Taking up the enitre lane of traffic

[nofishfisherman]

I was driving on Lexington Ave. in St Paul last Friday. Lexington is a 4 lane road 2 north bound lanes and 2 south bound lanes in the area I was in.

Going north in the right lane I come across a group of maybe 30 people riding their bikes. These were not the racing bike type of people, they were random assortment of bikes, ages, genders, most were just wearing street clothing (not workout clothing). They were taking up the entire right lane of the road at 6pm on a friday night, the road was busy enough with the people coming home from work and then these bikers essentially closed one lane down beucase the were riding 6-7 bikes across.

Now I heard that groups do this to demostrate that bikes belong on the road as well. But am I wrong or don't groups of bikers like this need to ride single file? If you are going to protest or demonstrate make sure you do it legally. I am all for bike riders using our roads but make sure you do it legally. Bikers get mad becuase they don't think cars respect them on the road but most bikers I have seen don't respect the rules of the road at all.

I lost count at how many times I have been sitting at a red light waiting my turn and I see a bike pull up next to me and after quickly checking for cars they go right through the red light. Not using a bike lane when there is one available, no hand signals, not moving out of the way of faster cars when possible all of these things are no no's for bikers but I see it 10 times a day.

[irvingdog]

Cyclists certainly are scofflaws fairly often, but in terms of taking up a lane......:

1). Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted.

According to Minnesota law, bicycles have the right to operate on all Minnesota streets, roads and highways, except where restricted.

Bicyclists have all the same rights as all other vehicles. They may operate in a traffic lane, for example, except when a designated bike lane is present. Bicycles are not required to ride on shoulders or sidewalks or even on adjacent bike paths or trails—they are in fact discouraged from doing so (see point 2 below for more on this).

Bicyclists also have all the same responsibilities as drivers of all other vehicles. They must obey all traffic control signs and signals just as if they were driving motor vehicles.

2). Bicyclists should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direction as traffic.

It is illegal and unsafe for bicyclists to ride against (facing) traffic. Motorists do not expect, and therefore are often unable to see, bicyclists riding on the wrong side of the road.

Why are bicyclists encouraged to ride on the road, even when adjacent sidewalks and bike trails are available?

A 1996 study determined the likelihood of a bicycle accident by facility type. (This is the only major study that adjusts crash data for the number of miles bicyclists actually travel on these facilities.) The study found that riding on the road is not only safer—but much safer—than riding on these other types of facilities.

[LoneRanger]

I can see how it would be frustrating to come up on a whole group of bikers, so I respect your frustration. However, I do have to agree that they are safer on the road than on a sidewalk. I bike to work and I know that I am safer on the road than on the sidewalk because cars can see me. If they have to move to get around me, that's better than me being on the sidewalk. When I ride the sidewalk, people react to me the same way they do a pedestrian: they think I am passive and I will wait for them to do as they please. When I ride the roads, people may think I'm goofy, but at least I get seen and stay safe.

As for bikers taking up the whole lane of traffic, I can't say what they were trying to prove, if anything. Maybe they just thought it was safer to ride in a group than a long strung-out line.

[nofishfisherman]

I totally agree riding on the road is safer then on the sidewalk but it is also alot safer to be riding single file that will allow the cars to have more room to get by you. When I see people riding on the road it really doesn't bother me beucase I know that is what they are supposed to do, in fact I usually applaud them for commuting on their bike for environmental reasons. But taking up an entire lane of traffic during rush hour when it wasn't needed is frustrating. If they would have rode on the side of the road they could have safely riden single file or even 2 across.

I guess the way I look at it is that they are treated like cars so if you see a car going 5 mph down the road during rush hour and they won't move aside to let you pass it is very frustrating. It just seems unethical to be holding up traffic for miles which is exactly what happened in the case I described.

[nofishfisherman]

Here are a few of the minnesota regulations on biking on the street. I think it validates my point of frustration.

Quote:

---

Minnesota laws calls for cyclists to ride with the flow of traffic and as close to the right side of the road as practical, except in the following situations: 1) when overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction; 2) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; and 3) when reasonably necessary to avoid roadside conditions (fixed or moving objects, vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, narrow lane widths) which make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge.

