zbikem

So I recently started commuting in a city as opposed to my beloved college town. Unfortunately, this means I'm spending a lot less time on dedicated bike paths and ride city streets pretty much all the time. Still, could be wose...

Anyways, my question stems from wondering about speed. I take about 20 minutes for a 5 mile commute through the streets of SF. That is about 15 mph, which isn't too bad. I dont think I can pedal too mcuh faster, so I guess traffic lights/stop signs are forcing this to be the fastest I will make it.

I always stop at red lights and wait till the lights goes green before moving. I stop and wait even when it is clear there are no cars frm other direction. A lot of other bikers go by and wonder why I am waiting. I was wondering what others do? Do you wait for the light to turn green, or proceed after evaluating traffic? I find it quite amusing that I tend to behave like a car driver at traffic lights (i.e. wait for correct signal), however for stop signs, I don't come to a complete stop (not even a rolling stop...just slow down to evaluate). Wonderng what others do...

steveknight

I wait. but I see a fair amount that don't. though more for stop signs then lights.

apricissimus 

This is a somewhat controversial topic, but I don't see any reason to wait at a red light if I'm not going to get in anyone's way. I certainly don't shoot gaps in traffic though as some people do. I feel like it's rude to jump in front of a car (or other vehicle) that might not be expecting you, even if you know you can get through safely.

savethekudzu

zbikem:

That's the pattern I've observed: stopping for red lights, slowing (and sometimes stopping) for stop signs. As has been said elsewhere, the motorists don't get worn out getting back up to speed.

Personally, I cringe at the idea of running through a red light unless the light is defective and won't ever turn green for the cyclist.

uke

I always wait for reds, always slow for stops (and then come to a full stop with approaching traffic, or gun it if the coast is clear).

JoeyBike

^This would be my official answer too.^

vtjim

I treat them the same way I do when I'm in a car: I stop for lights. If it doesn't change, I go through it. Stop signs get respected but not necessarily full-stopped at.

ItsJustMe

Pretty much what I do. I stop at red lights and wait for green, even at 2AM and there isn't another vehicle in sight. For stop signs, I slow down pretty far, almost to trackstand, regardless of the situation (even in the aforementioned "2am, no cars in sight" situation and do stop if there's any traffic at all.

The guys blowing the stop sign are definitely in the wrong, in almost any jurisdiction in the US (maybe all). There are a few cities that define stop signs as "yields" for bikes, but I've not heard of any that say cyclists can run lights.

ItsJustMe

It's 100% free sprint training, and you're throwing it away? I actually like getting nearly to a stop and then hammering away.

CCrew

Popcorn and sit back for this one!

I full stop at red lights. I generally full slow/stop and then go at stop signs. I'm old. It's rest breaks

Bill Kapaun

Pretty much my method too.

Liv2Ride

Here in Texas, as a bike rider you are subject to the same laws as drivers. Therefore, you must stop at red lights, stop signs and obey all traffic laws, even the 20 MPH school zone speed limits.
In your case, there is no question what the "right" thing is to do. However, what many do is something else altogether.
I know there are few things which anger me more than watching a bicycle rider run a red light or stop sign. IMHO nothing diminishes what little respect bicycle riders get from drivers, more than law-breaking riders.

degnaw

Doesn't Idaho say that cyclists can treat red lights as stop signs?

dipy911

Not Again!!!

I got rid of one red by turning right and then left at the next intersection, still going the correct way. This leaves only 2 lights that won't change. One is a smaller intersection and I run it when no one is coming, or right turn u-turn, right turn. The other is a major 6 lane road that I have to use the pedestrian signal to cross, it also makes the crossing cars wait longer.

dipy911

Old Army

When you are on the street, in most places you are a car and you should behave like a car. This means stopping at red lights and stop signs. Most cyclists are exceptionally averse to extra work so they just cruise right through. I stop. I also hand signal a stop so a cyclist coming from behind who assumes I'll simply run the light wont be taken by surprise (although the truck that hits him may be a surprise). I am in a super minority as I stop at stop signs as well (well maybe not the idiotic stop signs littering the MUP's). This definitely takes other cyclists by surprise, so I always signal a stop. I find it a good opportunity to practice track stands and sprinting from a standing start. In fact I generally do a better job stopping at the stop signs than the cars!

Oh, I've even been yelled at by other cyclists for stopping at stop signs before. Some find it particularly annoying if I pass them just to stop at a stop sign; then they pass me crusing right on through; then I pass them again only to stop at the next stop sign; then they pass me again. But if this happens, they are going slowly enough to deserve to be passed.

-Old Army

cc_rider

Depends on if anyone is watching.

zeytoun

I find that with some experience on a set route, I can learn to time the lights, which I find to be the easiest course of action.

For deciding to run a red light, I am not going to recommend a course of action. I personally only run a red light after coming to a complete stop, and only if it's a small intersection with special circumstances. There are lots of intersections where I will never run a red light. I don't run them by default.

Stop signs, I slow down, and depending on sight lines, will coast through them if there are no cars. I avoid narrow residential routes with series of stop signs because they really slow me down.

zeytoun

We all draw the line somewhere.

HardyWeinberg

I have one light in daily use that just doesn't change no matter what, so I run it. All others, I stop wherever the sensor is (if it's detectable) and then creep past the stopline once the crossing traffic gets a yellow, so that I can be going once they have a red. And I watch for red-light runners of course.

And then there is another intersection, just one, in my daily circuit, where if I am off the sensor before crossing traffic gets a red, I never get a green. So I either stay put for that one or, if I forget and go too far forward, run it.

zeytoun

You're legally in the wrong in almost all jurisdictions with this behavior. (except in Idaho, where a stop sign may be treated as a yield sign by a cyclist)

Old Army

The ones I run on the MUP's don't meet the DOT's requirements for stops signs and thus are not enforceable. I view them as a mere suggestion.

-Old Army

ItsJustMe

That's OK, I once yelled at another cyclist for blowing a stoplight. She pulled around me, blew the light and caused a cross-traffic car to have to lock their brakes. When I caught up to her, she thought she was justified in riding any damn way she liked because sometimes cars were mean to her. Well hell, that means anyone on the roads in any vehicle can always do whatever they like!

10 Wheels

[QUOTE=apricissimus;7880333]This is a somewhat controversial topic, but I don't see any reason to wait at a red light if I'm not going to get in anyone's way. QUOTE]

I do Split Lanes to get to the front of Stopped cars. It is Legal here.

Ned_Detroit

I stop and wait at red lights, stop signs I treat as yields and slow down, I treat all intersections as yields because no matter who legally has the right of way I'm going to lose to the Escalade, Hummer, BMw, F-150, etc. with blacked out glass being driven by someone talking on his/her cellphone.

annc

Don't confuse right with legal. To determine what's legal, read the law. To determine what's right, one usually considers the moral, legal, and practical questions. Traffic rarely deals with moral issues what's left is legal and practical (e.g., convenience and safety).