Hells yeah, Minnesota!

[tsukikage]

The law gives bicyclists the option to proceed through the intersection after a reasonable amount of time, and provides an affirmative legal defense to this action, based on five conditions:
• The bicycle has been brought to a complete stop.
• The traffic-control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time.
• The traffic-control signal is apparently malfunctioning or, if programmed to change to a green light only after detecting the
approach of a motor vehicle, the signal has apparently failed to detect the bicycle.
• No vehicle or person is approaching on the roadway to be crossed
or entered, or
• Approaching vehicles or persons are so far away that they do not constitute an immediate hazard.
The affirmative defense applies only to an alleged violation for entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light. It does not provide a defense to any other civil or criminal action.
Bicyclists can be difficult to spot in traffic. Watch for them in inter-sections, on sidewalks, and when you enter or leave alleys and driveways. Watch for bicycle traffic at night.

Comments

[voiceinmyhead.livejournal.com]

People who ride their bikes at night should have some kind of a light on their bike. Reflectors are nice and all, but if there is no light shining on them, you can't see the reflectors. Bike riders should watch out for cars too. :-)

[akibare.livejournal.com]

Here in IL you're required to have a light for night riding.

I have a SWEET super bright LED setup now, it lights up street signs two blocks away, and yet never eats up batteries (it recharges via USB).

I think we're still required to stop at all lights, though. I always do, although in the odd case where I can't trip the sign and NO ONE is coming for miles, I'll just run it after waiting through a cycle and realizing it's broken. Sort of an extended application of the "no cop no stop" concept, I suppose.

Usually though most places I'm going there's enough cars either ahead or in back of me to trip the sign even if I can't do it, so I'm good.

Signed up for a traffic safety class next week though, we'll see how it goes. Not having a driver's license I never officially took "driver's education" :D

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

I don't know how many times I've TRIED to signal the cars behind me to pull up but failed to get them to understand. I think once I did by actually backing up to their window and somewhat explaining the situation, but I still don't think they entirely got it.