Thanks Arthur.  I think that clears it up for me. 

-India

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ross, Arthur" <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 10:33 am
Subject: RE: [Bikies] Bike Law Question- Clarification
To: 'Peter Hart-Brinson' <[email protected]>, India Rose Viola 
<[email protected]>
Cc: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" 
<[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, 
"[email protected]" <[email protected]>

> Peter asked <What relation does this law have to section 346.37 
> (1)(c)(2) in the Wisconsin statutes, which states in relation to red lights:
> "No pedestrian, bicyclist, or rider of an electric personal assistive 
> mobility device facing such signal shall enter the roadway unless he 
> or she can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular 
> traffic" ???>
> 
> section 346.37 (1)(c)(2) relates to bicyclists operating on sidewalks 
> and crossing the street at a crosswalk, not to bicyclists on the 
> street.  While this might not be clear to someone just reading this 
> statute, you often have to read two or more sections of the statutes 
> together to fully understand the meaning and/or situation.  Section 
> 346.02(4)(b) makes it clear that 346.37 (1)(c)(2) applies to bicyclist 
> on sidewalks.
> 
> 346.02 Applicability of chapter.
> (4) APPLICABILITY TO PERSONS RIDING BICYCLES AND MOTOR BICYCLES.
> (b) Provisions which apply to the operation of bicycles in crosswalks 
> under ss. 346.23, 346.24, 346.37 (1) (a) 2., (c) 2 and (d) 2. and 
> 346.38 do not apply to motor bicycles.
> 
> 
> The section India asked about was added a couple of years ago at the 
> request of motorcycle operators.  Bicyclists were added to gain 
> support for the change.  Basically, it allows bicyclists, 
> motorcyclists, etc. to legally cross against a red if the signal is 
> traffic actuated and the actuation system does not pick us bicyclists. 
>  This does not give bicyclists carte blanc to run red signals after stopping.
> 
> Here is the complete text, in context.
> 
> Bicyclists on the street follow 346.37(1)(c)1, 3 and 4
> 
> 346.37 Traffic−control signal legend. (1) Whenever traffic is 
> controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored 
> lights successively, or with arrows, the following colors shall be 
> used and shall indicate and apply to operators of vehicles and 
> pedestrians as follows:
> 
> (c) Red. 1. Vehicular traffic facing a red signal shall stop before 
> entering the crosswalk on the near side of an intersection, or if 
> none, then before entering the intersection or at such other point as 
> may be indicated by a clearly visible sign or marking and shall remain 
> standing until green or other signal permitting movement is shown.
> 
> 3.  Vehicular traffic facing a red signal at an intersection may, 
> after stopping as required under subd. 1., cautiously enter the 
> intersection to make a right turn into the nearest lawfully available 
> lane for traffic moving to the right or to turn left from a one−way 
> highway into the nearest lawfully available lane of a one−way highway 
> on which vehicular traffic travels to the left. No turn may be made on 
> a red signal if lanes of moving traffic are crossed or if a sign at 
> the intersection prohibits a turn. In making a turn on a red signal 
> vehicular traffic shall yield the right−of−way to pedestrians, 
> bicyclists, and riders of electric personal assistive mobility devices 
> lawfully within a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the 
> intersection.
> 
> 4. Notwithstanding subd. 1., a motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or 
> bicycle facing a red signal at an intersection may, after stopping as 
> required under subd. 1. for not less than 45 seconds, proceed 
> cautiously through the intersection before the signal turns green if 
> no other vehicles are present at the intersection to actuate the 
> signal and the operator of the motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or 
> bicycle reasonably believes the signal is vehicle actuated.   The 
> operator of a motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle proceeding 
> through a red signal under this subdivision shall yield the 
> right−of−way to any vehicular traffic, pedestrian, bicyclist, or rider 
> of an electric personal assistive mobility device proceeding through a 
> green signal at the intersection or lawfully within a crosswalk or 
> using the intersection. This subdivision does not affect any 
> authorization for a bicyclist under subd. 2.
> 
> Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator
> City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division
> 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Suite 100
> PO Box 2986
> Madison, WI  53701-2986
> 608/266-6225
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: [email protected] 
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Peter Hart-Brinson
> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:45 AM
> To: India Rose Viola
> Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 
> [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [Bikies] Bike Law Question- Clarification
> 
> What relation does this law have to section 346.37 (1)(c)(2) in the 
> Wisconsin statutes, which states in relation to red lights:
> "No pedestrian, bicyclist, or rider of an electric personal assistive 
> mobility device facing such signal shall enter the roadway unless he 
> or she can do so safely and without interfering with any vehicular 
> traffic" ???
> 
> This is the law that I thought India was referencing.
> 
> Peter
> 
> On Aug 24, 2009, at 12:49 PM, India Rose Viola wrote:
> 
> Thanks Mark.   If I am going to be breaking a rule, I want to know 
> which rule I'm breaking.
> 
> Summary: After stopping at a red light, WI cyclists have to wait 45 
> seconds to see if the light is going to change.  After 45 seconds, as 
> long as we think the light won't change unless a car trips the sensor, 
> we are permitted to proceed.
> 
> -India
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mark Clear <[email protected]<
> Date: Monday, August 24, 2009 12:41 pm
> Subject: Re: [Bikies] Bike Law Question- Clarification
> To: India Rose Viola <[email protected]<
> Cc: [email protected]<
> 
> Source:
> http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/bicycle/docs/bikelaws.pdf
> 
> "...Notwithstanding subd. 1., a motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or
> bicycle facing a red signal at an intersection may, after stopping as
> required under subd. 1. for not less than 45 seconds, proceed cautiously
> through the intersection before the signal turns green if no other
> vehicles are present at the intersection to actuate the signal and the
> operator of the motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle reasonably
> believes the signal is vehicle actuated. The operator of a motorcycle,
> moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle proceeding through a red signal under
> this subdivision shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicular traffic,
> pedestrian, bicyclist, or rider of an electric personal assistive
> mobility device proceeding through a green signal at the intersection
> or
> lawfully within a crosswalk or using the intersection."
> 
> I believe this was added to the state vehicle code in 2006.
> 
> Mark C.
> 
> On 8/24/2009 12:36 PM India Rose Viola wrote:
> I have always been under the impression that bicyclists in Madison
> are required to come to a full stop at an intersection with a red
> light, but are then permitted to proceed before the light turns green
> if there is no cross traffic.
> 
> Upon searching for this in the state and local statutes, I can't
> find anything that gives bicycles this privilege.
> 
> Anyone else have evidence to the contrary?  I am not looking for a
> debate on this- I just want to know if I risk being ticketed if I
> choose to proceed at a red light once I've come to a full stop and
> have made certain that there is no cross traffic.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> India
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