Montana § 61-8-605 Riding On Roadways And Paved Shoulders

Montana Statutes

§ 61-8-605 — Riding On Roadways And Paved Shoulders

Montana § 61-8-605

Title 61MOTOR VEHICLES

Ch. 8TRAFFIC REGULATION

Part 6Bicycle, Moped, and Motorized Scooter Traffic

This text of Montana § 61-8-605 (Riding On Roadways And Paved Shoulders) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-605 (2026).

Text

61-8-605 . Riding on roadways and paved shoulders.

(1)A person may operate a bicycle on a roadway or a paved shoulder. Persons operating bicycles on a paved shoulder may ride two abreast.

(2)A person operating a bicycle on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic shall ride in the right-hand lane of the roadway or a paved shoulder if it exists and provides a reasonable margin of safety, subject to the following provisions:

(a)If the right-hand lane is wide enough to be safely shared with overtaking vehicles, a bicyclist shall ride far enough to the right as judged safe by the bicyclist to facilitate the movement of overtaking vehicles unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so.

(b)A bicyclist may use a lane other than the right-hand lane when:

(i)overtaking and passing

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

61-8-605 . Riding on roadways and paved shoulders. (1) A person may operate a bicycle on a roadway or a paved shoulder. Persons operating bicycles on a paved shoulder may ride two abreast.
(2) A person operating a bicycle on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic shall ride in the right-hand lane of the roadway or a paved shoulder if it exists and provides a reasonable margin of safety, subject to the following provisions:
(a) If the right-hand lane is wide enough to be safely shared with overtaking vehicles, a bicyclist shall ride far enough to the right as judged safe by the bicyclist to facilitate the movement of overtaking vehicles unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so.
(b) A bicyclist may use a lane other than the right-hand lane when:
(i) overtaking and passing a slower vehicle;
(ii) preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;
(iii) the right-hand lane is a dedicated right-turn lane and the bicyclist does not intend to turn right; or
(iv) it is necessary to avoid a condition that makes it unsafe to ride in the right-hand lane of the roadway.
(3) A person operating a bicycle on a one-way roadway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as close to the left side of the roadway as judged safe by the bicyclist.
(4) Persons riding bicycles on a roadway shall ride in single file except when:
(a) riding on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles;
(b) overtaking and passing another bicycle;
(c) riding in a parking lane, in which case the persons may ride two abreast; or
(d) riding within a single lane on a laned roadway with at least two lanes in each direction, in which case the persons may ride two abreast only if they do not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic more than they would otherwise impede traffic by riding single file and in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(5) A bicyclist is not expected or required to ride:
(a) over or through hazards at the edge of a roadway or a paved shoulder, including but not limited to fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or narrow lanes; or
(b) without a reasonable margin of safety on the right side of the roadway or a paved shoulder.

Legislative History

En. Sec. 85, Ch. 263, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 110, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 32-2188; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 508, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 450, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 169, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 208, Ch. 542, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 255, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 374, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 23, L. 2025.