Duluth School Zone With Crossing Guard and Cyclist
At 7:45 a.m. on a Tuesday in Duluth, Minnesota, you are southbound on a two-lane street posted 30 mph. You approach an elementary school. A fluorescent yellow-green pentagon sign shows two children walking, and below it a 'SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 20 WHEN FLASHING' sign has yellow lights flashing. A crossing guard in a fluorescent vest stands in the road with a stop paddle, and three children wait at the curb. A bicyclist in a narrow bike lane is 80 feet ahead, riding near the parked cars. The street is 36 feet wide, with parked cars on both sides. Your right foot is on the accelerator; you are late for work. A vehicle ahead of you is stopped at the crosswalk. The crossing guard has not yet raised the paddle.
1. What is the lawful speed here, and what must you do when you see the stopped vehicle and the crossing guard?
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The flashing 'SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 20 WHEN FLASHING' sign makes 20 mph the lawful maximum while the lights flash; the 30 mph sign does not override it. You must also stop for the crossing guard and the children. The stopped vehicle ahead is a warning that the crosswalk is occupied or about to be; do not pass it. Stop before the crosswalk, leave room for the guard and children, and wait for the guard's signal. The fluorescent yellow-green pentagon sign is a school warning sign, but the rectangular speed sign with flashing lights is what sets the 20-mph limit. Even after the guard lowers the paddle, scan for children who may run or lag behind. Your lateness for work does not change the duty to stop.
2. How should you pass the bicyclist with parked cars on both sides of a 36-foot street?
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Minnesota requires at least 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist. Here the cyclist is riding near parked cars, so the door zone is a real hazard: a driver may open a door, or the cyclist may swerve. With parked cars on both sides, a 36-foot street may not leave enough room to give 3 feet while staying in your lane. Slow down, check for oncoming traffic, and wait until you can move left enough to leave a safe gap-or follow at a safe distance until the cyclist clears the parked cars. Do not squeeze past. If you must cross the center line to pass, do so only when it is legal and clear. Passing a cyclist is not worth a close call, especially in a school zone.
3. The flashing lights stop just as you reach the sign, but children remain near the curb. May you accelerate to 30 mph?
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No. The end of the flashing signal may end the special 20-mph school-zone limit, but it does not end your duty to use care around children. The children are still near the curb, the crossing guard is still present, and the stopped vehicle is still at the crosswalk. Accelerating to 30 mph would reduce your reaction time and could startle the guard or children. Maintain a low speed, keep your foot ready to brake, and proceed only when the crosswalk is clear and the guard indicates you may go. The sign's flashing lights are a legal trigger for the 20-mph limit, but safe driving requires you to respond to the people, not just the lights.