Oregon Bicycling Manual - Ride to the Right or Take the Lane? (pp. 15-16)
In most traffic and road conditions, the rules of the road require you to ride on the right side of the road. In some conditions it is best to ride closer to the center and “take the lane.” In Oregon, if there is a bicycle lane on a street you are required to ride in it, except:
• When avoiding hazards
• When avoiding parked cars
• When a lane is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely side by side
• When making a left turn
• To avoid conflicts with right-turning cars.
• On a one-way street, you may ride on the left as long as you are riding with traffic.
When there is no bicycle lane, it is generally best to ride on the right side of the road, but this doesn’t mean that you have to be right up against the curb or edge of the road. Riding too close to the curb or edge of the road can be dangerous if you hit the curb or hit the roadway edge and lose your balance, causing you to fall. If there is no bicycle lane or shoulder and the vehicle travel lane is narrow, you should ride closer to the center of the traffic lane. Many times this means riding in the lane about where a passenger in a car would be sitting (slightly to the right of center). This will discourage people driving from passing you when there isn’t room. If you’re traveling at the same speed as traffic, positioning yourself closer to the center of a narrow lane will keep you out of people’s blind spots and reduce conflicts with right-turning traffic.