A bicycle is a vehicle and must be treated the same as buses, large trucks, motorcycles and cars. This means that cyclists need to operate their bicycles like other vehicles on the road. Motorists must also respect a cyclist's right to ride on the street. Here are some tips to make everyone's road experience safer and more enjoyable.

Share the Road [ PDF 349 KB ]

Cyclists

Sharing with Motorists

Follow the rules of the road at all times.

Be bright at night! Use a headlight, taillight, reflectors and light-coloured or retro-reflective clothing so motorists can see you.

Motorists may not anticipate a cyclist, so ride defensively.

Never compromise your safety for the convenience of a motorist.

Where possible, ride in a straight line and avoid dodging between parked cars, into bus bays or around obstacles.

Know where you are going and look ahead to position yourself in the correct lane. Avoid being in a "right turn only" lane if you plan to proceed straight through an intersection.

Sharing with Pedestrians

Stay off sidewalks.

Yield to pedestrians at crossings.

Stay out of crosswalks when waiting at intersections - stopping here forces pedestrians into traffic.

Watch for pedestrians when pulling into or out of driveways, parking lots or anywhere you have to ride across a sidewalk.

Keep an eye out for pedestrians when turning, especially on one-way streets. While vehicles may only travel in one direction, pedestrians cross both ways.

Be especially careful where children might be walking - near schools, day cares and pathways.

Watch for pedestrians on roads that don't have sidewalks. They should be walking on the shoulder facing on-coming traffic.

Sharing with Buses

Avoid riding in the blind spots at the sides and rear of the bus where the operator cannot see you. If you can't see the operator's eyes in the bus's mirror, she or he can't see you.

Stay well back and to the left side of the bus and remember that buses make frequent stops.

Always pass a bus on the left side. Don't get trapped between the bus and the curb.

Allow plenty of room when passing a bus, and never race.

Avoid repeat passes ('leap-frogging').

Stay out of bus bays when cycling.

On Albert and Slater Streets ride in the far left lane to reduce conflict with turning vehicles. To make a right turn, signal and change lanes one at a time.

Sharing with Trucks

When stopping behind a truck, remember that it may need space to roll back when it starts up again, especially on a hill.

See and be seen: trucks have large blind spots on both sides, directly behind and in front. Stay away from these areas as much as possible. If you're cycling behind a truck and you can't see one of its side-view mirrors, the truck driver can't see you.

Give turning trucks lots of room. Never pull up into the open space on a truck's side if the driver has signalled a turn because the driver may be setting up or completing a turn.

The size of the truck will directly affect the size of the blind spots, length of time it takes to stop, and the amount of space needed for turns.

Motorists

Follow the rules of the road at all times.

Bicycles are considered vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act, so treat them as you would any other vehicle on the road.

Cyclists generally ride in the right-most through lane, about one metre from the curb or parked cars.

People who ride bicycles are not obligated to use bike lanes or pathways, and are entitled to cycle on all roads in Ottawa except the Transitway, Highways 416, 417 and Regional Road 174 (to Orléans).

Motorists are prohibited from driving or parking in all designated bicycle lanes.

When passing a cyclist, the Highway Traffic Act requires that you leave a safe distance between your car and the bicycle. Extra passing distance should be given when slippery road conditions exist.

Cyclists are entitled to ride in the centre of a lane when they feel it is too narrow for a motor vehicle to pass them, or if they feel their safety is compromised.

Slow down or avoid puddles when passing cyclists.

Cyclists can ride on either the paved road, paved shoulder or unpaved shoulder in rural areas.

Drivers of larger vehicles should be cautious of blasting a cyclist with winds when passing, especially on dusty roads.

As a reminder about sharing the road, you can watch the following videos:

E-bikes

Effective October 3, 2009, conventional style and scooter-style e-bikes that meet the definition of a power-assisted bicycle, as described above, are permitted on roads and highways where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. They must follow the same rules of the road as set out in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) that currently apply to cyclists, with some exceptions.

For use in the Province of Ontario, a power-assisted bicycle, or e-bike, is a bicycle that:

Has a maximum weight of 120 kg (includes the weight of bike and battery)

Has wheels with a diameter of at least 350 mm and width of at least 35 mm

Meets the federal definition of a power-assisted bicycle:

Has steering handlebars and is equipped with pedals Is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground Is capable of being propelled by muscular power Has one or more electric motors that have, singly or in combination, the following characteristics: It has a total continuous power output rating, measured at the shaft of each motor, of 500 W or less If it is engaged by the use of muscular power, power assistance immediately ceases when the muscular power ceases If it is engaged by the use of an accelerator controller, power assistance immediately ceases when the brakes are applied It is incapable of providing further assistance when the bicycle attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground Bears a label that is permanently affixed by the manufacturer and appears in a conspicuous location stating, in both official languages, that the vehicle is a power-assisted bicycle as defined federally Has one of the following safety features, an enabling mechanism to turn the electric motor on and off that is separate from the accelerator controller and fitted in such a manner that it is operable by the driver, or a mechanism that prevents the motor from being engaged before the bicycle attains 3 km/hr.



Do all e-bikes look like bicycles?

E-bikes may resemble conventional bicycles, or resemble scooters and limited-speed motorcycles as illustrated below.

Effective October 3, 2009, conventional style and scooter-style e-bikes that meet the definition of a power-assisted bicycle, as described above, are permitted on roads and highways where conventional bicycles are currently allowed. They must follow the same rules of the road as set out in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) that currently apply to cyclists, with some exceptions.

On what roads can an e-bike travel?

E-bikes are allowed to travel anywhere bicycles are permitted to travel. Any municipal by-law prohibiting bicycles from highways under their jurisdiction also apply to e-bikes. Municipalities may also pass by-laws specific to e-bikes that prohibit them from municipal roads, sidewalks, bike paths, bike trails, and bike lanes under their jurisdiction.

E-bikes, like bicycles, are not allowed on controlled-access highways such as 400 series highways, the Queen Elizabeth Way, the Queensway in Ottawa or the Kitchener-Waterloo Expressway, or on municipal roads, including sidewalks where bicycles are banned under municipal by-laws.