Bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks and pedestrians

Key points

1. You may cross a double yellow line with no oncoming traffic if needed to give a bicyclist three feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 22

   “It is legal to cross a double yellow line with no oncoming traffic if necessary to provide a minimum of three feet of passing distance.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 22

2. If you cannot give three feet, slow down and stay behind the bicyclist until it is safe.

   Source: Handbook p. 22

   “If you are unable to give three feet, slow down and remain behind the bicyclist until it is safe to pass.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 22

3. Yield to bicyclists in intersections as you would to pedestrians and other vehicles.

   Source: Handbook p. 22

   “Yield to bicyclists in intersections as you would for pedestrians and other vehicles.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 22

4. Bicyclists 15 and older may treat stop signs as yield signs and stop lights as stop signs.

   Source: Handbook p. 23

   “bicyclists ages 15 and older may now treat stop signs as yield signs and treat stop lights as stop signs.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 23

5. Motorcycles may lane filter past stopped vehicles at no more than 15 mph.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “there is enough room for the two-wheeled motorcycle to pass safely at a speed no greater than 15 miles per hour. This is called lane filtering.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 19

6. Motorcyclists are entitled to the same full lane width as other vehicles.

   Source: Handbook p. 23

   “Motorcyclists are entitled to the same full lane width as other vehicles.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 23

7. Stay behind the white stop bar so trucks have room to turn.

   Source: Handbook p. 20

   “Stay behind white-painted stop bars at stop signs and traffic lights because many are carefully measured to give trucks the room they need for turns.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 20

8. Pedestrians have the right of way at all intersections and crosswalks, even unmarked ones.

   Source: Handbook p. 24

   “Pedestrians have the right-of-way at all intersections and crosswalks, even if the lines are not marked or painted.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 24

9. Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. The driver may be stopping for someone you cannot see.

   Source: Handbook p. 24

   “Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk because the driver may be stopping for pedestrians that you can't see.”
   Colorado Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 24

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Colorado practice test

1. 1. At a Colorado intersection or crosswalk, what must a driver do for a pedestrian?

   1. Yield and come to a complete stop so the pedestrian can pass safely
   2. Continue whenever the driver entered on a green signal
   3. Yield only when the crosswalk lines are freshly painted
   4. Sound the horn and proceed before the pedestrian reaches the lane
   Show answer

   Yield and come to a complete stop so the pedestrian can pass safely. The handbook gives pedestrians priority at all intersections and crosswalks, so the driver must stop and let the person pass safely. A green signal does not erase that duty, and the rule does not depend on newly painted lines. Honking is not a substitute for yielding and can pressure a vulnerable road user. As you approach a crossing, scan both sides, reduce speed, and be prepared to stop before entering the pedestrian's path.

2. 2. At Colorado intersections and crosswalks, which road user must drivers always yield to?

   1. Only vehicles turning left
   2. Pedestrians
   3. The largest vehicle
   4. No one when the driver signals
   Show answer

   Pedestrians. Pedestrians have the right of way at all intersections and crosswalks, and the driver must stop completely so the person can pass safely. Signaling a turn does not replace that duty, and vehicle size has no bearing on who may cross first. The handbook specifically warns drivers to watch for children, seniors, and people with disabilities. A practical cue is to scan both sides of the crossing before rolling through, even when the roadway appears quiet.

3. 3. A bicyclist riding on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk has the same rights and responsibilities as which road user?

   1. A train
   2. A parked car
   3. A maintenance vehicle
   4. A pedestrian
   Show answer

   A pedestrian. Colorado gives a bicyclist on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk the same rights and responsibilities as a pedestrian. That means a driver should look for the bicycle at the crossing and yield as required, rather than treating it like a vehicle traveling in a normal traffic lane. The parked car and train options have no connection to the rule. Scan for a bicycle entering from either side before turning across a sidewalk or crosswalk.

Source: the Colorado Driver Handbook, Sharing the Road: Bicyclists, Motorcycles and Pedestrians. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.