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Maine law requires motorists to allow for at least a 3-foot space when passing a bicycle. If the road is straight and there is no traffic coming from the opposite direction, you can and should cross the center line to comply with the law and for the safety of the bicyclist. However, if there is a curve or hill or traffic, you may have to wait two or three minutes until you can safely pass the bicyclist.
When you’re behind the wheel, a delay of two or three minutes can feel like an eternity because of our internal rush. But when you weigh those 180 seconds against the lifelong weight of injuring someone — or even just the grueling, exhausting reality of the legal aftermath — the choice becomes incredibly clear.
Jeffrey Lovit
Addison