At the end of June, the first bicycle lane in Minsk appeared on the roadway on Khoruzhei. And since there was no such thing in the city before, many questions immediately arose as to how to drive on it correctly. We have compiled detailed instructions, where we tried to collect answers to all questions.
At the end of June, the first bicycle lane in Minsk appeared on the roadway on Khoruzhei. And since there was no such thing in the city before, many questions immediately arose as to how to drive on it correctly. We have compiled detailed instructions, where we tried to collect answers to all questions.
Cycle lane rules
There are two bike lanes on the street. You need to move along each of them only in one direction - in the direction of the cars. If you need to move in the opposite direction, you can drive along the sidewalk or move to the opposite cycle lane at a pedestrian crossing.
When entering the cycle lane, you must first make sure that the maneuver is safe by looking around. Driving along the cycle lane is closer to the right edge of the carriageway. At the same time, the width of the cycle lane (1.5 - 1.8 m) allows you to overtake other cyclists. It is safe, as there are delinators in the buffer zone between the traffic lanes of motorists and cyclists.
When driving through the courtyard exits and the “pocket” for fixed-route taxis, the cyclist has the advantage of driving over vehicles.
Passage of the intersection with the bicycle phosphor
Bicycle traffic lights are installed at the intersection with st. Kuibyshev. At this point, you can only drive on the carriageway on the green signal cycling traffic light.
If the red lights on the bike traffic light, you must definitely stop in front of the stop line and wait for the green one.
The green light time is short - only a few seconds - but it is enough to start moving. Stop lines for cyclists are located closer to the intersection, and the green signal for them lights up earlier than for cars. At the same time, during the entire time the green signal of the bicycle traffic light is on, for cars turning right, the red one is on.
If, when a cyclist approaches an intersection, a green signal is already on at the bike traffic light, he must make sure that the passage is safe before crossing the carriageway. If the green light starts blinking, do not enter the intersection.
We emphasize once again that if a red light is on at a bicycle traffic light and a green light at a traffic light, then cyclists are prohibited from moving. Also, you must not cross the intersection on the cycle lane in the opposite direction, as this can be dangerous!
Passage of pedestrian crossings
When driving along the cycle lane, the cyclist crosses pedestrian crossings several times. Before them are set cycling traffic lights. You need to cross the pedestrian crossing only at the green signal of the bicycle traffic light when cars are moving and pedestrians are standing. This green signal does not allow you to turn left and cross the street.
If it is necessary to cross a street, the cyclist must stop, cross onto the sidewalk and wait for the green light at the pedestrian traffic light.
You can cross the street without dismounting, along the bike crossings highlighted in green and located next to pedestrian crossings. This should be done at a pedestrian speed (3-7 km / h), without driving into pedestrian crossings.
What to do when traffic lights are not working?
If bicycle traffic lights are off or flashing yellow, the cyclist must give way to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings. At the crossroads with st. Kuibyshev, a cyclist moving along the cycle lane is on a secondary road. Therefore, he must give way to all cars that drive along the street. Kuibyshev. At the same time, in front of cars turning from st. Horus to the right, the cyclist has the upper hand.
Travel stop
Stop "Furniture House"
To pass the stop "House of Furniture" at the shopping center "Impulse", you need to move off the carriageway onto the sidewalk along the green bike path. The cycle path bypasses the stop behind the stop pavilion.
The passage to the Dom mebeli stop on the other side of the street near the Siluet shopping center also goes along the sidewalk - the cycle lane ends before the stopping point and then you should continue along the sidewalk.
Stop "Komarovsky market"
The stop "Komarovskiy Rynok" is going along the carriageway along the markings highlighted in green. At the same time, the cyclist obliged to yield the road to public transport entering or leaving a stop (stopping pocket).
If the bus or trolleybus is in your pocket and has turned on the left turn signal to exit, the cyclist must stop follow him and give him the opportunity to leave. It is extremely dangerous not to miss a bus or trolleybus or start bypassing it in the traffic lane!
Avoiding Obstacles
If there is an obstacle on the cycle lane, you can go around it on the carriageway, after making sure that the maneuver is safe. It is necessary to use signs with your hands about what maneuver you are doing, even if there are no cars behind (extended left hand - exit to the left). At the same time, the cyclist does not have priority over cars.
Exit the bike lane
As soon as the marking of the cycle lane ends, you should drive onto the sidewalk and continue driving along it. Forbidden drive on the carriageway in an area where there is no cycle lane.
Can children ride the bike lane?
Formally, a cycle lane is equivalent to a cycle track, so children have the right to move along it. But since this is the first project of its kind in Minsk and the drivers are not yet accustomed to the new rules, MBO advises children under 14 years old to refrain from such trips without an adult.
The development of the project of the cycle lane on the roadway was carried out by the MVO team together with specialists from the NCHUP "BAES". Expert work on the development of the project was carried out with the financial support of the European Union within the framework of the project “Urban Cycling in Belarus”.
Text: Daria Kosko, Maxim Puchinsky
Photo: Alexey Basalay
