Annoying improper street etiquette

[bikeoutback]

I see this alot in the Richfield/Edina/Bloomington area where I work and it drives me nuts. Yesterday I left work and guy on a road bike biking down the frontage road I take between York Avenue to Penn and it's coming up to a 90 degree left turn and he is in front of me. Since it would be risky to pass him on the corner I slow down and leave him a good 5 car lengths, enough that if he bit it I could stop in time as I would do with any car in front of me. Come up to the next light and there is a left turn lane and a right turn lane, I'm going right. No signal the dude sweeps from the far right side of the lane over to the left turn lane, I'm irked but no problem as I hadn't even attempted to pass at all as I'm respecting his rights as I would any other vehicle. Light is red and instead of stop behind the car at the front of the left turn lane he slides right up next to them along their entire car length to the front of the lane going just slow enough to not stop at all till the light turns green and then both him and the car go and he makes a left turn still no signal. Maybe this is fine, I do very little road riding but when I do I prefer the respect of being treated as a vehicle with the consiousness that I'm harder to see so I keep a good eye out, signal every turn I make, take my place in lanes as a car would and try to stay where I can be seen the best. I guess since the very few times (spring) when I ride the road I'm riding in the south suburbs with no dedicated bike lanes like Minneapolis has and I try to think and act like a vehicle for the most part especially when I'm in traffic lanes and making turns and by doing so I try and garnish the respect from other drivers that they would give any other vehicle on the road, it's no wonder some drivers have a dislike of bikers on the road, I have a dislike for bikers like this guy, just creating a bad name for all of us and it only takes one.

Sorry it was long had to rant as I see this too much and it's upsetting.

[Nickel]

Pump in the spokes and throwing a copy of 'Minnesota cycling laws' on their endo'd self usually teaches them.

[Thewavebb]

To be honest.... I rarely ever signal and I don't wait in line with cars at lights. I roll all the way up and then stick to the right. I have found I piss off more cars when I slow them down in line. I don't run lights though, thats just silly. The roads are in such shatty condition that I feel less safe riding one handed while trying to signal. I'm really aggressive when I ride and actually feel safer because of it. I don't cut people off, but I dont pretend to just be car. I have been clipped and forced off the road when I do that.

[manual63]

Here is my take. If a cyclist is riding in the road, the cyclist is just like a car and should follow all the same laws. Do not pull up beside cars at lights, unless there is a bike lane or wide shoulder you are riding in. If you are using a lane, turning or not, take your place in line as if you were a car. If cars are stopped in front of you, then you should stop behind them. I actually go in the middle so they can see me with their rear view mirror.

So what if drivers get annoyed. You are doing what you are supposed to be doing. Cyclists who don't follow the laws are the ones making it tough for the rest of us. Look at it this way. If a car or motorcycle ran a light/stop sign or pulled along side of you at a stop, you would get a bit annoyed. So why should you do it on a bicycle?

In the interest of making commuting better for cyclists, I wish cyclists would follow the laws, just like I want cars to follow them. Roadies seem to be the ones who give us a bad rap. Not all of them, but I do see the fully sponsor clad racer types blow stop lights and ignore pretty much all the other laws. That is annoying. If they want to train and not stop, they should go on a path the has few or no crossings or stops....there are plenty around. Gateway, Greenway, LRT......and so on.

[berrywise]

I go two ways. If I'm going straight I ride along the right side of the road all the way to the front and stop at the light (leaving room on my left for cars turning right if need be) . If I'm turning I usually jump in the lane and just stay there and make sure to be in the right gear to accelerate fast enough to make the turn.

[Heuy]

If I'm turning I usually jump in the lane and just stay there and make sure to be in the right gear to accelerate fast enough to make the turn.


I stay in my lane especially in crowded streets. With the Cedar lake trail under construction I wind up riding Hennipen out to and past Dunwoody. Its so stoplight to stoplight that if I leave a little room in fron of me and anticipate when the cars are taking off I can keep up with traffic for the most part and behave like a car following the rules.

however, I do change what I do to fit the practical reality of the specific situation.

As far as riding up alongside of cars....

Yeah, nobody signals their turns in this town, thats a good way to have someone take a right-hander right on top of you.

[Pandl]

If there is a right turn lane, with a stop light that is red, I will ride to the right of the cars going straight, so cars could drive by on my right and turn. When the light turns green, I pull out and move back into the shoulder out of everyone's way. Left turns I pull up to the right of the left turners.

Maybe not the law, but most convenient for everyone.

[qheuie]

I see this alot in the Richfield/Edina/Bloomington area where I work and it drives me nuts. ...
...
Sorry it was long had to rant as I see this too much and it's upsetting.

Don't forget about the guy(s) that blow right through the 4 way stop on York just to the south of 494. Intersection fully loaded, they ride up the right side and go through the stop as if they own the place. I have almost clipped them ( northbounders ) more than once when I am turning left ( off southbound york ) onto the frontage road in front of target.

[bikeoutback]

I guess to each is own, this is why I just stick to the dirt as much as possible, road is too confusing and too dangerous for me. I ride my bike to enjoy myself and all the factors to worry about on the road I get enough of behind the wheel of a vehicle.

