On 1/30/2018 12:29 AM, John B. wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jan 2018 22:31:12 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 1/29/2018 8:18 PM, John B. wrote:

The bicyclist was passing on the right in violation of the Mass. law.
thus in simple terms she was in violation of he law. Had she not been
in violation of the law then the accident likely wouldn't occurred.

According to this article, that's not true. Bicycles are legally allowed
to pass on the right in Massachusetts.
http://bikexprt.com/massfacil/laws/passright.htm

Although I certainly wouldn't do it in the trucker right hook situation.
Or any other right hook situation, really.

Yes I read that, in its entirety it says:
"...The driver of a vehicle may, if the roadway is free from
obstruction and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving
vehicles, overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle when the
vehicle overtaken is (a) making of about to make a left turn, (b) upon
a one-way street, or (c) upon any roadway on which traffic is
restricted to one direction of movement."

Which would seem to disqualify a bicycle that is attempting to pass a
vehicle unless said vehicle is (a) making of about to make a left
turn, (b) upon a one-way street, or (c) upon any roadway on which
traffic is restricted to one direction of movement, as the truck
intended to make a R.H. turn, and was not on a one way street nor was
traffic restricted to one direction.

No, John, you missed it. The section of Massachusetts law cited in the
article I linked had this, which is pertinent:

"Every person operating a bicycle upon a way...may keep to the right
when passing a motor vehicle which is moving in the travel lane of the
way..."

That specifically says it's legal for a bike to pass on the right. It's
a specific law related to bicycles. Specific laws take precedence over
more general laws. So it is legal, although dangerous. As I've said it's
a move I avoid, and it's a trap I watch out for. But the victim was not
violating the law, as you claimed.

For years I've questioned the design logic of bike lanes that put
straight-ahead bicyclists to the right of right turning traffic. No
traffic engineer would do that with motor vehicle lanes. Having it
sanctioned for bicycles by Massachusetts (or any other state's) law
doesn't make the idea any better.

And some condemnation should go to the bicycle advocates that cry out
for such designs, including the growing hoard that yells for "protected
cycle tracks" everywhere. They invariably generate this same hazard.


--
- Frank Krygowski