---

Quote:

---

From MN State Law, 169.222:

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.

---

I found a HSOforum regarding these groups. They call themselves Critical Mass and they ride to protest for the rights of bikers. On their HSOforum they have the biking regulations posted but they also awknowledge breaking the rules in form of protest. Groups like this have been stopped by the police, the riders site the laws regarding them having the same rights as a car so they feel they can take up the entire lane, however the police inform them about the second of the 2 laws I posted above. On their HSOforum they openly admitt that they break the law and then they complain about being stopped by the police for doing something that they know is against the law.

If you want to be treated fairly breaking the law is not a great may to build good relations with the communities you are riding through. They only way to win me over to the cuase is to ride legally and respectfully.

Here is a picutre from one of their rides. This is a bigger group then what I saw but the way they are riding is the same. Notice how many lanes they are taking up.

[SomethingFishy*]

I was wondering why bicyles do not need to be registered and no form of ID (i.e. a liscense plate of some sort). Automobiles, ATV's, Snowmobiles, and Motorcycles all need registration. What gives? If there is a bike rider breaking the laws I have no way to report their wrongdoing as there is no way to identify them.

[SomethingFishy*]

I was wondering why bicyles do not need to be registered and no form of ID (i.e. a liscense plate of some sort). Automobiles, ATV's, Snowmobiles, and Motorcycles all need registration. What gives? If there is a bike rider breaking the laws I have no way to report their wrongdoing as there is no way to identify them.

[nofishfisherman]

that would be nice if we could identify them. My sister had a bike rider follow her around a mall parking lot the other day after he thought she did something wrong, and when he caught up to her he kick in the side of her door.

I am not sure what led up to this but no matter what the guy should have had hand cuffs on him after that. But there is no way to track him down after he rode off.

[McGurk]

Sounds like they have it in for you and yours!

It's frustrating to have to go around them, but every bike is a car off the road. I will say it sure seems like there is a higher percentage of bike commuters than car drivers that have a chip on their shoulder, though.

I work in Public Works in Bloomington, and we have started to restripe roads in a manner to take a normal 4 lane road (2 each way) and turn it into a 3 lane (1 each way w/ a dedicated center turn lane) with dedicated bike lanes on each side. As a non-bike commuter, it seems like a step backwards, but I will give it to bikers: they are vocal about getting some respect on the road. They are very good at getting to city council meetings and sharing their views. We have also been getting some huge federal grants to make bike paths, but they are more for enjoyment than commuting.

For now, I'll take the high road and give them all the room they need, and wait for a good opportunity to go around them. But the second they run red lights or stop signs, zip up the center of 2 lanes of cars waiting at a stop light, don't yield for cars (they have to just like other cars have to), and other reckless law-breaking I tend to get a little flustered at their actions. But, cars do some of these things too; I've just never seen a bike pulled over getting cited. The respect has to go both ways. Being a bike commuter does not exempt you from any vehicular laws set in place to protect both you and me.

[nofishfisherman]

I have just seen and heard alot of uproar from bikers lately in my area about getting respect from cars. That is why this is particualrily annoying to me right now. you shouldn't be crying for respect if you haven't been acting in a way that would earn it.

I fully support legal bike riders, I am out on the roads riding at times myself so I get what they are talking about but making a point legally would good alot farther with me.

[FishingFather]

As a bicyclist myself I would suggest this posting is really not about bicyclists but rather individuals who feel they do not need to follow the laws or basic common courtesy. You find these individuals on both bikes, motercycles, and in cars.

I ride in group rides every week with up to 30 individuals and have been involved in rides with up to 5,000. We follow the laws (stop at stop signs/lights, signal at turns, etc...). We also follow the common courtesy unwritten rules such as yelling car back to the other riders when a car is coming up from behind so that everyone can move over as far as possible to the right. Having done group rides with a number of different groups I know that most bicyclists do what is right. Just like I believe the majority of motorists do.

