amaramartin

Isn't that more dangerous for everyone?

noimagination

True. While cycling I once slowed at a stop sign, then proceeded to pull out into the path of an oncoming car from my left (who had the right of way) that I unaccountably did not notice. Broad daylight, clear sightlines - I still don't know how I failed to see a car when I was specifically looking for oncoming traffic. I can only theorize that it was a variety of factors - direct head-on so no motion (slight curve in the road) + white car against light pavement and sky + fatigue on my part + x factor(??). Fortunately I caught motion in the corner of my eye and made a right turn onto the shoulder at the last second.

Complete brain fart on my part, I guess.

Milton Keynes

BTW I always stop for red lights. Not that I usually ride places where there are traffic lights (I live in a rural area) but I'll always obey them.

Alan Bikes

I once got stopped for not doing so, by a cop. So I haven't done that, since.

gwuwu

it depends. Sometimes I feel awkward so I just zoom by lol

JanMM

I’ve rolled though some stop signs at RR crossings in the country recently. No trains, no crossarms.

wphamilton

It's split, stopping or not stopping at stop signs. The key, for me, is not letting it be a habit. No matter how good we are, no matter how aware and observant, nobody is perfect. When it's a routine habit, that's when we risk rolling through without looking that one rare time. If the habit is to watch and make a conscious decision every time, sometimes running it and sometimes stopping, there is almost no risk.

Chuck M 

Oklahoma law allows for not stopping if traffic is clear. On the roads I ride, all traffic is not created equal except for the fact it can kill you so I practice the best judgement I can. If it is clear, I will slow to check for traffic Some areas at some times of day I may stop even if there isn't a stop sign.

LWC

as long as you are a participant in traffic, follow its rules

livedarklions

Rules as written or as practiced? Because virtually no one actually in traffic fully follows the rules as written. As far as I'm concerned, selective disobedience is one of the rules of traffic.

burnthesheep

Riding my area right by my house would be totally impractical if the absolute letter were followed. Most car trips for a person in this area is a couple miles, or you leave the area then use a freeway to get to another area. Bike, it will take you 15 to 20 stop signs just to get to the "countryside". Staying in the neighborhood I likely have 15 to 50 stop signs depending on route and duration around here. 25mph neighborhoods.

Bikes don't have the luxury of using the lower stop frequency freeways and thoroughfares cars can go do for more continuous transit. Bikes have to "get out of town". Cars might hit 5 stops leaving and 5 stops entering an area of interest. The ratio of the effect of the stop on the travel of a car is less than a bike. 5 seconds to a car that can go 45, 50mph is less than a bicycle averaging a blistering 20mph.

I try to be "reasonable". Think about "if a car comes from behind that bush to the 4-way and decides to 'roll it' will what I am doing now hurt me?". My interaction at that intersection is governed by that. If I can't see well, I'm slowing to where I could slam brakes and stop before the intersection. If I can see really well, I will slow from a "hammer" to pass through.

livedarklions

We all follow "rules of reason" any time we operate a vehicle on the road. Drivers are rarely confining themselves to the posted speed limits, routinely take rolling stops, and (unreasonably) gunning it when they see a yellow traffic light a quarter block ahead. If I have good visibility at an intersection so that I can see that there is no one else anywhere near any of the corners, I'm not going to stop. I will slow, quite possibly to a crawl, if needed to make that determination. If there are any other vehicles on any part of the intersection, I will definitely come to a full stop, I'm not relying on the driver to actually use their turn signal as required by law.

I also never signal a right turn if there is no chance there is going to be any vehicle on my right to see and need the signal. Sue me.

Robert C

I find that on my ebike I am stopping a lot more. It is just easier to get going again. I am also pretty likely to stop on my trike. With the trike, I can just stop without unclipping. There is also the point that on the trike I am in no real hurry. I just feel that I am more relaxed on the trike, and stopping means so little.

Sorg67

There is a law proposed in Florida that bicycles can treat stop lights like stop signs and stop signs like yield signs. That is about how I ride. I do yield right of way to cars. Although many cars wave me on even when they have the right of way.

Nyah

I do, unless it's a stop sign that I'm familiar with enough to know when it's safe to not. There are two right near each other on my route, which I blow through if no one is coming. Idaho Stop, I'don'know Stop. Car drivers may think ill of this behavior but, I know when I'm safe in these situations.

Hericann

As a law-abiding citizen of our country, Yes, I do follow signs and stop when needed. I don't want to pay fines.