الوصف
Constant failure of bicyclists to stop at the stop sign designated for them before crossing West River Pkwy. Too many times bicyclists ignore their required stop and cars nearly hit them. Too many bicyclists act as though it is fault of cars.
مراسل صحفي
Constant failure of bicyclists to stop at the stop sign designated for them before crossing West River Pkwy. Too many times bicyclists ignore their required stop and cars nearly hit them. Too many bicyclists act as though it is fault of cars.
12 تعليقs
Minneapolis 311 (ضيف)
Minneapolis 311
Office 612-673-3000
Email minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
www.minneapolismn.gov
Minneapolis 311 (ضيف)
We appreciate your email.
You can find more information about understanding the law as it applies to bicycling at the following web link: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/bicycles/bicycling101/bicycles_understandingthelaw .
You can also to the following web link to use the precinct finder, and then request more patrols for a specific area by contacting the appropriate precinct. The MPD precinct web link is located at: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/index.htm .
If there is anything else we can help you with please contact us. Thank you for emailing the City of Minneapolis.
John
Minneapolis 311
Office 612-673-3000 Hours: 7 am - 7 pm (Monday - Friday)
Email minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
www.minneapolismn.gov
Sean Hayford Oleary (مستخدم مسجل)
Longfellow (مستخدم مسجل)
Sean Hayford Oleary (مستخدم مسجل)
Longfellow (مستخدم مسجل)
Longfellow (مستخدم مسجل)
Longfellow (مستخدم مسجل)
Sean Hayford Oleary (مستخدم مسجل)
Do you also deny that the crosswalk is a crosswalk? Check out the definitions: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=169.011. The critical difference between the Cedar Lake Trail and the River Parkway trail is that Cedar Lake runs within its own right-of-way; the River Parkway trail runs within the right-of-way of another roadway. Sidewalk is defined as "that portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians." 169.222 does not use the language your cite; I suspect the MnDOT brochure is referring to totally separate trails, like the Cedar Lake Trail.
If we're going to really nitpick, we could argue that the bike portion of the path is a separate thing from the pedestrian portion of the path, and that only the pedestrian portion is a sidewalk. (Though there's no indication that the law intended to be that specific.) Nevertheless, a bicyclist STILL has right of way in any marked crosswalk, because a crosswalk is " (1) that portion of a roadway ordinarily included with the prolongation or connection of the lateral lines of sidewalks at intersections; (2) any portion of a roadway distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface." Even if a bicyclist were required to stop (something, again, I believe is advisable), vehicles on the roadway to be crossed must still stop and yield the right-of-way to the cyclist as they would a pedestrian.
Longfellow (مستخدم مسجل)
It looks like the text I quoted is MnDOT's summary of the law. But in any case it doesn't say "totally separate trails," it says trails and bikepaths.
Regardless of ones personal interpretation of whether or not it's a sidewalk, the city placed the stop signs there on purpose--to make people stop. Bike riders approaching the crossing cannot be expected to contemplate the legal definition of a sidewalk while determining whether they must obey the sign.
I've provided a solution that would clarify who is expected to stop. You've provided more proof that the crossing is a problem, but no suggestions to help fix it. If you have a solution that would improve the safety of the crossing, please provide it. Arguing over legal definitions won't help.
Sean Hayford Oleary (مستخدم مسجل)
Fair enough. And you're right, the intention (legally enforceable or not) is to get bikers to stop and probably make sure there are no cars approaching so close that it would be impossible for them to stop. But a stop sign, as the original complaint notes, is not a very effective solution to achieve this. I would:
1. Remove the stop signs, because they simply confuse the situation and give drivers cause to believe that cyclists do not have right-of-way in the crosswalk. The signs like you mention from Cedar Lake are also perhaps clearer to cyclists, but also confusing to drivers -- I've ridden the SW LRT trail, where they use those. Some drivers stop still, some don't.
2. Create a physical way to force a bicycle to cross at a pedestrian speed. The real *danger* here is not that a bicyclist is not making a complete stop, but rather that they're taking on a pedestrian role with a higher-than-pedestrian speed. On the actual River Parkway trail, there are really large curb ramps, with enough of a dip to keep speed in check. I'd provide speed humps (with appropriate warning signage) on the descent from the Greenway. Getting bicyclists to slow to 5 mph or so would be a reasonable goal.
Indignant (ضيف)