[stoneage]

I get angry when I see riders who should know better blowing lights and signs. If they are wearing a local team kit, I say something to them, if possible. If I can talk to a red light runner downtown, I just point out how they would feel if a car did that to them. (Insert blank stare here). Then I point out that they ARE a vehicle with all the responsibilities that go with it, and they are making ALL cyclists look bad with their behavior. (Insert FU here). Have a good day and try to obey the law. Thank you. :)

[syntaxjunkie]

In deference to those who believe otherwise (I respect your point of view), I've found that regardless of what the laws say, people in cars will seldom treat you the same as any other vehicle.

They will not recognize or respect your right to operate in your own lane of traffic. They will seldom signal their intentions to turn or change lanes. Basically, you're doing well if they see you at all.

I can't condone or defend blowing off or blowing through stoplights or stop signs. It's something I'm trying to do less of. And I agree that if you're going to share the road with cars, you should do your best to obey the same laws they do. But because there's little moral higher ground and no practical value in becoming a hood ornament, I reserve the right to bend those laws to protect myself. Just as drivers who bend them threaten my safety.

Oh, and anyone who double-parks in a bike lane while waiting to pick somebody up in front of an office building downtown should have a rabid wolverine tossed in their lap. Just one biker's opinion.

[chervianne]

Last ride at Wirth - Three cyclists on one side of 55 and two on the other side of 55 patiently waiting for the light to turn when the worst rider on the trail (walked the last ramps and rock garden) catches up and blows through the red light. Grrrr... not cool! :banghead:
Bikes are supposed to follow the rules of automobiles. How many people have actually been able to trigger a left turn signal with the mighty heft of their bicycles? Me neither. Bikes cannot solely follow the rules of automobiles.
If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, did it really fall? If a biker blows a stop sign when nobody else was around, does anybody care? There's a time and place where it works; it is never at rush hour.
When there is a car around and there is a question regarding the next move, without established eye contact with that driver the cyclist is a fool to continue.
iPod while riding on the road equals potential Darwin award finalist. :crazy:

[bakkeb]

This is why I don't ride on the road. Driver's don't see you. I'm lucky. I live in Eagan where they have miles of paved bike trails. I call it "Tour of Eagan". That's how I train in the spring. Screw the roads. Too many soccer moms in giant Excursions/Suburbans, talking on there cell phones while eating and changing the dvd for the kids in the back seat. I can't compete with that on the road. For the same reason I think people who drive motorcycles are crazy, goes for people who ride there bikes on the road and think they are gonna be okay. You'll get hit eventually. I used to drive a huge, white, Econoline van for work and people almost ran into me. What makes me think they will see a bicycle. I don't care how much equipment you wear, you are no match for a car. No thanks, and good luck!!!:etard:

[gordanfreeman]

1) i believe the law states that if there is room to the right of a vehicle, anything that can fit between that vehicle and the curb is lawfully allowed to take the space. so cutting to the front of the line on the right side of the road is completely legit.

2) you are also required to signal your turns while on a bike, but only if signaling will not put the cyclist at risk of losing control of their bike. i'd like to see someone else tell me when i can or cannot keep control of my bicycle.

as someone who rides a bike almost everywhere i go, riding in the suburbs is a completely different ball-game than riding in the city. yes, getting hit is pretty much inevitable when riding in traffic if you do it long enough. hitting a tree or casing a landing is pretty inevitable while riding off-road if you do it long enough too, i'd say. while i do not enjoy riding my bike in suburb traffic, i never think twice about riding in in the road while in Mpls/StP. just gotta learn to put yourself first, always. similar to what charles mentioned earlier.

[stoneage]

trigger a left turn signal
There is a "Harley law' in MN. If the light doesn't change because the sensor didn't recognize you, you have the right to turn if it is clear.
catches up and blows through the red light
Say something to him! I know it's MN, but he is making everyone look bad. If I had a dime for everytime some nitwit in an SUV said, "You guys.............."
iPod while riding on the road
If caught they should be made to listen to Barry Manilow's greatest hits, exclusively.
Too many soccer moms in giant Excursions/Suburbans
That's why I stick to the road. Too many soccer moms on roller blades, pushing a stroller, talking on the cel while walking the dogs on 30' leashes.

[chervianne]

There is a "Harley law' in MN. If the light doesn't change because the sensor didn't recognize you, you have the right to turn if it is clear.

Cool. Good to know. Thx!

Say something to him! I know it's MN, but he is making everyone look bad. If I had a dime for everytime some nitwit in an SUV said, "You guys.............."

You are correct... I tried striking up conversation to hold him at the light and obviously failed. I needed to offer some other choice words once he took off.

[mtnbykr]

There is a "Harley law' in MN. If the light doesn't change because the sensor didn't recognize you, you have the right to turn if it is clear.

doesn't mention bicycles at all tho..

NEW MINNESOTA RED LIGHT LAW

Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: Subd. 9. [AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE RELATING TO UNCHANGING TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAL.]

(a) A person operating a motorcycle who violates subdivision 4 by entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light has an affirmative defense to that charge if the person establishes all of the following conditions:

(1) the 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 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.