So you see bicyclists at least ten times a day doing "no-no's". How many cars a day do you see not coming to complete stops at stop signs, not yielding even when they have a yield sign, speeding up to pass as many cars as possible even though they know the lane ends in a hundred yards, driving on the shoulder of the rode to get to the next off ramp well before the off ramp lane starts, cutting through traffic at excessive speeds and just inches from cards, and so on. I know I see way more than ten a day on my drive to work each day. I am not saying that makes it right for the bicyclists to break the law, just keep in mind it is not just bicyclists doing things they shouldn't.

And you ask why do some bikers get mad, well speaking for myself I get mad sometimes because I have had things thrown at my by passing cars, obsceneties yelled at me, cars moving over to get as close as possible to me even though I am on the shoulder of the road, and even pedestrians who try to fake me out like they were going to jump in front of me hoping I would crash.

It's unfortunate that there are those that feel they own the road but as a bicyclist myself I just ask that we not all be grouped together because I don't believe its just bicyclists that are breaking the laws.

[nofishfisherman]

I know its not all bikers that do this.

My issue really has been with this particualr group that breaks the laws as a form of protest.

I would relate it to a group of cars driving 100 mph down the free way in order to protest the fact that they don't like the 70 mph speed limit.

Or a group of cars riding on the shoulder of a two lane road because they think the lanes should be widened.

I know that if 10 bikers are breaking the law there are probaly another 20 cars breaking a law but the motorists aren't out there protesting that they don't get any respect. If you want respect then you should ride properly.

If this group doesn't think they get respect from drivers I don't see how angering drivers further is going to help the situation. They are trying to make things right by adding two wrongs together.

If I were a devoted biker I would be upset with groups like this becuase they are giving all bikers a bad name. I didn't intentionally group all bikers in with this group but it can be done very easily even though I know most are law abiding and respectful riders.

So I am sorry if any respectful rider is upset by my comments I really was talking more about groups like this Critical Mass group.

[FishingFather]

I wasn't upset by no means. I have yelled at bikers myself when one isn't moving over to let cars pass, so I understand your frustration.

Groups like Critical Mass should just move to some secluded area by themselves.

[yakfisher]

While I too would agree that it is annoying that they chose to take up the entire road during rush hour and I would have been just as upset as you, these protests that break laws have been around this country since before we were a country (let's not forget a small band of Patriots and the Boston Tea Party). Look at how effective they have been in getting this small group talking. Lets just hope that their annoying little protest won't start any wars, but maybe they'll start a revolution.

[fishing tech]

Do like I do, When I pass a road hog who is inconsiderate(pedal biker or motorcycle) If they give me a look or jesture I just hit my washer fluid button and give em a squirt. I ride a bike, not alot but I would rather wave a car by then take a chance of someone not seeing me. Kind of like a cross walk. Just because you have the right of way doesn't mean they are going to see you or stop.

[fishinchicks]

I came upon a situation that I wasn't too sure how to handle today. There is a four lane road going through town, and a cyclist was riding in the right lane with traffic - that part was ok. When a light turned red, the cyclist pulled way up behind a pickup, almost touching it, and almost out of view of the pickup driver. When the light turned green, they hopped on their bike seat, and very slowly started pedaling while adjusting their shoe strap. I was directly behind this cyclist, and could see them. The cars coming up behind me had to slow down pretty fast when they realized that I was crawling along. Was I wrong to think that the cyclist should have pulled into the parking lot next to us to adjust their equipment? Out in the smaller rural cities it is not as common to see cyclists commuting to work on the main road through town. The ones who do bike to work usually avoid the heavy traffic by taking side streets.

[nofishfisherman]

Bikers can not get in the way of the normal flow of traffic. They should have been as far over on the right side as possible. And if they had to fix something on his bike then I would think he would want to get out of the way of cars.

[kunk]

If a tractor on a quiet country road driving 15MPH has to have a slow moving vehicle sign on the back, then shouldn't a bicycle going 15MPH in the traffic lane on a busy city street have to have one?

[irvingdog]

Quote:

---

If a tractor on a quiet country road driving 15MPH has to have a slow moving vehicle sign on the back, then shouldn't a bicycle going 15MPH in the traffic lane on a busy city street have to have one?

