bingham333

i rolled through a stop sign a week ago and was almost struck by a young girl who ran through her stop sign while yapping on her phone in her little red convertable. at the next stop sign she apologized saying "sorry i didnt see you" to which i scolded her with "thats why the sign says 'stop' and not 'stop when you see someone'." even though i know realistically i am just as guilty and at fault as her.

Enigma126

In general I don't run stop signs. However there is one where I merge onto a main high speed road (Hwy98) and am forced to take the lane for about fifty yards to make my turn lane. I have the option of taking the merge lane and holding up all the traffic while I wait for a large enough gap to fit in on a bicycle without getting ran over. If on the other hand I see a large enough gap on the high speed road, I take the merge lane and blow the stop sign. There is a raised median so I only have to worry about the traffic traveling from left to right. This decision is made from a practical standpoint not from one of legality.

arnijr

Up here bicycling on the sidewalks is legal and encouraged, but of course bikes are also allowed on the road. During winter I am terrified of the roads, although most drivers here are quite capable of driving in snow and ice. The sidewalks and MUPs are generally fairly well plowed, sometimes even better and sooner than the roads. The sidewalks are also pretty much empty. Therefore, I mostly ride the sidewalks and MUPs. As you would expect this creates a few problems at intersections. Stop signs are rare, relative to the USA at least, so I couldn't really tell you how much I'd respect them. There simply are none on my usual routes. Lights however I run when it's safe. Part of the reason is that it's simply safer when I can see clearly that there are no cars coming, compared to dodging turning traffic, that's not really looking for me on the sidewalk. The exception is the bigger intersections, where I stop and behave like a nice little law abiding citizen.
Having said all that, I have no problem riding on the road, when it's not covered in ice. I ride defensively, take the lane if needed and keep alert. I do however feel safer on the MUP, as long as I slow down for the rare pedestrian and dogwalker. I also believe in helmets, not that they magically protect me from everything, just that they can possibly help in some crashes. That applies especially to single vehicle crashes, where I make a mistake and crash. This probably comes from mountain biking, where you expect falls.

oboeguy

Word! To be honest, I'm sick of the "it's the law" sheeple / VC crowd. Car =/= bike, why should the rules be the same? Rules and laws regarding stoplights and stop signs are abstractions of order anyway. The Idaho rules are much better approximation of order, IMO. So yes, of course, while on the bike, I will not come to a complete stop at a stop signs, nor will I put my foot down at a red light unless there is a good reason to do so.

kellyjdrummer

So, what would a good reason be??

Machka 

I do not run stop signs if there is a moving vehicle anywhere in sight. If the lady in question was close enough to yell at you, you should have stopped. Even when there isn't a moving vehicle anywhere in sight, I will track stand at stop signs, but I don't run them.

DataJunkie

Plus, we have certain lanes we are supposed to ride in and a few other bike specific rules to follow. The law is already different. I say change them. Idaho's law makes sense.

SSP

IMO, the Idaho laws are based on common sense...it doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine when to stop:

49-720. STOPPING -- TURN AND STOP SIGNALS.

(1) A person operating a
bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and,
if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing
to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to
any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely
as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving
across or within the intersection or junction of highways, except that a
person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if
required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection
without stopping.

(2) A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a
steady red traffic control light shall stop before entering the intersection
and shall yield to all other traffic. Once the person has yielded, he may
proceed through the steady red light with caution. Provided however, that a
person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if
required, may cautiously make a right-hand turn. A left-hand turn onto a
one-way highway may be made on a red light after stopping and yielding to
other traffic.


Thus, in Idaho, bikes can treat Stop signs the same way drivers treat Yield signs (i.e., roll through slowly if the lane is clear), and red lights can be treated like Stop signs (stop, then proceed when clear).

SSP

I contacted the California Bicycle Coalition regarding the Idaho approach to Stop signs, and got a nice reply back from them.

Apparently, the issue is too politically sensitive for them to promote at this time. They said that there are too many within the cycling community who would object (presumably, the VC crowd). They also said that they would expect to get resistance from parents (afraid for their kids if the rules were changed), and auto advocates (unwilling to change the "rules of the road" to promote more cyclists).

znomit

I never blow through them, I will usually go through at walking pace.
If clipped in I avoid stopping if at all possible.

