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As a driver of a motor vehicle you are required to stop or avoid any obstacles.
Your tailgating and your feeble attempts to pass us is putting lives in danger. 169.13 RECKLESS OR CARELESS DRIVING.
Subdivision 1.Reckless driving.
(a) Any person who drives any vehicle in such a manner as to indicate either a willful or a wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving and such reckless driving is a misdemeanor.
Bicycles have rights to use the road.
We have sited state statues giving bicycles rights to the road.
We have cited case law.
So all you nay Sayers, just calm down some of you are a little to hung up on this.
Most of this happens in 25 or 30mph zones as 45mph zones causally have more than enough room to accommodate both. But most of you have to go 35-40mph or faster in a 30mph zone.
Then you come up upon some bikers going 15- 25mph and your all aggressive? So cyclists are going 5-10mph under the MAX speed limit in a zone with no minimum speed limit, so what?
Bikes are not impeding traffic, they are traffic.
They are not blocking the road they are moving forward.
Impeding traffic is grid locking riding you bike at 10-15mph does not constitute statute 169.15
169.15 IMPEDING TRAFFIC; INTERSECTION GRIDLOCK.
Subdivision 1.Impeding traffic; drive at slow speed.
No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law or except when the vehicle is temporarily unable to maintain a greater speed due to a combination of the weight of the vehicle and the grade of the highway.
Subd. 2.Intersection gridlock; stop or block traffic.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a driver of a vehicle shall not enter an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal until the driver is able to move the vehicle immediately, continuously, and completely through the intersection without impeding or blocking the subsequent movement of cross traffic.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to movement of a vehicle made:
(1) at the direction of a city-authorized traffic-control agent or a peace officer;
(2) to facilitate passage of an authorized emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated; or
(3) to make a turn, as permitted under section 169.19, that allows the vehicle to safely leave the intersection.
(c) A violation of this subdivision does not constitute grounds for suspension or revocation of the violator's driver's license.
It does not mention bicycles or just vehicle it says
"motor vehicle" Lets look up the states definition of a motor vehicle, vehicle,traffic, street or highway. and bicycle. 169.011 DEFINITIONS.
Subd. 84.Traffic.
"Traffic" means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars, and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any highway for purposes of travel.
Subd. 4.Bicycle.
"Bicycle" means every device propelled solely by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels except scooters and similar devices and including any device generally recognized as a bicycle though equipped with two front or rear wheels.
Subd. 42.Motor vehicle.
"Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires. Motor vehicle does not include an electric personal assistive mobility device or a vehicle moved solely by human power.
Subd. 92.Vehicle.
"Vehicle" means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
Subd. 81.Street or highway.
"Street or highway" means the entire width between boundary lines of any way or place when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for the purposes of vehicular traffic.
ps golfgal,
Did you know that the former U.S. represenitive, Jim Oberstar is an avid cyclist, and often rides with his constituents? He is very interested in bicycling and bicycle advocacy, so you might contact his office to find out about his next Ride with Jim. Another resource is Minnesota’s Department of Transportation. I'm sure he would be eager to hear your views on the topic.
Last edited by snofarmer; 01-18-2012 at 12:14 PM..
ps golfgal,
Did you know that the former U.S. represenitive, Jim Oberstar is an avid cyclist, and often rides with his constituents? He is very interested in bicycling and bicycle advocacy, so you might contact his office to find out about his next Ride with Jim. Another resource is Minnesota’s Department of Transportation. I'm sure he would be eager to hear your views on the topic.
Wasn't Oberstar defeated by Chip Cravaack back in Nov 2010?
Yea, that's why I said former.
I'm sure he has no friends and he would know nothing about bike laws? Seeing as some will not listen to the law when we site it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghengis
Wasn't Oberstar defeated by Chip Cravaack back in Nov 2010?
Yea, that's why I said former.
I'm sure he has no friends and he would know nothing about bike laws? Seeing as some will not listen to the law when we site it.
I forgot to add that when I called the non-emergency number to report the guy having an issue with me on the road the Dispatcher told me that I was no longer needed and they were going to pursue it as attempted assault with a deadly weapon. I was surprised when the Cops called my on his cell as I thought I was out of the loop at that point.
Back to the OP's rant. Cyclists and peds pay taxes too. It's no different than EVERYONE paying for other infrastructure that not everyone uses or will ever use. We have a behemoth downtown crossway priced at over 3 mill to go across the street. I'll never use it but I get to pay for it.
Snofarmer- I found your posts to be very well written and informative. Thanks especially for all the documentation you provided. Personally, I try to stay off the roads where ever i can, even though I have a right to be there. A lot of drivers are either so aggressive or so inattentive that they scare me when I'm in a car, so I really don't want to be around them on my bike. I'd like to think that drivers' attitudes will change, but not vey hopeful. Fortunately, I don't have to commute on my bike. When I'm a driver, one thing that bugs me about people on bikes is when they play, " Now i'm a car. Now I'm a pedestrian" following traffic laws only when it suits them, running stop signs and red lights, and so on. I think that using the traffic lanes means that bikes should follow the traffic laws.
