Originally Posted by
njkayaker
On the other hand, the "Idaho stop" makes bicyclist seem more erratic/unpredictable and undeservedly "privileged" (or scofflaws) to drivers who, typically, see bicyclists as intruders on "their" roads.
Even the idaho stop does not allow a bicycle to "take" the right of way from a car. If the intersection is not clear, the bicycle still has to stop. It can never affect anyone, because if it does then the cyclist broke the law by not yielding.
Originally Posted by
njkayaker
Ignoring the legal issue, I think the "Idaho stop" just happens to work, because bicycles are moving slowly, because their viewpoint is often better, because (hopefully) they will take more care, etc.
Although I did not spell it out in my earlier post, my opinion on the weight issue is because we have more to lose in the event of an accident with a vehicle more than 100x our mass.