Advocacy & Safety - Definition: Runing Stop Sign?

If you pass the exact point of a stop sign without stoping, did you run the stop sign?
Easy right? Yes.
Now to add a little more to that.

What if you passed the exact point of the stop sign without stopping but NEVER entered the intersection or roadway that the stop sign was meant to protect? Did you run that stop sign? How is that possible?
Since you never entered the other roadway / intersection what purpose does that stop sign have?

Some roads have stop signs that are placed further back from the intersections rather than directly on the corner.
You passed the exact point of the sign then immeadiatly turned right into a parking lot that is before the intersecting roadway. You are then cited for running a stop sign. Is this right?

To stop or not to stop, that is the question.
Is it be smarter to stop or dumber to go?
It is but a suggestion from folks wiser than we
To delay forward progress may be prudent
Before we continue on our way

They advise approaching with caution
They have specific steps to work through
As we negotiate that hazard
Where two roads meet to make four

To help with our decision to stop or to go,
some supervisors with ticket books
Will often monitor the flow.
Rewarding the stupid with coupons that say
Your efforts here today were lacking
For that you will pay.

The stopping point is not always at the position of the sign.
The stop sign is actually informing you that there is a required stopping point ahead. The maximum distance from the true stopping point varies from state to state. If you dig through your municipal and civil codes, you can find the definitions and conditions for roadway access, entering and right of way. In many cases a stop may be required even though the stop sign is absent.

Years ago while I was learning to drive, I believe that you were required to stop at the stop sign then ease up to the intersection, and stop before proceeding. Don't know if that would be practical on a bike.

I'd rune a lot of stop signs, except I never buckle down and learn that darned runic alphabet. Darn! Maybe it's a good thing, I'd probably be scratching runes all over town ....

Better stick with my subversive plan I think about late at night ......... I have secret fantasies of planting California poppies all over the place where I go..... more beautification than vandalism.......

Years ago while I was learning to drive, I believe that you were required to stop at the stop sign then ease up to the intersection, and stop before proceeding. Don't know if that would be practical on a bike.

This is exactly right. Many intersections have stop lines positioned well back from the actual intersection itself. This is to provide some buffer space for pedestrians using the crosswalk. Though, in practice many cars ignore these and pull right up into and even amongst people trying to cross the street. Here in DC you are likely, as not, to find crosswalks completely blocked by cars sitting at the light forcing you to either detour in front (and out into on coming traffic) or to meander behind them through the lines of stopped cars. God help you there when the light turns green!

Side note - years ago I was stopped by police who insisted that for a bicycle rider to be considered 'stopped' the foot must come down and touch the pavement. I was to young to know any different.

"Here in DC you are likely, as not, to find crosswalks completely blocked by cars sitting at the light forcing you to either detour in front (and out into on coming traffic) or to meander behind them through the lines of stopped cars. God help you there when the light turns green!"


This practice by drivers has increased with the "right turn on red". They just caanot wait to creep forward while looking nowhere except to their left. If you are a pedestrian crossing from the driver's right, you are ignored.

I believe that the rule is quite simple. You are required to stop before passing the stop sign.

There is usually a limit line painted on the road. That is where you must stop.

There is usually a limit line painted on the road. That is where you must stop. Your statement matches my understanding of California law. Where there is no limit line, I assume one is supposed to stop just before reaching the sign itself.

Stop at the sign, then roll foward and STOP to see if you need to. Trick is a cop seeing stop at the sign, then move foward. School buses must follow that protocol at every stop sign.