The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

I fucking HATE drunk drivers. And I personally want to kick this person's ass. I wear a light, a reflector and a relective vest in winter and still have almost been hit a few times this year.

some jagoff was biking without reflectors and wearing dark colors right in the middle of Glenwood Avenue westbound last night during rush hour. I swerved to avoid him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's done in by natural selection in the near future.

The Minnesota Historical Society has some of our old papers and artifacts from the early fight against TB. Very interesting stuff.

I pulled off on to a side street yesterday rather than be stuck behind a cyclist (with snow and ice, he had nowhere else to go) on Broadway. I wasn't worried about being delayed, I just give bikes on narrow, ice roads a wide berth for the rider's safety.

You probably look pretty dashing in that dog collar, Bob.

Hey PwrGeek, I was just going to post about that article in Bicycling Magazine. Really a great article for such a crappy magazine. Bikes have as much right to be on the road as anyone even if the weather is miserable. I mean, home many people ended up in a ditch or dead after the past snowstorm? I doubt were going to see any OpEds in the paper complaining that people drive after it snows and it's their own damn fault for killing themselves. Yet you'll often you'll see those exact OpEds after a bicyclist is killed. Along the line of "arrogant bikers must be stopped"!

In any case, I recommend that people read the article, a real sober read.

I live a couple blocks from that intersection, very sad. I don't think you could pay me ride my bike down that narrow stretch of Broadway in the winter time.

That must be MNspeak corner--I live one block from there, too. Any MNspeakers in my building on Summer and Jackson?

I hate riding Broadway. The lanes are so much more narrow on a lot of it, even in summer. Luckily, the short stretch I can't avoid has wider lanes.

A year and a half a go, I got hit by a car while on my bike a bit east of there, at Fillmore and Broadway. A guy with a suspended license ran the red light and hit me while I was crossing Broadway. And that wasn't some "trying to beat the yellow light" running either, since I didn't even left my foot off the ground until my light had turned green.

On that, we all agree, kev.

That must be MNspeak corner. Other NE Mpls MNspeakers I know of include wayne and alexis. Anyone else?

I heard a statistic the other day that in Minnesota 1 in 3 people has a DUI. Amazing.

Whole problem is that if the person in the car doesn't kill the person on the bike, and isn't high or driving reckless, there's next to no penalty. I can destroy your life, put you in a wheelchair for the rest of it, and I don't get so much as a ticket - it's BS.

I am an avid biker and I agree that lights are a MUST in the dark
I bike year around and don't have lights. I do have reflective clothing and ride on sidewalks as much as possible in the winter. Also, I almost never bike on busy streets. Sidestreets, though usually not plowed, are much safer.

I ride all winter. It's not nearly as bad as you think. You get the right clothes and the right tires on your bike, and it's pretty enjoyable. A few things I've found: You need to assume every car is going to slide out in front of you instead of stopping, and as a courtesy, it's nice to pull over and let cars by, since the roads get pretty narrow this time of year.

One plus to biking is that the major bike trails, such as the Greenway, are maintained better than most roads.

I bike year around and don't have lights.

This is a really, really bad idea. Lights are cheap. Go buy a bunch of them.

Turns out he's not dead. So that's good news.

TV stations erroneously reported it. I blame DeRusha.

Bikes have just as much right to be on the road as cars, no matter what the season.

Rights are useless if you end up in a wheelchair.

This is a really, really bad idea. Lights are cheap. Go buy a bunch of them.
Yeah, I won't say it's a " really, really bad idea", but I'll admit it's not a great idea.

As I've stated in past posts about biking; the best way to bike is to be alert and defensive. These days a car would have a hard time hitting me if they tried.

For the record I've been biking year around for 15 years. 15 years ago when I started biking year around, as best I could tell, it was just me and a crazy looking bike messanger with a giant beard.

Legally, aren't bicyclists required to yield right of way to cars/trucks? Additionally, auto's are taxed for licensing, fuel etc to help maintain the roads where bikes are not.

No, bikes do NOT have to yield to cars. Bikes have the same rights (and responsibilities) as cars do to be on the road.

I do disagree with you as far as your last statement. Legally, aren't bicyclists required to yield right of way to cars/trucks? Additionally, auto's are taxed for licensing, fuel etc to help maintain the roads where bikes are not.

Uhh bikes are not required to yield to cars or trucks. They are considered a vehicle just like any other. They are required to stay on the right side of the road as long as it is safe. On multiple lane streets a bike can legally take up a lane. This is the minnesota law.

As for the taxes.... as mentioned above, cars and trucks destroy the road. I for one am willing to pay a bike tax if that meant more bike lanes, more corteous drivers, etc, etc....

Whether you disagree or not, MN law states bikes = cars on city streets. Bikes are of course not allowed on freeways..

There is a timely story in the Downtown Journal this week about a bicyclist that was paralyzed in an accident.

