For instance, in North Carolina, bicycles are defined by law as vehicles meaning that bicyclists are extended the rights and protections already granted to cars. Additionally, North Carolina's Bicycle & Bikeway Act requires the NCDOT to develop a state-wide bike highway system. Sounds to me like North Carolina is a pretty good place for a bicyclist.
Alternatively, in Alabama, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, the legal language is not only more ambiguous than that of the NCDOT, but the four states have nearly identical language.
We are lucky to be hear in Utah, a state that takes bicycle safety very seriously. I say we are lucky because yesterday, a vehicle passed two of our cyclists very closely over a double yellow line on a huge downhill and then brake checked the pair. Brake checking means that he immediately stomped on his brakes once he was in front of them. Unfortunately, one of the cyclists was not able to slow in time and clipped the rear right corner of the driver's bumper. The rider suffered some road rash and the driver called the police in the hopes that the police might maintain that the bicyclist was at fault. Thankfully, the police cited the driver and the bicyclist is okay. Additionally, the biking community here in Utah is very connected and the Southern Utah Bicycle Coalition has offered to pay for the rider'a bike repairs.
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