other traffic (e.g., on the shoulder),
where they are legally permitted but may be more difficult for motorists to see.
MGL Ch90 Sec14 paragraph1
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Motorists may not use the fact that bicyclists were riding to the right of traffic as a legal defense for causing a crash with a bicyclist.
MGL Ch90 Sec14 paragraph1
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