1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to traffic regulations; requiring minimum 
  1.3             clearance when passing bicycle or individual on 
  1.4             roadway or bikeway; prohibiting certain conduct toward 
  1.5             bicycle riders; requiring bicycle traffic laws to be 
  1.6             included in driver's manual and driver's license 
  1.7             tests; imposing a penalty; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.8             1994, sections 169.18, subdivision 3; 169.222, 
  1.9             subdivision 4; and 171.13, subdivision 1, and by 
  1.10            adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.11            Minnesota Statutes, chapter 169. 
  1.12  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.13     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.18, 
  1.14  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.15     Subd. 3.  [PASSING.] The following rules shall govern the 
  1.16  overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same 
  1.17  direction, subject to the limitations, exceptions, and special 
  1.18  rules hereinafter stated: 
  1.19     (1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle 
  1.20  proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof 
  1.21  at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side 
  1.22  of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; 
  1.23     (2) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is 
  1.24  permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to 
  1.25  the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible warning, 
  1.26  and shall not increase the speed of the overtaken vehicle until 
  1.27  completely passed by the overtaking vehicle; and 
  1.28     (3) The operator of a motor vehicle or bicycle overtaking a 
  2.1   bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on the 
  2.2   roadway shall leave a safe distance, but in no case less than 
  2.3   three feet clearance, when passing the bicycle or individual and 
  2.4   shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle 
  2.5   or individual. 
  2.6      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.222, 
  2.7   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.8      Subd. 4.  [RIDING ON ROADWAYS OR SHOULDERS.] (a) Every 
  2.9   person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as close as 
  2.10  practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except 
  2.11  under any of the following situations: 
  2.12     (i) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding 
  2.13  in the same direction. 
  2.14     (ii) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or 
  2.15  into a private road or driveway. 
  2.16     (iii) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, 
  2.17  including fixed or moving objects, vehicles, pedestrians, 
  2.18  animals, surface hazards, or narrow width lanes, that make it 
  2.19  unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. 
  2.20     (b) If a bicycle is traveling on a shoulder of a roadway, 
  2.21  the bicycle shall travel in the same direction as adjacent 
  2.22  vehicular traffic. 
  2.23     (c) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway or shoulder 
  2.24  shall not ride more than two abreast and shall not impede the 
  2.25  normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned 
  2.26  roadway, shall ride within a single lane. 
  2.27     (d) A person operating a bicycle upon a sidewalk, or across 
  2.28  a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, shall yield the 
  2.29  right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal 
  2.30  when necessary before overtaking and passing any pedestrian.  No 
  2.31  person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business 
  2.32  district unless permitted by local authorities.  Local 
  2.33  authorities may prohibit the operation of bicycles on any 
  2.34  sidewalk or crosswalk under their jurisdiction. 
  2.35     (e) An individual operating a bicycle or other vehicle on a 
  2.36  bikeway shall leave a safe distance when overtaking a bicycle or 
  3.1   individual proceeding in the same direction on the bikeway, and 
  3.2   shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle 
  3.3   or individual. 
  3.4      A person lawfully operating a bicycle on a sidewalk, or 
  3.5   across a roadway or shoulder on a crosswalk, shall have all the 
  3.6   rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same 
  3.7   circumstances. 
  3.8      Sec. 3.  [169.2225] [UNLAWFUL CONDUCT TOWARD BICYCLE 
  3.9   RIDERS.] 
  3.10     A motor vehicle driver or passenger who negligently or 
  3.11  intentionally operates a motor vehicle, its horn, or other 
  3.12  equipment, or uses words, gestures, or any other means, tending 
  3.13  reasonably to cause alarm, anger, or apprehension of danger to a 
  3.14  person riding a bicycle on the roadway, although a dangerous 
  3.15  condition or situation does not exist, is guilty of a 
  3.16  misdemeanor. 
  3.17     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.13, 
  3.18  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  3.19     Subdivision 1.  [APPLICANTS.] Except as otherwise provided 
  3.20  in this section, the commissioner shall examine each applicant 
  3.21  for a driver's license by such agency as the commissioner 
  3.22  directs.  This examination must include a test of applicant's 
  3.23  eyesight; ability to read and understand highway signs 
  3.24  regulating, warning, and directing traffic; knowledge of traffic 
  3.25  laws; knowledge of the effects of alcohol and drugs on a 
  3.26  driver's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely and legally; 
  3.27  knowledge of railroad grade crossing safety; knowledge of 
  3.28  slow-moving vehicle safety; knowledge of traffic laws related to 
  3.29  bicycles; an actual demonstration of ability to exercise 
  3.30  ordinary and reasonable control in the operation of a motor 
  3.31  vehicle; and other physical and mental examinations as the 
  3.32  commissioner finds necessary to determine the applicant's 
  3.33  fitness to operate a motor vehicle safely upon the highways, 
  3.34  provided, further however, no driver's license shall be denied 
  3.35  an applicant on the exclusive grounds that the applicant's 
  3.36  eyesight is deficient in color perception.  Provided, however, 
  4.1   that war veterans operating motor vehicles especially equipped 
  4.2   for handicapped persons, shall, if otherwise entitled to a 
  4.3   license, be granted such license.  The commissioner shall make 
  4.4   provision for giving these examinations either in the county 
  4.5   where the applicant resides or at a place adjacent thereto 
  4.6   reasonably convenient to the applicant. 
  4.7      Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.13, is 
  4.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  4.9      Subd. 1f.  [DRIVER'S MANUAL; BICYCLE TRAFFIC.] The 
  4.10  commissioner shall include in each edition of the driver's 
  4.11  manual published by the department after August 1, 1995, a 
  4.12  section relating to bicycle traffic laws. 
  4.13     Sec. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  4.14     Section 4 is effective at the time of the first revision of 
  4.15  the driver's license examination following final enactment.