Q: Could you explain how drivers should handle passing cyclists on two-lane roads with a double yellow? Some stretches go for miles so drivers have to pass them at some point. Honking seems rude but they never pull over to let drivers pass.
A: I agree; honking does seem rude. It’s also not a great idea to startle someone on two wheels. Beyond courtesy, the law only allows the use of the horn, “when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation.” Horns are for alerting people of impending hazards, not for requesting more access to the road (although I imagine there might be times when one goes with the other.)
You weren’t really asking about honking, so here’s the law-based response to how to pass a cyclist on roads with a double yellow: you don’t. The Revised Code of Washington has several laws that limit passing, and the law is clear that in a no-passing zone “no driver may at any time drive on the left side of the roadway.”
As a traffic safety nerd, I advocate for following the law. However, I’m also a realist. Oh yeah, I’m also a cyclist, and I know firsthand that many drivers aren’t willing to follow a cyclist at 15 mph on a road with a 40 mph speed limit for miles, waiting for a passing zone.
When I read this question, I thought of a stretch of road I often ride. It’s a gently winding two-lane road following a shoreline. The route is about two miles long with no shoulders, entirely a no-passing zone. When I say no shoulder, I mean in some spots there are plants of not unsubstantial size growing through the fog line, so cyclists really have no option but to be in the lane, with no space to pull over for cars. There are no good opportunities for drivers to pass another car going a few miles below the 40 mph speed limit, but the visibility is actually decent, and I’ve been passed many times by drivers who wait for a good opportunity, leave me plenty of room, and drive well past me before moving back into the lane.
I’ve also ridden on hilly roads where the view ahead is so limited that there’s no way a driver can tell if a vehicle coming in the opposite direction is about to crest the next hill. I know, also based on experience, that when a driver decides to pass a cyclist in this situation and then is faced with an oncoming car, no matter how much they care about the cyclist, the instinct for self-preservation will force a driver to veer away from the oncoming car, and into the person on the bike.
In both situations the drivers disregarded the law, but they didn’t create the same level of hazard. Every time you drive, whether you think about it or not, you take on some risk. Each driving decision you make either increases or mitigates some of that risk. You’re also sharing the road with other users; drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians; some of whom consider the risks, and some who don’t. Like it or not, when you drive, the law expects you to do so in a manner that cares for everyone else.
I’ll say again that passing in a no-passing zone is a violation of the law. If you decide to pass a cyclist anyway, ask yourself; can I safely pass here, considering all the circumstances, or do I want to pass just because I’m impatient? Always trade a few seconds or minutes for safely getting where you’re going.
I’d have liked this answer better if, as a fellow cyclist, you acknowledged that sometimes, as a cyclist, the graceful thing to do is to pull off and let the 4-wheelers go by. Less stressful the cyclist, safer for everyone. People who don’t ride, do not understand how intimidating a trailing car can be, or one that passes too closely. Let ’em by whenever possible, that’s my policy.