VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — When you can cross on a double-yellow line can sometimes be a confusing rule of the road.

What You Need To Know

  • Steve Brackett said some drivers don’t give enough clearance when passing him on his unicycle

  • Florida law states drivers can’t cross on a double-yellow line, but it also states drivers must give cyclists 3 feet of clearance when passing

  • A Volusia County sheriff’s spokesperson says drivers can pass cyclists on double-yellow line as long as it’s safe to do so

Steve Brackett uses his unicycle on John Anderson Drive in the Ormond Beach area. Since there are no sidewalks, Brackett rides in the travel lane.

“Most of the people are doing what they’re supposed to,” Brackett said. “But then one will come by and you’ll feel the wind. They’re so close to you.”

As drivers approach him, some are confused, Brackett said.

Some drivers will wait behind him. Others will go over the double-yellow line to pass.

And then a few won’t budge from the lane but still pass.

“They just keep trying to push the pedestrians off to the side," he said. "They don’t slow down or, even if nobody is coming the other way, they won’t move over a little bit.”

A Volusia County spokesperson said John Anderson Drive is an older road, not designed for pedestrians. Adding sidewalks or bike lanes would require a significant amount of right-of-way acquisition from properties along the street.

While Florida law says drivers can’t cross a double-yellow line, the law also states drivers must give a minimum of 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicycle.

“It’s confusing in the driver’s handbook in Florida,” Brackett said.

So which rule outweighs the other?

A spokesperson for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said it’s OK for drivers to cross the double-yellow line to pass a cyclist at a 3-foot distance, as long as it’s safe to do so.

Passing a cyclist by 3 feet usually means your car should be almost completely in the other lane, Brackett said.

Volusia County’s Traffic Engineering division plans to assess the area for potential signs to give drivers notice of bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

Some other issues regarding passing on a double-yellow line were explained in an earlier article.

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