{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-905.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-905.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-905.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-905.html"}],"law_id":63829,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63829,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-905","catch_line":"Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, motorized skateboards or scooters, and mopeds on roadways and bicycle paths","history":"1974, c. 347, \u00a7 46.1-229.1; 1980, c. 130; 1981, c. 585; 1989, c. 727; 2001, c. 834; 2002, c. 254; 2003, cc. 29, 46; 2004, cc. 947, 973; 2006, cc. 529, 538; 2007, cc. 209, 366; 2013, c. 783; 2019, c. 780; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 462; 2022, c. 341.","full_text":"Any person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place under conditions then existing shall ride as close as safely practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following circumstances:\n\n1\n\nWhen overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;2\n\nWhen preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;3\n\nWhen reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right curb or edge;4\n\nWhen avoiding riding in a lane that must turn or diverge to the right; and5\n\nWhen riding upon a one-way road or highway, a person may also ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as safely practicable.\n\t\t\tFor purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a lane too narrow for a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped and another vehicle to pass safely side by side within the lane.\n\t\t\tPersons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, or motorized skateboards or scooters on a highway shall not ride more than two abreast. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and shall move into a single-file formation as quickly as is practicable when being overtaken from the rear by a faster-moving vehicle. However, the failure to move into a single-file formation shall not constitute negligence per se in any civil action. This section shall not change any existing law, rule, or procedure pertaining to any such civil action, nor shall this section bar any claim that otherwise exists.\n\t\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Conservation and Recreation shall permit the operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices on any bicycle path or trail designated by the Department for such use.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":232531,"text":"Any person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place under conditions then existing shall ride as close as safely practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following circumstances:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":232532,"text":"When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":232533,"text":"When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":232534,"text":"When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right curb or edge;","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":232535,"text":"When avoiding riding in a lane that must turn or diverge to the right; and","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":232536,"text":"When riding upon a one-way road or highway, a person may also ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as safely practicable.\n\t\t\tFor purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a lane too narrow for a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped and another vehicle to pass safely side by side within the lane.\n\t\t\tPersons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, or motorized skateboards or scooters on a highway shall not ride more than two abreast. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and shall move into a single-file formation as quickly as is practicable when being overtaken from the rear by a faster-moving vehicle. However, the failure to move into a single-file formation shall not constitute negligence per se in any civil action. This section shall not change any existing law, rule, or procedure pertaining to any such civil action, nor shall this section bar any claim that otherwise exists.\n\t\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Conservation and Recreation shall permit the operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices on any bicycle path or trail designated by the Department for such use.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14963,"edition_id":1,"name":"Bicycles","identifier":"12","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12875,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:08","permalink":{"id":230435,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14963,"identifier":"12","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/12\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12875,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Traffic","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":230189,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12875,"identifier":"8","token":"46.2\/III\/8","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12827,"edition_id":1,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12827,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83630,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-903","catch_line":"Riding or driving vehicles on sidewalks; exceptions","url":"\/46.2-903\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-903","metadata":false},{"id":81222,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-904","catch_line":"Use of roller skates and skateboards on sidewalks and shared-use paths; operation of bicycles and certain motorized and electric items and devices on sidewalks, crosswalks, and shared-use paths; local ordinances","url":"\/46.2-904\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-904","metadata":false},{"id":80684,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-904.1","catch_line":"Electric power-assisted bicycles","url":"\/46.2-904.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-904.1","metadata":false},{"id":63829,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-905","catch_line":"Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, motorized skateboards or scooters, and mopeds on roadways and bicycle paths","url":"\/46.2-905\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-905","metadata":false},{"id":81404,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-906","catch_line":"Carrying articles or passengers on bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds","url":"\/46.2-906\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-906","metadata":false},{"id":80855,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-906.1","catch_line":"Local ordinances may require riders of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, and electric power-assisted bicycles to wear helmets","url":"\/46.2-906.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-906.1","metadata":false},{"id":67237,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-907","catch_line":"Overtaking and passing vehicles","url":"\/46.2-907\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-907","metadata":false},{"id":57085,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-908","catch_line":"Registration of bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric personal delivery device, and electric power-assisted bicycle serial numbers","url":"\/46.2-908\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-908","metadata":false},{"id":85691,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-908.1","catch_line":"Electric personal assistive mobility devices, electrically powered toy vehicles, electric power-assisted bicycles, and motorized skateboards or scooters","url":"\/46.2-908.