Skip to Content
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

This State Rep Wants to Require a Special Permit to Ride in Bike Lanes

A rural Minnesota lawmaker wants to crack down on serious problems like this. Photo: Minneapolis Bike Coalition on Flickr

American statehouses are breeding grounds for terrible bike laws. This month, thanks to Minnesota state representative Duane Quam, we have a new entry in the proud tradition of legislators stigmatizing people who bike.

duane_quam
Duane Quam

Quam's bill would require people to carry a special permit to ride in bike lanes in urban areas. To obtain the permit, they would have to take a special training course and pay an annual $5 fee. The rule would only apply to urban areas -- basically Minneapolis and St. Paul. For some reason, Quam also wants to forbid children under 15 from using bike lanes.

The bill is a bad idea for all the reasons bike licensing bills are always a bad idea. It would lead to selective enforcement and racial discrimination. Administration would be a logistical nightmare and cost more than the fees raise. Fewer people would bike, reducing safety in numbers.

What's especially strange about this one, as Minneapolis Public Radio pointed out, is that it would cause more people to avoid bike lanes and ride in traffic, exposing them more dangers and aggravating drivers in the process.

Fortunately, Quam's bill appears to be only for show and is unlikely to find much support in the statehouse, Ethan Fawley of the Minnesota Bicycle Coalition told the Star Tribune.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog San Francisco

Peskin Introduces Proposal for E-Bike Rebate Program for San Francisco

"I want to ensure that all San Francisco families, especially those underserved by transit, can access this sustainable way to drop off their kids at school, which makes all our children safer."

October 2, 2024

Op-ed: Mike Chen Joins SFMTA Board—is Change on the Horizon?

For those of us familiar with Chen’s work in urban planning and transportation advocacy, his appointment is promising

October 1, 2024
See all posts