Snofarmer- I found your posts to be very well written and informative. Thanks especially for all the documentation you provided. Personally, I try to stay off the roads where ever i can, even though I have a right to be there. A lot of drivers are either so aggressive or so inattentive that they scare me when I'm in a car, so I really don't want to be around them on my bike. I'd like to think that drivers' attitudes will change, but not vey hopeful. Fortunately, I don't have to commute on my bike. When I'm a driver, one thing that bugs me about people on bikes is when they play, " Now i'm a car. Now I'm a pedestrian" following traffic laws only when it suits them, running stop signs and red lights, and so on. I think that using the traffic lanes means that bikes should follow the traffic laws.
Riders like what you are citing drive law abiding cyclists nutz. I can't stand to see riders on the sidewalk (In CA that is illegal), riding 10 across, blowing lights or stop signs etc. They are a non-motorized motorcycle for all intensive purposes as far as the law is written. We need to be better stewards of our own sport and lifestyle. I know some guys that have gotten (and deserved) very expensive tickets. The same tickets cars get.
Snofarmer- I found your posts to be very well written and informative. Thanks especially for all the documentation you provided. Personally, I try to stay off the roads where ever i can, even though I have a right to be there. A lot of drivers are either so aggressive or so inattentive that they scare me when I'm in a car, so I really don't want to be around them on my bike. I'd like to think that drivers' attitudes will change, but not vey hopeful. Fortunately, I don't have to commute on my bike. When I'm a driver, one thing that bugs me about people on bikes is when they play, " Now i'm a car. Now I'm a pedestrian" following traffic laws only when it suits them, running stop signs and red lights, and so on. I think that using the traffic lanes means that bikes should follow the traffic laws.
thanks
Did you see the new law?
A bicyclist can proceed threw a red light after stopping.
I agree it is annoying watching them blow right threw them.
I too have given up on road riding because of aggressive drivers I now only ride them lone enough to get to the single track.
that red light law.
Subd. 9. Affirmative defense relating to unchanging traffic-control signal.
(a) A person operating a bicycle or motorcycle who violates subdivision 4 by entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light has affirmative defense to that charge if the person establishes all of the following conditions:
(1) the bicycle or motorcycle has been brought to a complete stop;
(2) the traffic-control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time;
(3) the traffic-control signal is apparently malfunctioning or, if programmed or engineered to change to a green light only after detecting the approach of a motor vehicle, the signal has apparently failed to detect the arrival of the bicycle or motorcycle; and
(4) no motor vehicle or person is approaching on the street or highway to be crossed or entered or is so far away from the intersection that it does not constitute an immediate hazard.
(b) The affirmative defense in this subdivision applies only to a violation for entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control
signal against a red light and does not provide a defense to any other civil or criminal action.
It looks like I'm late to this party as this one is a couple of years old.
One more jab at the inhibiting traffic crowd.
169.18 DRIVING RULES.
(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.
As for the tax argument they siphon off a lot of the road/fuel tax for other pet projects, why not one that actually involves vehicles?
thanks
Did you see the new law?
A bicyclist can proceed threw a red light after stopping.
I agree it is annoying watching them blow right threw them.
I too have given up on road riding because of aggressive drivers I now only ride them lone enough to get to the single track.
that red light law.
Subd. 9. Affirmative defense relating to unchanging traffic-control signal.
(a) A person operating a bicycle or motorcycle who violates subdivision 4 by entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light has affirmative defense to that charge if the person establishes all of the following conditions:
(1) the bicycle or motorcycle has been brought to a complete stop;
(2) the traffic-control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time;
(3) the traffic-control signal is apparently malfunctioning or, if programmed or engineered to change to a green light only after detecting the approach of a motor vehicle, the signal has apparently failed to detect the arrival of the bicycle or motorcycle; and
(4) no motor vehicle or person is approaching on the street or highway to be crossed or entered or is so far away from the intersection that it does not constitute an immediate hazard.
(b) The affirmative defense in this subdivision applies only to a violation for entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control
signal against a red light and does not provide a defense to any other civil or criminal action.
It looks like I'm late to this party as this one is a couple of years old.
One more jab at the inhibiting traffic crowd.
169.18 DRIVING RULES.
(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.
As for the tax argument they siphon off a lot of the road/fuel tax for other pet projects, why not one that actually involves vehicles?
That new law doesn't say they can just go through any red light. They are talking about weight controlled lights where no cars are coming that are heavy enough to activate the light change. If they are at a busy intersection and there are cars waiting for lights to change, a bike rider can't just go through a red light...
snofarmer- I have heard some discussion in Minneapolis about allowing bikes to proceed through red lights after a compete stop, and to allow bikes to roll through stop signs. I think that might make some sense, not unlike the right turn on red law. I'm not sure how you protect a motor vehicle operator from liability if they hit someone who uses this privilege shall we say unwisely. I don't think this is the law; it was, I think, a city ordinance that was proposed. I"m not sure where that all ended up.
While living in Duluth I nearly hit a handful of bicyclists. Imagine the bicycling of Minneapolis but in crazy Duluth where there is no infrastructure for bicyclists (no bike paths or lanes, no trail connectiveness.
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