Bicycle Tip:  Let's Pass On Wave-Throughs   

by Darryl Zurn

We are all familiar with irate motorists who seemingly begrudge us the road space we need to cycle safely. On the other end of the spectrum, though, is the aspect (true or not) of "Minnesota Nice," which shows itself when motorists stop in the middle of the road to let cyclists cross the street. This would be fine (and legal) if we are crossing at a crosswalk or an intersection where the cyclist has the right of way. But this is definitely not okay in other instances. Remember that even if YOU can see that one driver has stopped and is waving you ahead, the cars coming from behind the Good Samaritan likely wouldn't see the driver's 'wave-through' and might try to pass!

One of the participants in a recent bicycling seminar was a police officer from Miami-Dade in Florida. She told of a heart-wrenching incident where three children on bikes were waved across a busy road by a driver who had stopped his/her car in mid-block. Unfortunately the driver of another car in a different lane did not see the children and struck them as they were crossing the road.

Just tonight I read of another incident online of the same type in California. In this case the child was killed. "The attorney said the boy was walking home from school when another driver stopped for him in the intersection and waved him across. The driver allegedly tried to swerve around the car to pass, and then struck the child."

The principle here is that no other person can change the rules of the road for YOU. This is also why we discourage cyclists from calling out "Clear!" at stop signs; why is this done except to encourage rolling through the stop signs? It is your individual responsibility to stop and look for yourself, regardless of how many in the group have passed through that stop sign without injury.

If it is not safe to cross, then wait. If a motorist stops to wave you through, and they should not have stopped, then I suggest waving back cheerfully and shaking your head. Some drivers have been so persistent that I've had to get off my bike and turn around before they would finally relent.

Others can stop and wave, or yell "Clear" all they want, but it is up to each of us whether we obey what we know to be the rules of the road.

(originally published in the TCBC Activity News: Sep 2001)
© 2001 Darryl Zurn. All rights reserved.

Darryl Zurn
TCBC Ride Leader, and
League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor #874