Max Thaysen/ Cortes Currents - Cortes Currents has received several reports of drivers passing cyclists without due care. Currents sought to increase clarity on what is expected of cyclists and drivers who wish to operate their vehicles safely and follow the laws of British Columbia. And so we reached Corporal Chris Voller at the Quadra island detachment of the RCMP for advice on the matter.Corporal Voller was pleased to discuss legal and safety matters around cyclist-driver interactions.To begin, Corporal Voller recommends that bicycles make themselves as visible as possible, he says “visibility is everything”. In addition to high-visibility outerwear – he suggests riding defensively. Visibility isn’t just about colour and brightness – but also bicycle position on the road. “If you’re in the middle of a straight stretch, one meter off the side of the road is great.” Voller says. But on a sharp corner, he recommends riding more toward the centre or left-of-centre of the right-hand lane in order to give other vehicles a chance to see you earlier and adjust their speed appropriately in response.Voller says bicycles are allowed to ‘take the lane’ – and as far as the motor vehicle act is concerned, they are treated just like a car or truck. Corporal Voller points out that cyclists are expected to follow all the rules of signaling and obeying traffic signs that are required by the regulations affecting vehicles in the Motor Vehicle Act of BC. Passing a bicycleSimilarly, passing a bicycle is really no different than passing a car – you may pass with caution, when it is safe to do so, on our single-yellow-line, two-lane highways. If it is not safe to pass, that is a violation of the motor-vehicle act and may result in a ticket and points on your license. The Motor Vehicle Act has several ticket-able offences related to passing other vehicles.