How much room do cyclists need on either side of themselves as a safety zone?
- 2 metres
- 5 metres
- 3 metres
- 1 metre ✓
Answer: D. 1 metre
Cyclists get a safety zone of at least 1 metre of space when you pass them.
Why this is the answer
The handbook states that when you pass a cyclist, pedestrian or other vulnerable road user, you must leave at least 1.0 metre of space. It also notes this is the law, not just a courtesy. Two related figures appear in the same passage: 1.5 metres applies on roads with speed limits above 50 km/h, and 0.5 metre applies when the person is on a sidewalk or protected cycle lane. The general passing margin is therefore the 1 metre figure.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. 2 metres — Two metres is more than the handbook requires for a normal pass; the stated general minimum is 1.0 metre, with 1.5 metres only on roads above 50 km/h.
- B. 5 metres — Five metres is not a distance the handbook gives for passing a cyclist at all.
- C. 3 metres — Three metres does not appear in the handbook's passing rules, which set 1.0 metre generally and 1.5 metres at higher speeds.
Remember it
Picture a car door's width between you and the rider: about 1 metre in town, and give a bit more on faster roads.
Official handbook: ICBC Learn to Drive Smart, Chapter 6: sharing the road – Cyclists, p. 87