Common sense bike traffic one step less distant in MN

The Star Tribune reported yesterday that Phyllis Kahn's proposal to allow bikes to glide through red lights and stop signs won't be opposed by the city of Minneapolis. A resolution to oppose the legislation by the Minneapolis City Council barely failed, just 7-6.

Those who opposed it were Paul Ostrow, Diane Hofstede, Barb Johnson, Don Samuels, Colvin Roy and Betsy Hodges.

I wonder what their reasons would be? Do you think it's based on bikers' safety or something else? Here's the link to their contact info.

In support of the bikers, or at least not in opposition, was Cam Gordon, Gary Schiff, Robert Lilligren, Elizabeth Glidden, Ralph Remington, Scott Benson and Lisa Goodman.

I was reminded of the sense of this proposal just the other day. Usually I'll stop at stop signs and let those who have right of way have their right of way. However, getting to a stop sign first as a bike isn't the same as in a car. There's no guarantee that cars at a four way stop will see or respect your right of way, so if you run the stop sign before they get there, you're safe from being run over when they don't notice you. It just makes sense from a safety perspective.

In my opinion, it would behoove legislators to treat bikes as a different animal than cars. After all, under the law now, we should have an entire lane if we want. When do you ever see that? Instead we're relegated to icy curbs, used mostly for parking.

Common sense though, who expects it from ambitious politicians clamoring for an easy wedge issue?