Oneder

California stop at 4 ways if no one is coming, full stop at 2 ways regardless.

grumpyoldguy

Usually - when riding in town. Out in the country, only at intersections with busy highways or where visibility in either direction is poor. But I always slow down and take a hard look before rolling through.

poppadaddio

I don't always obey them.

CycleNutz

700 flashing lumens will make that relevant contact known.

schulz46

Got a New Bike and very careful when it comes to intersections. I always slow down for stop signs and stop for red lights. You just never know what is going on in a driver's mind just be safe.

gios 

I ride a motorcycle and have attending the motorcycle safety foundation classes a couple times, so I fully realize who wins the battle between two and four wheels. If a cross traffic (coming from my right) car is stopped and the four wheeler is eyeing me, or even waves me across, I still turn and then u-turn behind them and turn right continuing on my way.

Miele Man

I usually stop at stop signs especially where sight lines are poor. Sometimes a distracted driver will blow a stop sign on a four-way stop that I've come to. Heck I had a driver blow through a red light once at a high rate of speed. Had I started pedaling as soon as the light facing me turned green he'd have T-boned me. If the sight lines are good and there's no traffic in sight then I'll slow, look carefully and then proceed with caution.

Oh, and watch out for hidden police cruisers. A friend of mine rode through a stop sign late one night and got a ticket.

Cheers

Yonah

I always stop at stop signs - especially if I am riding with my kids - trying to model good behavior. At the beginning of COVID, with empty streets I was thinking about not stopping, except then motorists got the same ideas. I've literally seen two people blatantly run red lights and nearly hit me in the last month or so - so I take precautions. FWIW, I am in the NYC Suburbs

Paint Job Steve

The only time I halt for a stop sign is when it will get me killed if I don't. I've got a good eye for danger.

Yonah

What I meant to say is that I stop at stop signs, and even slow down on some green lights. Stopping at a stop sign won't help you if a jerk runs a red light and hits you

AMGwagon 

I never blow red lights, unless its 5am and there is no traffic. Stop signs kinda fit the same bill: never take the right of way from a motorist, because it burns goodwill. I wave "thanks" to motorists who honor my ROW and especially those who pass at safe distance.

transitguy

I have to say that I am somewhat amazed at some of the opinions expressed in this thread. Bicycles are legal vehicles in all 50 states and are, with some minor exceptions, subject to the same traffic laws that apply to all other vehicles. Following traffic laws is not only the safest option for cyclists and the one that promotes good will with motorists, it also helps cyclists avoid traffic tickets or blame if there is a crash with another vehicle.

I always stop at stop signs during a ride and also while driving a car. I am simply unwilling to defy what is actually a sensible and easy-to-obey law. I just don’t buy the notion that a cyclist has too much momentum to stop or that they can’t be bothered to ride safely. I’ve heard some motorists say, “who do they think they are?” and they have a good point.

I have had only one near crash when I obeyed a stop sign and that happened, ironically, when three fast-moving cyclists nearly plowed into me from behind after I stopped at a rural intersection. I had properly signaled that I was stopping well in advance and the stop sign was clearly visible, but they still came on without slowing at all.

One of these guys slowed enough to swear at me (!) after he had to swerve and he displayed his IQ on one hand as he sped away. What he didn’t realize is that if he had hit me I would have treated the crash as I would treat any other rear-end collision, with a police presence and all that goes along with a mess like that.

Lilly18

can't you be fined for that?

Gresp15C

Present company excepted, of course, I don't believe any of the rationalizations, and wouldn't try to rationalize it myself, were I tempted to blow through a stop sign. I think that motorists and cyclists both bend the rules for the sake of convenience and opportunity. Motorists speed and roll through stop signs and traffic lights. Cyclists roll through stop signs and sometimes take inappropriate shortcuts. In both cases, they insist that what they're doing is perfectly safe, and it's rarely enforced.

Sy Reene

This is the part that is not at all necessarily true. Eg. cyclist clearing an intersection when it's safe (vs. when light says), before all of the rest of the traffic is also going thru, often makes a lot of sense.

Pugs2xLove

Does "California" stop count? Drivers usually do that when they speed up to go around me and then blow through the STOP sign because I am such an inconvenience to them.

roundypndr 

I'll do an Idaho stop at quiet intersections(no cars) and a full stop at busy ones.

downhillmaster

I slow down and roll through most stop signs.
All cool if other people don’t. But I will call anyone a liar who tells me that they come to a complete stop at EVERY stop sign they encounter.

gear64

Red lights I always full stop. If no cars and I suspect dead red I'll go through after full stop and some wait time (legal in Missouri). If I'm familiar with the intersection and know it's timed I'll wait. If steady traffic, I behave as a motor vehicle. Stop signs I come as close to stopping as possible without putting foot down if no car in sight. Full stop foot down if car in sight. And for the love of god, I wish cars would just take their proper turn; I can't stand the go no you go no you go routine. I'm somewhat dismayed by what I see as a super slow, but steady decline into anarchy with regards to common law and individuals thinking they are above it. This extends well beyond traffic discussions. If you are really opposed to something take the proper means to affect legal change.

StarBiker

70 posts to figure this out? I wanted an even number......

In cluster*uckville I would proceed with caution.

Iride01 

What did we figure out?

Is there a consensus that will cause a world wide rule or law to be made to force others of us to comply?

Laugh... I'm picking. At least chuckle.

user2

I Idaho stop if the intersection is empty. If sight lines are excellent I will roll through at moderate speed.

If there are cars at the intersection I always try to behave like a vehicle and stop, to avoid confusing drivers by behaving unpredictably. I do this even if we're both going straight.

Rachel Ross

You are absolutely right!

3alarmer 

3alarmer