Motorists, bicyclists need to share road

To the male driver in the silver compact who drove less than 2 feet from me (and another cyclist) on Bottle Bay Road near the Lignite railroad crossing: Thanks for the tips on where a bicyclist should be riding.

Here is an excerpt from the Idaho driver manual:

A typical 12-foot-wide travel lane is not wide enough to safely share with a bicyclist. Cycling instructors and riding manuals teach bicyclists to ride at least 3 feet from the edge of pavement to avoid accumulated edge debris and have enough space to the right, away from traffic, for an emergency maneuver. Three feet is the minimum passing space that motorists should leave when passing a bicyclist. Higher speeds require more passing space. Always wait until you can see oncoming traffic and then safely pass by moving partially or fully into the other lane. This delay is usually brief.

Be patient. The design of some streets and highways requires that, for safety, bicyclists must occupy the travel lane by riding in the center, not to the right. Do not tailgate the bicyclist. These are usually brief stretches of narrow roadway where it is unsafe for a motorist to pass a bicyclist.

I apologize for the hand gesture, hopefully this helps.

C. WALSH

Sandpoint