A bicycle lane is a portion of the roadway that has been designated for the preferential use of bicyclists. Bike lanes are marked with a 6 inch stripe, periodic bike symbols and arrows, and roadside signage.
Sharrows or shared lane pavement markings are bicycle symbols that are placed in the roadway lane indicating that motorists should expect to share the lane with bicycles and vice-versa. Sharrows also serve to guide bicyclists away from the hazardous "door zone" beside parked cars, and function as positioning cues.
When a Sharrow Symbol is on the Roadway
Bicyclists should use the sharrow to guide where they ride within the travel lane:
Bicyclists should always ride in the same direction as traffic. Motorists may pass a bicyclist on the left, when safe to do so. Bicyclists should keep a straight line and not move in and out of parked cars and other obstacles. Bicyclists should ride centered over the sharrow symbol to keep a safe distance from parked cars.
When parked cars are present bicyclists should ride centered over the sharrow symbol.
When there are long stretches of roadway without parked cars present, bicyclists should ride as far to the right hand side of the roadway as practicable and vehicles allowed to safely pass.