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-908.1","metadata":false},{"id":62459,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-908.1:1","catch_line":"Personal delivery devices","url":"\/46.2-908.1_1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-908.1_1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":80684,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-904.1","catch_line":"Electric power-assisted bicycles","url":"\/46.2-904.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-904.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":81404,"structure_id":14963,"section_number":"46.2-906","catch_line":"Carrying articles or passengers on bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds","url":"\/46.2-906\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-906","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-905\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1974. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 347 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1974 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 12 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1980, chapter 130; in 1981, chapter 585; in 1989, chapter 727; in 2001, chapter 834<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 254<\/a>; in 2003, chapters 29<\/a> and 46<\/a>; in 2004, chapters 947<\/a> and 973<\/a>; in 2006, chapters 529<\/a> and 538<\/a>; in 2007, chapters 209<\/a> and 366<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 783<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 780<\/a>; in 2022, chapter 341<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":230449,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63829,"identifier":"46.2-905","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-905","url":"\/46.2-905\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-905\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/12\/46.2-905","dublin_core":{"Title":"Riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, motorized skateboards or scooters, and mopeds on roadways and bicycle paths","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-905","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, motorized skateboard or scooter<\/span>, or moped<\/span> on a roadway<\/span> at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place under conditions then existing shall ride as close as safely practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway<\/span>, except under any of the following circumstances:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> When overtaking and passing another vehicle<\/span> proceeding in the same direction; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> When preparing for a left turn at an intersection<\/span> or into a private road or driveway<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects<\/span>, parked or moving vehicles<\/span>, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes<\/span> that make it unsafe to continue along the right curb or edge; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> When avoiding riding in a lane<\/span> that must turn or diverge to the right; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> When riding upon a one-way road or highway<\/span>, a person may also ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway<\/span> as safely practicable.\n\t\t\tFor purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane<\/span>” is a lane<\/span> too narrow for a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, motorized skateboard or scooter<\/span>, or moped<\/span> and another vehicle<\/span> to pass safely side by side within the lane<\/span>.\n\t\t\tPersons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycles<\/span>, or motorized skateboards or scooters on a highway<\/span> shall not ride more than two abreast. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and shall move into a single-file formation as quickly as is practicable when being overtaken from the rear by a faster-moving vehicle<\/span>. However, the failure to move into a single-file formation shall not constitute negligence<\/span> per se in any civil action<\/span>. This section shall not change any existing law<\/span>, rule, or procedure pertaining to any such civil action<\/span>, nor shall this section bar any claim that otherwise exists.\n\t\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law<\/span> to the contrary, the Department<\/span> of Conservation and Recreation shall permit the operation of electric personal assistive mobility devices<\/span> on any bicycle path or trail designated by the Department<\/span> for such use. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRIDING BICYCLES, ELECTRIC PERSONAL ASSISTIVE MOBILITY DEVICES, ELECTRIC\nPOWER-ASSISTED BICYCLES, MOTORIZED SKATEBOARDS OR SCOOTERS, AND MOPEDS ON\nROADWAYS AND BICYCLE PATHS (\u00a7 46.2-905)\n\nAny person operating a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device,\nelectric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped on a\nroadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place under\nconditions then existing shall ride as close as safely practicable to the right\ncurb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following circumstances:\n\n1. When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;\n\n2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or\ndriveway;\n\n3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to,\nfixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals,\nsurface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue\nalong the right curb or edge;\n\n4. When avoiding riding in a lane that must turn or diverge to the right; and\n\n5. When riding upon a one-way road or highway, a person may also ride as near\nthe left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as safely practicable.\n\t\t\tFor purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a\nlane too narrow for a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device,\nelectric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped and\nanother vehicle to pass safely side by side within the lane.\n\t\t\tPersons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices,\nelectric power-assisted bicycles, or motorized skateboards or scooters on a\nhighway shall not ride more than two abreast. Persons riding two abreast shall\nnot impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and shall move into a\nsingle-file formation as quickly as is practicable when being overtaken from the\nrear by a faster-moving vehicle. However, the failure to move into a single-file\nformation shall not constitute negligence per se in any civil action. This\nsection shall not change any existing law, rule, or procedure pertaining to any\nsuch civil action, nor shall this section bar any claim that otherwise exists.\n\t\t\tNotwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Department of\nConservation and Recreation shall permit the operation of electric personal\nassistive mobility devices on any bicycle path or trail designated by the\nDepartment for such use.\n\nHISTORY: 1974, c. 347, \u00a7 46.1-229.1; 1980, c. 130; 1981, c. 585; 1989, c. 727;\n2001, c. 834; 2002, c. 254; 2003, cc. 29, 46; 2004, cc. 947, 973; 2006, cc. 529,\n538; 2007, cc. 209, 366; 2013, c. 783; 2019, c. 780; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 462;\n2022, c. 341.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}