---

I don't see the connection. A tractor is a machine. It may or may not be slow moving. A bike, being man-powered, should be presumed to be slow moving, because, lacking a combution engine, it can only be slow moving.

Bottom line is, cyclists have a right to the road. It's estimated that as much as 4% of all downtown commuters ride a bike. That is substantial. And it takes cars off the road. You can thank them for the 4% reduction in competition when you're on the highways that bikes cannot use. Besides, real world studies prove time and again that blowing around a cyclist won't gain you more than moments of time in your overall commute; just like rolling through a stop sign, or driving 15 over the speed limit on 35W. Plan your route. Drive with realistic expectations, and (to no one in particular) chill out behind the wheel. We've become a nation of maniacal fist-wavers and dangerous drivers.

Oh, and hang up the dang phone!!!!!

[Hammer Handle]

I am a bike rider.

Yes, I do see cars break laws...but I see bike riders do it all the time. If a car goes through a red light, you have an accident. A bike, oh my. Bikes are harder to see and many people don't know the laws, so you have to be more careful. Period.

Protests like this make driver more upset at bikers. Boston Tea Party? Give me a break! (Contact Us Please) like this group will frustrate more people and take away rights of bikers.

[irvingdog]

Can't dispute anything you said.

[nofishfisherman]

agreed.

They need to find a more effective way of protesting and making people aware of their rights.

After reading through this groups HSOforum they seem very passionate about bikers rights which is great becuase I do see cars not give bikes the proper space they deserve but in the end they are really hurting all bikers by their actions.

There has to be a better way.

[Reynolds]

I decided I wanted to learn more about this group known as Critical Mass which you suggested would condone such rides that cause traffic congestion to get their point across. The idea that a cycling rights group would hold such rides sounded a bit suspect to me. On their homepage I found that Critical Mass is not in itself an organization, moreover it is a ride every month to assert cyclist's rights to the road. Critical Mass clearly states that it does not promote or condone clogging up the lanes as you have pictured. The picture you have posted is from a Critical Mass ride that took place in Minneapolis. It is obvious that this group of riders did indeed miss the point about Critical Mass. By including the picture with the limited and inaccurate information you have given about Critical Mass, you have falsely portrayed their intent.

The following is a quote from their homepage

Quote:

---

Some CM riders try to tie up traffic as much as possible and be otherwise confrontational with motorists. Such riders are missing the point about Critical Mass. CM is a celebration of cycling, not a war against motorists. CM is about asserting our right to the road, not denying others their right to the road. Those who want to play juvenile games are encouraged to stay at home instead.

[nofishfisherman]

What was the web address for the site you looked at. I pulled info from the MN Critical Mass site but there are other national sites out there that might have different info posted. Maybe the MN chapter is just more unethical then what the national vision has been.

I reread the MN site that I pulled the picutre from and I could not find what you had posted. But I did find a few references to them knowingly disobeying laws and several refrences to them being stopped by the police for breaking various laws, namely becuase they didn't ride 2 abreast like they are required to, which is what I saw and like the picture that I pulled from their own HSOforum. They must condone those actions to some extent or they wouldn't have posted the picture on their site.

Overall their actions that I witnessed spoke louder then any HSOforum. It doesn't matter what info they post on their site when their actual actions are totally against the law. Actions have always spoken louder then words.

With that all said, I know I didn't paint Critical Mass in a very good light. I am sure there are some very ethical members of the group that do protest within all the confines of the law and that is great more power to them. But that is just not what I saw.

In no way did I misrepresent the group based on what I saw and what info is posted on the mncriticalmass HSOforum. But don't take my word for it, please do your own research (like you did, nice job most people don't) and come to your own conclusions.

[nofishfisherman]

Ok, I found the national CM site you quoted. From what it looks like the MN group is one of those groups that misses the point.

I should not be making general comments about CM as a whole as they claim to not condone law breaking. But the Minnesota group sure seems to so maybe it is just an isolated leader of the group out here.

If you read some of the trip logs on the MNcritical mass site the same person seems to post alot of the info and every ride report is filled with run ins with the local police. The person who posts seems to have a healthy dislike for all police that try to enforce the traffic laws.