46.2-905 - Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, motor-driven cycles, and mopeds on roadways and bicycle paths.
§ 46.2-905. Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices,electric power-assisted bicycles, motor-driven cycles, and mopeds on roadwaysand bicycle paths.
Any person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device,electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped on a roadway at less than thenormal speed of traffic at the time and place under conditions then existingshall ride as close as safely practicable to the right curb or edge of theroadway, except under any of the following circumstances:
1. When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the samedirection;
2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private roador driveway;
3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limitedto, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals,surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continuealong the right curb or edge;
4. When avoiding riding in a lane that must turn or diverge to the right; and
5. When riding upon a one-way road or highway, a person may also ride as nearthe left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as safely practicable.
For purposes of this section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane toonarrow for a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electricpower-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped and anothervehicle to pass safely side by side within the lane.
Persons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, orelectric power-assisted bicycles on a highway shall not ride more than twoabreast. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal andreasonable movement of traffic, shall move into a single file formation asquickly as is practicable when being overtaken from the rear by a fastermoving vehicle, and, on a laned roadway, shall ride in a single lane.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Department ofConservation and Recreation shall permit the operation of electric personalassistive mobility devices on any bicycle path or trail designated by theDepartment for such use.
(1974, c. 347, § 46.1-229.1; 1980, c. 130; 1981, c. 585; 1989, c. 727; 2001,c. 834; 2002, c. 254; 2003, cc. 29, 46; 2004, cc. 947, 973; 2006, cc. 529,538; 2007, cc. 209, 366.)