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Part 1- Bicyclists and the Law   Bicyclists have full rights and responsibilities on the roadway and are subject to the regulations governing the operation of a motor vehicle.

 

Part 2 - Pedestrians and the Law  Pedestrians have the right of way at crosswalks, intersections and driveways but must yield to motorists when crossing at any place other than a marked crosswalk.

 

Part 3 - Motorists Responsibilities (PDF)

Motorists also have responsibilities in interactions with bicyclists and pedestrians. Under North Carolina law, bicycles are considered vehicles and should be treated just like other vehicles.[§20-4.01 (49)], [§20-171.1], and [§20-171.8] All the statutes mentioned in this section that refer to "vehicles" should be interpreted to refer to both motor vehicles and bicycles, unless by its nature the law cannot apply to bicycles.

 

Unfortunately, not all bicyclists behave like vehicle operators, so motorists should make every effort to avoid a collision since the bicyclist is more likely to be injured or killed in a crash. In particular, motorists should watch out for children on bicycles because they sometimes behave unpredictably.