Drivers, watch out: These rules apply in the bicycle lane
Created: 01/21/2022, 14:16
By: Anne Hund
There are now cycle streets in many cities – like here in Münster.
© Guido Kirchner/dpa
Everyone knows the sign with the white bike in the blue circle.
But not everyone obeys the traffic rules on Germany's cycle lanes.
In many German
cities
, they are taking up more and more space: the so-called
bicycle streets
.
They can be set up where
cycling
has or should have priority, according to
ADAC.de.
Prime example: “In
In November 2019, Munich already had 84 cycle lanes with a total length of 39 kilometers, and more are to follow," as the ADAC reports on its website.
This puts the Bavarian state capital
in first place
nationwide .
Sign with a white bicycle in a blue circle
If the bicycle street sign - i.e. the
sign with the white bicycle in a blue circle
(sign 244.1) - marks a street, only bicycles* and
e-scooters
have a place there.
Unless an
additional sign
expressly allows other vehicles such as
cars
,
motorcycles
or that
residents are allowed to drive here
.
According to the expert organization Dekra of the German Press Agency (dpa).
Also read:
Many drivers don't know: How fast can you actually drive on play streets?
These rules of the StVO apply in the Fahrradstraße
What
speed
is allowed on the
bicycle
street?
"The Road Traffic Act (StVO) allows a
maximum speed of 30 km/h in cycle streets"
,
it says
on
ADAC.de.
Cars and motorcycles should not obstruct or endanger the cycle path, provided they are also allowed to drive there.
"So you are not allowed to push when
cyclists are riding next
to each other - which is expressly permitted here."
Are cars allowed to park in the bicycle street?
The right-before-left
rule also applies on Fahrradstraße
– unless the signs indicate otherwise.
But be careful: "Cycling traffic can also be given the right of way if the sidewalk of the bicycle
road runs
uninterrupted over the road leading to it or if the
curbs are lowered
," explains the ADAC on its website.
Cars and motorcycles are then allowed to
park
in cycle lanes , unless the on-site signage says otherwise.
However, drivers should be careful when opening doors here and don't forget to look to the rear.
Also interesting:
Rare traffic sign: Overtaking by bicycles is prohibited here
What is the difference to 30 km/h zones?
So cyclists get even more space in the Fahrradstraße.
The situation is a little different in the 30 km/h zone: while cyclists are generally allowed to ride next to each other in cycle lanes, according to the ADAC, this is only permitted in 30 km/h zones “if this does not obstruct traffic”.
In contrast to
cycle lanes
and
protective
lanes, the
entire width of the lane is
reserved
for cycle traffic in cycle
streets.
The bicycle zones have also been possible since 2020
Since 2020, it has also been possible to set up so-called
bicycle zones
, as the ADAC experts further describe.
The city of Bremen is a pioneer here with a newly created bicycle zone that extends over
12 streets and around 2.5 kilometers of road
space .
In such bicycle zones, "the
same rules apply
as in bicycle streets ,
only extended to an entire zone," says
ADAC.de.
(ahu) *tz.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.