Well, this type of behavior might contribute to getting Northfield recognized as an Art Town, but it certainly doesn’t set an example for responsible bike riding.
As I recently reported, there is a “renewed” effort at making Northfield a Bike Friendly City once again. After the meeting, I picked up a handy little wallet card with safety tips for bicyclists that I thought I’d share here:
1. Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted.
2. Bicyclist should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direction as traffic. It’s illegal to ride facing traffic.
3. Motorists must maintain a three-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.
4. Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists.
5. Motorists and bicyclists must yield the righ-of-way to each other.
6. Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
7. Lights and reflectors are required at night.
8. Bicyclists should always wear helmets.
As Eric Johnson pointed out at the NDDC’s Bike Friendly Forum, bicyclists and motorists both have a responsibility for knowing and following the laws of traffic safety.