Bicycle crossing

What it means

This sign warns that cyclists cross or join the roadway at this location, often where a bike path meets the road, where a cycle lane crosses a junction, or where cyclists regularly ride along the shoulder and enter traffic. A bicycle is small, quiet and slower than every vehicle around it, which makes it easy to miss in a scan tuned to cars. The sign asks for a scan that includes a narrow, human-powered vehicle arriving at unpredictable speeds from a path you may not have noticed.

How it gets misread

A common misread is assuming the sign governs the crossing point only and forgetting that cyclists also travel along the road toward it. Another is treating a cyclist as a pedestrian who will always yield, when on the roadway a cyclist has the rights and duties of a vehicle operator.

What to do

Slow through the area and scan both the roadway and the joining path for riders. When you see a cyclist, give them room: pass with generous lateral clearance and do not cut across their line to reach a turn. Yield to cyclists already in or entering the crossing, and check your mirror for riders approaching before you turn across the road.

More warning signs

• Slippery when wet →
• Steep grade →

Browse all road signs