Texas - Collin County cyclist guidelines per Sheriff's Office & BikeDFW

Recently there has been a significant increase in the enforcement by the Collin County Sheriff's dept regarding cyclists running stop signs and lights. The following is the result of a lengthy meeting with the Sheriff's Department and BikeDFW & the PBA to find a reasonable middle ground that all parties can agree upon:

http://bikedfw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137%3Aenforcing-the-rules-of-the-road-for-cyclists-in-collin-county&catid=25%3Afront-page-news



[1]Cyclists must stop at all traffic signals (red lights) and not proceed until the light turns green.

[2]Cyclists must stop at all stop signs. For safety and enforcement purposes, a stop is defined as: Wheels come to a complete stop. One foot down on the pavement.

[3]Cyclists riding in a group are allowed to do a "group" stop at stop signs as follows:
The riders at the front of the group come to a complete stop with one foot down.
Riders behind also come to a complete stop.
The entire group then proceeds through the intersection when it is safe.
If there is a split - a break - in the group, each smaller group will be treated separately and must also come to a complete stop, independently of the main group.
Cyclists are allowed to ride two (2) abreast on two-lane roadways (a single lane in each direction), but only as long as there is no traffic approaching from behind. Cyclists must move into a single line ("single up") when cars approach to avoid impeding traffic.

[4]Cyclists should ride near the right edge of the lane unless it is not practical to do so, such as in a narrow lane (less than 14' wide), or in the presence of road obstructions, debris, potholes, etc.


All groups and solo cyclists cycling in Collin County, please aid in everyone's enjoyment of the roads by following these simple guidelines. While you personally may be able to trackstand for a week at a stop sign, or feel that you can run lights and stop signs because you see cars doing it too, for the better of all cyclists in the county, please do your part to keep the local authorities cooperating with us. Thank you.

Follow the rules of the road...period.

That pretty much sums it up. Though sometimes it seems there is a question as to what those rules are for cyclists, especially those in groups and how to proceed through stop signs.

That pretty much sums it up. Though sometimes it seems there is a question as to what those rules are for cyclists, especially those in groups and how to proceed through stop signs.

No real question in the law... Whether riding as a group or individuals, each bike is one vehicle and required to stop individually at the sign... The group "rules" they have published are counter to the letter of the law at least in terms of stopping at stop signs in groups.

I keep waiting for some jurisdiction to realize they can use the safe following distance rules to come down on group rides... which by definition make use of drafting which is illegal for other vehicle types, but I haven't heard of any citations for cyclists, yet...

So will they also be redefining a stop for cars to include setting the parking brake and turning off the engine?

Not going to get into a debate here. I'm just passing along the information posted by BikeDFW in response to a crack down by the Sheriff's Department in Collin County. It is in the best interest of cyclists, both solo and in a group, to adhere to the law to prevent us all from being under the microscope by local law enforcement.

The biggest question has come to how to treat a group of cyclists when they come to a stop sign. If they must each individually stop "at" the sign and then proceed, or if they can proceed as a group after all members of the group have come to a complete stop. The above guidelines keep the group together as a group compared to each rider having to stop at the intersection and thus making the group stretched out over a long distance as we now have to do in Sache.

Recently there has been a significant increase in the enforcement by the Collin County Sheriff's dept regarding cyclists running stop signs and lights. The following is the result of a lengthy meeting with the Sheriff's Department and BikeDFW & the PBA to find a reasonable middle ground that all parties can agree upon:

http://bikedfw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137%3Aenforcing-the-rules-of-the-road-for-cyclists-in-collin-county&catid=25%3Afront-page-news



All groups and solo cyclists cycling in Collin County, please aid in everyone's enjoyment of the roads by following these simple guidelines. While you personally may be able to trackstand for a week at a stop sign, or feel that you can run lights and stop signs because you see cars doing it too, for the better of all cyclists in the county, please do your part to keep the local authorities cooperating with us. Thank you.

Thanks for the information. I been riding here since 1984 but don't belong to a club and was not aware of these activities. There are many more riders these days than back when, and a lot fewer places to ride. In 84 Allen was pretty much rural -- McDermott was a nice two lane with a few hills; 121 was also a nice 2 lane. For what its worth, Allen has a history of closing roads to riders -- anything we can do to minimize conflicts is for the best.

Follow the rules of the road...period.

Putting a foot down to prove you're stopped isn't part of the law - the LEOs just made that up. So from this post I gather in Collin County you can be ticketed for "following the rules of the road...period".

But thanks cuda2k for the post.