I thought I might share some information with those of you interested in this issue. This is my first posting on the forum. I apologize for the length of this. I hope it's not too long. I'm an avid cyclist and also a crime prevention specialist with the Mpls. Police Dept. I coach a youth cycling team and try to teach kids bicycle safety, including how to ride in traffic safely. I know from a lot of personal experience that there are both "bad" drivers and "bad" cyclists out there. I've had angry drivers honking and swearing at me because I was riding on the right hand side of the road where I am supposed to be. I've had people screaming out their car windows that I was supposed to be on the sidewalk,- which I am not. I've had drivers honking because I "took the lane", just as a car would in order to make a left turn. This is the safest way for a bicycle to make a left hand turn in traffic and is perfectly legal. With minor exceptions, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as cars.
There is a certain amount of road rage out there. I will offer that I believe we must give bicyclists a little leeway because they are so much more vulnerable on the road than a car. When a bicycle bounces off a car, the car and driver don't usually suffer much. The cyclist may be seriously injured. That said, bicyclists are required to obey the law just as cars are. Below are a couple of sections of state law relevent to this discussion. Bicycle Laws Minnesota Statutes, section 169.222, subdivision 4 (below). Subdivision 4. Riding on roadway or shoulder. (a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations: (i) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction; (ii) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; (iii) when reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, including fixed or moving objects, vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or narrow width lanes, that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. (b) If a bicycle is traveling on a shoulder of a roadway, the bicycle shall travel in the same direction as adjacent vehicular traffic. (c) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway or shoulder shall not ride more than two abreast and shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane. (d) A person operating a bicycle upon a sidewalk, or across a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal when necessary before overtaking and passing any pedestrian. No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district unless permitted by local authorities. Local authorities may prohibit the operation of bicycles on any sidewalk or crosswalk under their jurisdiction. (e) An individual operating a bicycle or other vehicle on a bikeway shall leave a safe distance when overtaking a bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on the bikeway, and shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or individual. A person lawfully operating a bicycle on a sidewalk, or across a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances. Minnesota Statutes 169.18, subdivision 3 (below) Subdivision 3. Passing. The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to the limitations, exceptions, and special rules hereinafter stated: (1) the driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; (2) except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible warning, and shall not increase the speed of the overtaken vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle; and (3) the operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on the roadway shall leave a safe distance, but in no case less than three feet clearance, when passing the bicycle or individual and shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or individual. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 12:04 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] Cycling in Minneapolis > > Steve Sumner: > However, it seems to me that a lot of bicyclists have a purposeful > disregard > for even the most basic of traffic laws. I have even heard a few tell me > that the laws don't apply to them. It seems that every time I see a > bicyclist on the road they don't regard the laws at all. It doesn't even > seem that they pay attention at intersections (the example that I cited of > near misses). Typically, with all due respect to the people who emailed > me, > the argument that "car drivers break laws too" has been one that I've > heard > from the people who say the laws don't apply to them. > Point: Everyone needs obey the traffic laws, even bicyclists. > > Kris: > It seems to me you don't make your point very well when you go on to lump > all bicyclists (or at least all the ones you see!) into a "laws don't > apply > to me" category. As a road cyclist and racer I am bummed out to be lumped > in that category. I have lots of personal experience with reckless > endangerment by vehicles on the roads of Minneapolis but not by all > motorist that I see! I have also experienced cyclists and motorists that > do not obey traffic laws. > > Instead of pitting cyclists against drivers (most do both!), report > reckless driving of any individual vehicle if it makes you feel better. > In > MN, a bicycle is considered a legal road vehicle, and just like road > vehicles, has certain rights and must obey all traffic laws. See MN > statutes (69.222?) if you are curious about bicycling rights and > obligations on the roads. Also, no matter how mad you are at that cyclist > on your road, you have a legal obligation not to endanger them. No matter > what. > > Email me directly if you would like information on Minneapolis cycling > resources and I'll try to help out. > road cycling can be a silent sport too! > Kris Musser > Linden Hills > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
