Minnesota
Minnesota – legislation passed in 2004 (2022 ranking: 5 – TOP 5!)
Summary: Minnesota has a “3 foot” passing law which defines the safe passing distance as “in no case less than three feet clearance”. On a bit of a humorous note, there is a provision in the law to exempt “Peace officer operating a bicycle” from the law “while performing their duties.” We are behind that 100% if they are helping keep other cyclists safe!
For details, search with the following keywords: “Minnesota Statutes Transportation 169.18” and “Minnesota Statutes Transportation 169.222.”
From FindLaw.com:
https://codes.findlaw.com/mn/transportation-ch-160-174a/mn-st-sect-169-18.html
The League of American Bicyclists - Bicycle Friendly State Report Card:
https://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/BFS_Report_Card_2022_Minnesota.pdf
Groups to check out:
- The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota: https://www.bikemn.org/
Mississippi
Mississippi – legislation passed in 2010 (2022 ranking: 48)
Summary: Mississippi has a “3 foot” passing law which defines the safe passing distance as “not less than three feet”. The legislation also allows for passing a cyclist in a no-passing zone “only when it is safe to do so.”
For details, search with the following keywords: “Mississippi Code Title 63-3-1309.”
From FindLaw.com:
https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-63-motor-vehicles-traffic-regulations/ms-code-sect-63-3-1309.html
From Justia.com:
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-63/chapter-3/article-27/section-63-3-1309/
The League of American Bicyclists - Bicycle Friendly State Report Card:
https://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/BFS_Report_Card_2022_Mississippi.pdf
Groups to check out:
- Bike Walk Mississippi: https://www.bikewalkmississippi.org/
Missouri
Missouri – no specific legislation (2022 ranking: 45)
Summary: Missouri does not have specific legislation regarding how much distance must be provided to a cyclist when being overtaken by a vehicle. Cyclists have to rely on vehicle passing laws that, for the most part, only require a “safe distance” to be provided when passing. Missouri actually uses the words “highest degree of care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and shall give warning by sounding a horn when necessary…” Of course, from a cycling perspective, we could do without the horn.
For details, search with the following keywords: “Missouri Revised Statute 300.411.”
From FindLaw.com:
https://codes.findlaw.com/mo/title-xix-motor-vehicles-watercraft-and-aviation/mo-rev-st-300-411.html
From Justia.com:
https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2021/title-xix/chapter-300/section-300-411/
The League of American Bicyclists - Bicycle Friendly State Report Card:
https://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/BFS_Report_Card_2022_Missouri.pdf
Groups to check out:
- Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation: https://mobikefed.org/
Montana
Montana – no specific legislation (2022 ranking: 42)
Summary: Montana does not have specific legislation regarding how much distance must be provided to a cyclist when being overtaken by a vehicle. Cyclists have to rely on vehicle passing laws that, for the most part, only requires a “safe distance” to be provided when passing. The Montana law also specifies that a driver may not “(a) intentionally interfere with the movement of a person who is lawfully riding a bicycle; or (b) overtake and pass a person riding a bicycle unless the operator of the motor vehicle can do so safely without endangering the person riding the bicycle.”
For details, search with the following keywords: “Montana 61-8-320 Right-of-way for bicycles.”
From FindLaw.com:
https://codes.findlaw.com/mt/title-61-motor-vehicles/mt-code-ann-sect-61-8-320.html
From Justia.com:
https://law.justia.com/codes/montana/2022/title-61/chapter-8/part-3/section-61-8-320/
The League of American Bicyclists - Bicycle Friendly State Report Card:
https://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/BFS_Report_Card_2022_Montana.pdf
Groups to check out:
- Bike Walk Montana: https://www.bikewalkmontana.org/
