I didn't really notice this until I started cycling, but see it so frequently now. And I used to be an offender when I drove a zippy little sportier car, unlike now in my stick shift SUV. But Brake Checks...

I am regularly scared spitless by drivers that feel that they need to go from 30mph to almost zero (no complete stops in Oregon...) at intersections. Is this a fundamental flaw of Oregon drivers and their lack of understanding of physics or poor depth perception, or do you see this, too?

I usually have my commuter helmet on in the mornings, with the 600+ lumen light on it. Those brake-checkers get a little longer glance as I ride by than the less racy drivers. I'm just hoping beyond hope that the light will give em a headache....

I'm not entirely sure I understand.

My understanding of "brake check" is a road rage incident when one motorist will apply the brakes quickly because it is felt that the following motorist is following to closely. In an effort to, "teach him/her a lesson" about following too close.

If this is correct, then my perception of the original post, seems to describe that some (or many) motorists are approaching an intersection too fast and applying the brakes late.

What I'm not sure of is how this affects you. I doubt that you're travelling at 30mph on bicycle, behind these people, and affected by these quick stops. So, it must be some issue when they pass you at an intersection and stop quickly(?)

I'm also not sure how shining a light into their eyes would communicate to them this issue though.

wat?

Either the OP is whack, or he's trying to make a clever reverse play on the motorist's off-cited plaint on cyclists who feel the need to fly through intersections without stopping. In which case the OP is both unfunny AND whack. And there's no mention of traffic signals, so that's unfunny, whack and imprecise. Hat trick of useless.

I think the OP is talking about the guys that have to race from red light to red light at (or stop sign to stop sign) at very high speed and wait to brake until the very last second, then gun it to the next stop.

When they change lanes cutting right in front of you at the last second before jamming on brakes, it affects you even if you were originally going as slow as 12 mph.

I'm confused too. They're jamming on their brakes at stop signs? I don't see how this affects the cyclist, as he should stopping anyway.

Suppose you are cycling along a roadway and you approach an intersection where the cross traffic has a stop sign and you don't. When a car approaches the stop sign at a high rate of speed, you have to make a decision regarding whether the motorist sees you and is going to yield the right-of-way to you, in which case you pedal along, or whether you think the motorist is going to run the stop sign at a high enough speed to do damage to you, in which case you need to take evasive action. This is really fun when descending a hill on a tandem, by the way.

In OR, it seems to be fairly common to keep one's foot glued to the accelerator until the last possible moment, at which time it is moved to the brake. Perhaps this is why I see so many thriving auto body repair shops.

Always assume they are not going to stop, it is better to be a bit slower than splatted .

Same as

Always assume that pedestrian is going to step blindly out with out checking from behind the parked car/truck.

+1 from here

I marvel at the rushing to red lights and stop signs. When I do use the car I completely aggravate everyone since I refuse to play that game. I have to pay for gas and brake jobs and refuse to rush around like chicken with its head cut off just to suit these idiots. I'm just sick to death of dealing with utter stupidity.

You understand, but you get to ride in OR, too. Every commute I get at least one cross-street driver that has to danged near fly to the intersection, stopping just in time. I suppose it takes too long to more or less ease to a stop.

if motorists stopped at stop signs, it would be funny or whack or unfunny or whatever you're trying to say it would be. I think that the compliance of motorists with stop signs is somewhat overstated. What they do here is slow down, and if they see cross traffic they stop. This works great unless someone is on a bicycle or is walking, in which case it's an accident waiting to happen. I noticed in New Jersey that they had moved some stop signs further back from the intersection since the last time I had taken that route. I'm guessing they think that helps get people to stop, but I don't know.

Okay, I understand now. We are talking opposing traffic at right angles, not same direction traffic. Got it.

Then yes, that is frustrating, as you are unsure that they see you and are going to stop. Experienced that many times.

Just a guess on the logic:

Likely it provides some "buffer" room to stop, or slow down enough, to allow the ped or cyclist to "get out of the way."

To say that another way; since they are not going to stop anyway, it allows the motorist to roll, look and go if nothing is coming. If there is oposing traffic (whether motor vehicle, ped or cyclist), then it allows the motorist "roll room." This "roll room" gives the motorist the impression of efficiency, while allowing some margin of safety for cross traffic.

Not agreeing with it, just offering an impression on the stop sign adjustment.

Okay, I understand that. I see that pretty often even when I'm driving. I'm always ready to take evasive action should they run the stop sign or not be able to stop before entering the roadway. I'm the same way on a bike.

I sort of had a situation like this yesterday. I was passed by three cars who had an undying need to get a head of me at the next traffic light. Just as I approached the third car, the light went green and I passed all three of them and got back in the right lane. They of course passed me again. But they were none too happy about being passed by cyclist. Sort of like a game of leap frog.