jslopez

Admitedly I'm new to biking (been commuting to work for about two months now). Been learning pretty much from what I read on the forums and from what I can observe on the road and I just noticed that a lot of cyclists near my house totally ignore (as in don't even slow down on) stop signs and even stops lights on occasion. I thought the concept was a bike was like a car (with all the benefits and responsibilities) but clearly I'm missing something because these stop warnings are totally being ignored.

Granted it's more convenient not to slow down and any person with adequate skill on a bike can do this but the bigger question is, should we be doing this?

Opinions appreciated....

Raiyn

No we shouldn't.

pyze-guy

Care to elaborate?

Chris L

Simple: People who run red lights without bothering to check for traffic and so on have a habit of ending up as organ donors.

Juha

Plus, if I ever want to be considered as a vehicle, I need to obey the traffic rules. Stop lights and signs are mandatory where I live (no right turns on stop lights, for example).

--J

Allister

Nope. It's them that's missing something.


My standard response to these sorts of questions is: it's a matter between you and your conscience. But, bear in mind that it's illegal, and if you get pulled over by the police, you'll most likely get a ticket.


Dangerous words around here

Joat

In the USA at least, you are legally obligated to follow all the rules of the road pertaining to stop signs and traffic signals.
Having said that, "most" bikers will slow for stop signs and stop if any traffic is there.
"most" will always obey a traffic light, although there are circumstances where you might not wait for the light to change to green ( I commute in the early morning, and some lights wont trigger for me).
And just to make sure I overuse the word, "most" police officers will ignore rolling stops from bicyclists assuming they are riding safely. Of course it only takes one exception to ruin your day.

Juha

Rules may vary. Where I live, a red light means exactly that (like I said earlier, no right turns). A stop sign means stop. A track stand will do, but you will have to stop your bike completely. What is a "rolling stop" BTW?

I may do other stupid things during my commute, but ignoring traffic lights or stop signs consistantly would really be a shortcut to the organ donor list.

--J

Joat

Rolling stop (illegal) is where you slow down as you approach the stop sign, then roll on through instead of coming to a complete stop.

RonH

<--- Read what my avatar says.

Travelinguyrt

I ride a bike for personal pleasure
I don't ride for a commute nor business
So I'm never in a hurry to get anyplace, and there is nothing to be gained by pitting oneself against a vehicle weighing 100xs as much as mine, so I give the right of way
Many riders I see seem to ride with an attitude which fosters antagonism from drivers, drivers who couldn't care less about bikers
It will take a generation at least to change both drivers and riders attitudes on the streets
So I try to make my little contribution to courtesy......one ride at a time

lala

I believe bikes should be governed by regulations which are different from both motorized vehicles and peds. I will not stop for a stop sign or light if the roads are all clear and no copper is present. I just won't do it.

DeafLamb

I slow down a lot for stop signs. I keep just enough momentum that I don't have to unclip (can't do a track stand although it would be cool ot learn). If there is traffic I unclip and wait my turn. I always stop for stop lights. If it is a stop light I know will not be triggered by my bicycle I wait for traffic to clear. I have yet to be pulled over, but I am a firefighter/first aider in my town so I don't forsee any problems


LALA do you care to mention what these regulations would entail. I'm sure you have sparked more than just my interest.

Ray

lsits

I treat a stop sign like a yield sign. I slow to less than 5 mph and coast through if there's no vehicles crossing. I regularly see cars and trucks going through stop signs at more than 10 miles per hour. If there's cross traffic, I ride real slow (less than 1 mph) and wait my turn. (Can't do a track stand). Usually a driver will wave me through. I give a little wave back in acknowledgement (sp) in return.

For stop lights I usually try to trip the sensor with my bike. I like to see the look on drivers's faces when they see me do that. If I can't trip the sensor that way, I'll ride up onto the ped crossing and push the little button. I don't like to do that because I'm less visible to cars when I'm in that position.

I always wait for the light to turn green and look all four ways before I go. One time I decided to get a two second jump on the green light when a truck decided to try to beat the red. I had to take evasive action to avoid being hit. I figure I'll wait the few extra seconds from now on.

stevetone

Just out of curiosity, do you drive a motor vehicle as well?

lala

I try to avoid operating motor vehicles, but I do.

xanatos

I personally will obey all traffic rules as much as possible. If it was like 2am with not a car in sight I would bike on through (the same I would do in a car). I totally agree with the sig mentioned "Same roads, same rights, same rules".

