Bicyclists Now Don’t Have to Stop at Stop Signs According to New Minnesota Law
Minnesota just made it legal for bicyclists to basically do rolling stops at stop signs beginning August 1st. That sounds a little scary, doesn't it?
Bikes Used to be Required to Follow the Rules of the Road
Prior to this past weekend, bicyclists were required to follow the rules of the road. So if you came up on a stop sign you were legally required to make a full stop. Yes, I know some of you either didn't know that or didn't follow it. I've seen you.
Someone my husband knows actually got a ticket from a cop once because they blew through a stop sign on their bike.
New Bike Law in Minnesota
Beginning on August 1st, thanks to a transportation bill that passed over the weekend, bicyclists in Minnesota do not need to come to a complete stop at stop signs anymore.
However!
Cyclists, you are still required to slow down and make sure there's no traffic. You are required to slow down enough that if there is oncoming traffic that you are able to safely make a complete stop at the stop sign.
I see those of you who blow through stop signs without slowing down one bit. That's dangerous. Don't do that. And also still illegal.
As Bring Me the News writes, if there's no traffic in the vicinity, you're allowed to go through the stop sign without stopping.
Why It's Called the 'Idaho Stop'
This is actually called the 'Idaho Stop'. Why? Because Idaho was the first to put this kind of law into place in 1982. Bring Me the News says that they actually saw a drop in cyclist injuries, which is great. I have in my head that it would cause more injuries but hopefully Minnesota also sees a drop in cyclist injuries!
This Law Only Applies to Stop Signs
The law taking effect on August 1st only applies to stop signs, by the way, not traffic lights. If a bicyclist comes up on a red light you must stop and wait for the light to turn.
