A Warning to All Cyclists in Rochester, Minnesota

Personally, I really love to see how many people in Rochester, MN walk or bike to work. It's such an easy way to not have to deal with paying for parking downtown, and also it's better for you and the environment.

But I'm not here to get into all of that, I'm here to give a warning specifically to bikers.

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Bike Lanes in Rochester, MN

First off, some people, especially people who aren't bikers, may be confused by the bike lanes we have downtown.

There are some bike lanes that go between parked cars and the sidewalk.

It might look super weird to you, and I see plenty of cars that still park next to the sidewalk (STOP doing that, the lines are like this for a reason).

I learned recently that the reason it's set up like this is to protect bikers in case there's a crash. So if a crash happens near a biker, the parked cars would create a sort of safety buffer for the biker. Super smart!

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However, just because you have your own lanes, bikers, doesn't mean you get to just do whatever you want.

Bikers Have to Follow the Rules of the Road

Here's my warning to all bikers: You have to follow the rules of the road! And I'm not just saying this because I'm annoyed, I'm saying this for your safety.

Just the other day, I came to a four-way stop, looked both ways, I was the only one stopped, so I went. Right after I go through the intersection, a biker flies behind me, clearly having no intention of stopping. So if I had waited at that intersection any longer, I might have hit this poor person!

Bikers have to, at the very least, slow down when coming up to a stop sign. That's literally the law.

There was a law in 2023 that changed it so bikers don't have to come to a complete stop at stop signs. Before, you were supposed to come to a complete stop, but now:

"A bicycle operator who approaches a stop sign must slow to a speed that allows for stopping before entering the intersection or the nearest crosswalk ... if there is not a vehicle in the vicinity, the operator may make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping."

If it's a busy time of day, like the morning commute, for example, you'll likely have to come to a complete stop as if you're driving a car.

Also, in Minnesota, bikers need to follow the rules of stop lights just like cars do.

TLDR: Bikers, for your safety, please remember to follow the rules of the road as if you're a car.