Cyclists and motorcyclists

Never put a cyclist or motorcyclist at risk and know your duty to be aware of them. They are especially vulnerable if there is a crash.

In particular, watch for cyclists and motorcyclists:

at junctions,
where cycle tracks merge with roads,
when you change lanes,
when opening your door to get out of a vehicle,
when stopping and turning, especially when making a left turn, and
when reversing.

The best way to take care near cyclists and motorcyclists is to use your mirrors and recheck blind spots.

Overtaking

Never cut in front of cyclists or motorcyclists when overtaking them. Give them plenty of space, especially:

in wet or windy weather,
when road conditions are icy,
when they are starting off. Cyclists tend to wobble until they build up their speed, and
when the road surface is poor. Cyclists and motorcyclists may need to avoid potholes.

Turning left

On left turns, watch out for cyclists and mopeds close to the kerb in front of you or coming up on your left. Do not overtake a cyclist as you approach a junction if you are turning left. The cyclist might be continuing straight ahead.

Turning right

When turning right through a gap in oncoming traffic (for example at a yellow box junction), watch out for cyclists who might be moving up on the inside (at the centre of the road) or might be travelling in a cycle or bus lane running in the opposite direction at the far side of the road. Also use your mirrors to check for any motorcyclists who may be overtaking you as you approach the turn.