Tabor

What if I stop and that still happens?

grolby

+1

Motorists are every bit as egregious on the road as bicyclists. How many drivers do you know that regularly drive over the speed limit? Do you regularly drive over the speed limit? I know that I do. We live in a culture where everyone "knows" that it's okay to break the law by 5-10 mph all the time, yet cyclists are not going to be respected because we don't always stop for lights and signs? Nonsense. Bicyclists will get respect and fair treatment on the roads when we gain a powerful and unified political voice. To call bicycle advocacy and politics incoherent is a bit of an understatement. We don't exactly have Detroit backing us up, here.

Personally, I roll stop signs when it is safe to do so. This is a pretty basic judgment call that any normal adult is capable of making. Not a single person here is advocating blowing through stop signs without regard to traffic. Traffic lights I will usually wait for. Most of the time, at least around here, there is enough traffic at lights to make it reasonable to wait. The exception are lights that don't change for bicycles. I will carefully run them when it is safe to do so.

kmac27

1+

travelmama

I run them quite often because I tend to ride early enough in the morning that there are few folks on the road. I may run a red light or two when I see no cars coming. When I am out on the road biking, the world stops! Holla

Jtgyk

It all boils down to taking responsibility for your OWN actions.
If its against the standing laws of wherever I am and I get caught...I really have no right to complain if I get ticketed. I've been ticketed for speeding in my car...and have taken full responsibility without whining. I happened to be the one in a line of vehicles that the officer pointed his "gun" at and the argument that every one around me was going as fast or faster. It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who get ticketed who can complain, and be outraged, that they were actually caught out.

So lets not bellyache and say "everyone breaks the law...therefore none of the rules apply to me."
They do...until they are changed.
(That being said I like Utah's rules!)

wolfchild

I run through stop signs all the time, I usually slow down and make sure that no vehicle is coming through, sometimes I stop if there are a lot of vehicles already at the stop before me, as for running red lights I only do it when it's dark and not a lot of traffic.

aMull

Yes i run them regularly. If i have a clear view of all directions i don't even slow down. If not, i slow down and go if there is no traffic. I stop if someone gets there before me.

DoB

I always run stop signs unless there is a car present at the intersection that has right of way. Hell....I run redlights if there is nobody coming.

Breakin the Law! Breakin the Law!

Rock on Judas Priest.

kellyjdrummer

Wow, why do motorists hate bikers?
Thanks, guys.

Glad you live in a different state than I.

Mr Wonderful

I run the signs in my sub if it's reasonably quiet, which is consistent with every other vehicle that goes through.

Out in the real world, I'm having fun making the bike stop and letting my body's momentum get it started right back up again.

Winter76

+1 to this. A lot of time car drivers will wave me through.

I ALWAYS stop for red lights.

politicalgeek

Always stop for red lights and occasionally for stop signs. This is adjusted as necessary. Weekday rides, there are always enough cars on the road to trip lights at the stop. Weekends I usually slow down and treat it like a 4 way stop, unless there is car on my part of the road to trip the light.

Part of the MUP I ride to get on the E/W road to work runs adjacent to a major road way. There are 2-3 intersections along the path, all marked stops. The side road merging onto the main road are stops as well. I usually slow enough to check behind me for a turning vehicle and ahead to see if cars are pulling through. Then I slowly roll through.

I agree with the idea that we should respect the rules to be respected ourselves. Simple physics dictates the absurdity to this, at times. Some roads I need a bit of momentum to safely cross or turn onto. Like left hand turns onto a 4-5 lane, one way road. Momentum helps me get across to the right side to safely continue. Any driver that complains should try peddling some time.

crhilton

Off subject a bit, but bear with me.

Yesterday I watched a guy, on a moderately busy intersection, ride up the left side of the road (in the middle of the lane) up to a red light. I was on the right lane on the right ride. We both stopped at the light. The street being crossed is a very busy one. He looked both ways and road through the red light, probably missed traffic by about 5 seconds (so safe, but no excuse for running a light) rode between the two oncoming lanes filled with cars waiting for the light and then turned up ahead onto the sidewalk.

That's the crap they throw on you every time you run a residential stop sign at an empty intersection. When you run a stop sign you're the guy who filters to the front at stop lights. They hate you, it's human nature to shovel the worst possible evils onto you.

I run stop signs sometimes. It even depends a bit on what I'm riding. If I'm on my commuter (to clips) I'll slow, look, and go. Usually under 10. If I'm on my road bike I often "stop". This means I get a foot down long enough to push off and pull my other leg up to push (clip-ins). I can "stop" as fast as I "run" stop signs.

We're all bad vehicle operators in some way or another I suppose. We should try giving each other an inch.

st0ut

+1 excepts when i have the kids on there bikes or on the TAB. Then i get religious and preachy.

DataJunkie

You are welcome and I echo your final sentiment.