Just wait, Max, that day is coming.

If you are going to argue that bikes should not be on the road, you may as well include motorcycles and pedestrians as well since they are no match for a collision with a car.

I still don't understand your point. You can say that about pretty much any right. You have the right to drive, but that right won't fix your transmission when it goes out. Or you have the right to vote, but that right won't fix your toe when you stub it coming out of the voting booth.

I guess what you're trying to say is that even though I have the right to bike, it could hurt me in some way? Is that it?

The law may grant both the same rights to the road, but when motor vehicles hits bicyclists, the bike rider pays a much higher price.

I think what The Rat is saying is when I put myself on a crowded, busy road, I need to understand that put myself in danger. In a perfect world, that wouldn't be true. But the fact is some people drive poorly, agressively, and many, many people drive drunk. It gets worse at night, and in winter.

So if there is a route that is less hazardous for cyclists to take, it is in our best interest to do so. Otherwise, have the stonemason carve "But I had the right!!!" on our tombstones, if that makes us feel any better.

Should also point out that local streets are largely paid for and maintained by property taxes. Some localities even use sales tax to help pay for roads. So even people who don't own a car still help pay for roads.

The one problem I see with licensing bicyclists is that so few states require that. At least with automobiles, licensing and registration of both cars and drivers is universal.

How are you going to deal with tourists that come to Minnesota to bike?

The Skyway system is awesomest thing ever
Did you read this at Minnpost a few weeks ago?

They want to get rid of the skyways which, if they asked anyone that lives here, is a horrid idea.

I'd take the comfort and safety of the skyways over "street life vitality" any day.

Whether you disagree or not, MN law states bikes = cars on city streets. Bikes are of course not allowed on freeways..

I didn't say I disagreed with you, I was obviously mis-informed. I am not one of those drivers who carelessly disregards the safety of bicyclists. In fact, I have a strange admiration for anyone is is hearty enough to ride all winter.

I thought driving was a privilege, not a right...at least that's what my parents told me when I was applying for a restricted liscense when I was 14.

One has to wonder how much street crime those skyways have prevented.

I didn't say I disagreed with you, I was obviously mis-informed. I am not one of those drivers who carelessly disregards the safety of bicyclists. In fact, I have a strange admiration for anyone is is hearty enough to ride all winter.

I am glad to hear not all drivers are out to get us.

Biking in the winter is not as hard-core as it seems. My motto is if I can do it, most people can too.

Snow is rather challenging, but the cold not too bad. Your body warms up wuite a bit and you just need a balaclava to cover your face and good gloves and ski socks. Everything else is the same.

This is what MN is about, the strong can take the cold, the lazy pussies go to warmer climates.

I heard a statistic the other day that in Minnesota 1 in 3 people has a DUI. Amazing.

I heard the same thing recently -- but this just cannot be correct. Think about it a minute . . . there's no way that is an accurate statistic.

I wouldn't say DUI law is lenient. First timers might get off ok (16 hours comm service, $1600 fine, alcoholc class), but after that, it is brutal. 30 days jail for your second, 90 days jail for your third, fourth time is a felony. For all of these there is serious license revocations periods.

Of course, MADD will only be happy when we the death penalty for DUI. Last year, inattentive/inexperienced drivers killed approximately 230 drivers in the state, Drunks killed about 180. All tragedies, but these numbers are a fraction of what there was 20 years ago.

I know friends who have had their 2nd and third DUI and none of them spent 30 days in jail. With an expensive lawyer you can decrease the punishment quite a bit. Within 1-2 months they were driving again.

I know this is anecdotal, but if DUI laws are harsh already, why are there so many repeat offenders?

Careless driving or DUI is a good way to show a person is not responsible enough to use a car. Aside from other punishment, why not just revoke their license for a LONG time I am talking years here not weeks.

Of course, drivers will sympathize and say that people NEED a car to continue their lives. Lame excuse.

The way I see it is simple:

Demonstrate irresponsibility behind the wheel = have your driving rights removed for several years.

I am not even going mention the comically easy driving tests which allow you to get a license without knowing english although there are so many signs with words on them....

One way MN could cut down on drinking and driving is to let the city run more cabs. I'm sorry, but I can only stand outside in 10 degree weather at 2am for so long before I say "f_ck it, i'm driving."

(This pretty much never happens anymore as I travel for work and rarely go out anymore, but was a common occurence back in the day.)

and yeah, i live just a few blocks from broadway/quincy. although i stopped going to uncle franky's once that cute broad quit working there.

It's actually 1 in 8 licensed Minnesota drivers -- or about 500,000.

That's still pretty shocking -- a half million drunk drivers in Minnesota. Wisconsin's numbers are even higher, I believe.

Yikes! Hurry, Northstar and Central Light Rail! I'll be taking a long drive to Renville on Friday for the opening of the latest E85 station (#335!). Only the truck will be filling up with alcohol....