Personally I think blatently ignoring traffic rules in front of cars only fuels the road rage that drivers have towards cyclists. i.e. "lousy cyclists, not only do they not belong on the road, but they think they're above the rules too"

lala

Yeah, seeing a bike beat you home is very enraging for autos.
I agree, tho, some peoples do get mad when they see a bike beat a light and they can't.

However, most people are emotionally underdeveloped.

jslopez

Lots of interesting answers. Now that I know that it's wrong in principal and legally, I'm just curious if anyone has ever been given a ticket for not making a full stop at stop signs/lights.

As an aside, I just realized that the situation is quite similar to a ticket I got recently...

I started work at this company about 8 months ago and it's right by Venice Blvd (which is a relatively busy street). There is only one restaurant on our side of the street and so I was told that you can just cross the street (aka Jaywalk) to go to the other side of the street where there were 3 more places to chose from. So everyday for the next few months, I (and pretty much everyone in the office) did exactly that. I didn't think it was too wrong because cop cars would even drive past me while I was on the middle island until one day I got pulled aside by a cop for Jaywalking.

Ticket was for $110 and suffice to say that I've stopped jaywalking ever since. But the curious thing though is everyone in the office, who I've told this story too, some major penny pinchers, still continue to jaywalk.

Moral of the story, does one have to be punished or get hurt before "insignificant" laws are obeyed?

DogBoy

I obey traffic rules, including slowing down for a school zone (15 mph) that is on a nice flat section and usually a tailwind. I admit my stops aren't complete stops, but I unclip one leg, and slow to the point of being almost stopped, and then continue if it's clear. Traffic lights I always follow. I generally don't have to trip the light sensors, since there are enough cars going the same way that one of them triggers the light. When it is a problem, I move over and do the pedestrian thing. I'm curious how lsits tries to trigger the signal with the bike. I just don't think I weigh enough, even if I jumped up and down on the bike.

Joat

Common misconception.
Lights are not triggered by weight. They are actually use induction changes.
Just put your bike over the squiggly line where they lay the wire down under the pavement.

stevetone

Which rules do think should be different for bicycles?

gravel

I think Idaho has a good law for bicycles. For bikes, stop signs are yeilds, stop lights act like stop signs.

One thing I notice as a bicyclist is I can hear much more then when I'm driving in a car. Using more of my senses gives me a greater perspective around me then. I stop when cars are around, and I breeze through when they aren't. I don't think any bicyclist ignores the law, but I think we all take a few allowences.

Now my partner started going on a light as it was turning green and got a ticket from a cop. She must have said something worth while, because when she went to fight it, the cop never turned it in.

Generally I avoid intersections with stop lights just so I don't have the temptation to roll through a red light.

Paul L.

What about lights at a T intersection? My attitude is if I am not in the interstection officially (since I ride the shoulder if one is available) then the light doesn't apply unless I am in the lane. What do you think, am I way off base here? That is probably the only time I will cruise through a red. Otherwise I stop even at the stupidest (long even though there is no traffic) red lights.

bradw

When I'm riding I try to give other vehicles on the road what I want from them: consistent and predictable behavior.

Stop sign means stopping forward progress. Red light really means stop - put down a foot (I can't track stand). A school bus with flashing lights means don't pass no matter what.

I don't care what the drivers are doing. Most of them are following the law, so I can't excuse my behavior based on a few idiots.

I only make exceptions when there are lights I can't trip. I've even eliminated cutting through a parking lot to avoid a intersection with lights and using the side walk to avoid busy areas.

In the last few days I've seen fellow bike commuters blowing through signs, lights, past school buses with lights and guards up, and all in front of traffic waiting or approaching.

And on the weekends I see packs of wannabe racers blowing through intersections, clogging lanes.

I don't like it anymore than I like car drivers speeding, swerving, rolling signs, running red lights, etc. It destroys the consistency in traffic conditions that I think is necessary for safe travel.

A different set of rules for cyclists would create further inconsistency.