California roll, Idaho stop sound just like our Jersey Slide! Where you slow to almost a stop at a stop sign. And yes I'm guilty. Never at a stop light though. Because of the greater chance of a right hook, and people with the green not paying any attention to anything not directly in front of them, too dangerous. And it's makes it easier to get a drink. I did have a close call last week, going up hill I did a slide through a stop sign, but I didn't take a good enough look before hand. Yup, not too old to get killed being stupid. I learned a lesson, again.

If there is traffic, I stop and unclip. If there is no traffic, I do the "California roll" where I slow to as much of a stop as I can without falling over.

I slow down for stop signs, but I usually don't stop for them. But then I live where traffic is light and I can usually see a mile or 2 in either direction as I approach the intersection. By light traffic, I mean sometimes riding 50 or 60 miles and only encountering 4 or 5 vehicles. If there's traffic or limited visibility, then I come to a stop.

I wont stop at 4ways or other stops unless traffic is present. Most of them I'll roll on through after a good slowdown, afterall it's not on my TT or distance run anyway.

It's all about proceeding safely.
If traffic and visibility warrant I go through, I slow and/or stop if I am unsure of where there may be danger.
I stop at times when I have the right of way if I see a possible danger.
My little city has two bicycle patrol officers who actually get out and ride if the weather is pleasant enough, both of them routinely use the "Idaho Stop".

Ditto Bruce19.....only stop for the stop sign when I have to....
Always obey the traffic signal....

I'm finding lately that sensors in my area seem to have been adjusted to detect bicycles. If I pull up right over one of the buried wires at any intersection on my regular routes, I trip the light.
Might not work with a carbon fibre bike, as they are basically metal detectors.

I admit to being puzzled by cyclists running stop signs and red lights. It's always seemed to me that there is what amounts to a societal taboo regarding this. It's basic, Pavlovian conditioning -- red = stop, green = go. Heck, right turn on red has been the (crackheaded) law of the land since 1980, and I'm still very reluctant to move until the light changes.

How do they manage to overcome a lifetime of inhibitions? Do these people operate cars, boats, and aircraft in the same way, or is it cycling specific? Are they actrually humans, or are they some sort of aliens who have managed to imitate some, but not all, human behavior? I'll assume that they are real people and that some of them are among you. So, why do you do it, and how do you do it? How did you train yourself out of a 40 year old habit pattern?

I've developed several hypotheses.

One is that the "ten speed revolution" of the 1970s led to bicycles being thought of as recreational, sport, and fitness equipment, rather than as transportation devices. If it's not equivalent to driving, why should the rules (and even habits) carry over. The popularity of road, mountain, and hybrid bikes, all of which require special clothing for use, might be contributory because they make the cycling experience less like the driving experience.

Anothe is the use of pedal attachments, even by non racers. Maybe this makes complience more difficult and further differentiates the cycling experience from the driving experience. I'm skeptical about this one, because one of the chief pleasures of motoring is making perfectly-executed gear changes when approaching and leaving the stop. Nothing like a heel-and-toe downshift, particularly with a non-synchro first. Why run a stop sign and miss out on the soul of driving? I'd imagine clipping and unclipping might provide a similar satisfaction.

A third is that this behavior originated with foreigners, who may come from countries where road laws are different or may not have any prior cycling (or driving) experience. For example, when I lived in West Africa, I never got comfortable with the "rule of the right" convention.

A fourth is that cycling is considered so deviant in this country that many people who choose bicycles are habitual rule-breakers and transgressives. The way some cyclists speed, swerve and tear through traffic as if death were nipping at their heels supports this. One example are bike messengers.

Number five is my inertia hypothesis. Operators of human propelled vehicles want to conserve effort and energy by avoiding stops. This is counterintuitive to me, as I find stops to be a chance to take a short, refreshing break.

Finally, there is my rational calculus hypothesis. Reward > risk. These people believe, possibly correctly, that they can scan for and spot opposing traffic (even cyclists, which nobody, even cyclists, are good at spotting.) They see the risk of proceeding to be small, particularly in view of the benefits of reduced travel time. They may even believe that aggressive cycling promotes enhanced situational awareness, allows them to exploit openings in traffic, and so reduces risk. Every week or two, somebody violates my right of way doing this, so I am skeptical of the validity of these people's beliefs.

Please note that my intent is not to discuss the safety or ethical implications of this curious behavior. I can go to A&S and see much more of that than I want, frequently expressed in extraordinarily colorful language. I just want to know why the phenomenon occurs. My viewpoint may seem car-centric, but it's really not -- I commute over 6,000 miles a year by bike (versus maybe 3,000 annual driving miles.) That's about 17 hours a week of riding, year-round.

In town I almost always stop, in the country only if I see traffic.

When I lived there, used to do Door county stops-driving on back roads at night and approaching an intersection you would turn your lights off and if you saw no other headlights you just kept going. I frequently wonder, looking back upon my youth, how I've made it this far!:lol:

You too, huh ? :D

When I commute, I take a side road with stop signs and lights every block. It's designed to keep cars on the major highway. There are around 22 stops in two miles. If I had to stop at every one, it would take forever. I uusally try following another cyclist or two and blow through them all.

I ride in suburbia and rural areas. I expect to be treated like any other lawful user of the road so I behave in that manner. For me that means full stop, foot down at all stop signs and stop lights. And yes, it's a PITA with clipless pedals, throw a high racer recumbent into the mix and it gets even more fun, but I still do it.

I've seen quite a few local cyclists running stop signs, rolling through red lights, and splitting lanes. They might think it works for them but the problem is my family and I have to deal with those now pissed off drivers who saw that behavior and take out their aggression on us when we are out riding. '

The above works for ME, if you don't want to obey the traffic laws and ride responsibly, it doesn't really bother me unless you're riding in my area. And if you're behaving irresponsibly in my area, expect to get an earful.

Semper Fi

In my small (3,500 Pop.) town life is slow and laid back. Walkers and cyclist often ignore stops signs instead checking to see if there is traffic to cross. Often both cyclist and walkers will gain right of way from motorist due to simple small town courtesy.

I stop for reds, and only go through the red turn-lane light if it doesn't activate. Stop signs are more of a 'yield', I'll stop for traffic, though.

There is ONE stop sign I will usually just BURN; low traffic, wide-open view, and the only time I see a CAR stop is for close-approaching traffic, so I do as the Romans do.

In my world there are no stop signs. I slow or stop at intersections as actual physical conditions and circumstances warrant. What would an inert flat octagonal sheet of metal know about whether or not I should stop?

Several years ago my oldest son did a rolling stop through a stop sign that was at a T intersection. He was broadsided by a pickup truck that "came out of nowhere". He ended up being tossed 10 yards onto someone's lawn, and the first thing he could remember was a group of people standing around him asking the person who was learning over him if he had a pulse. In Pennsylvania, your feet don't have to hit the ground for it to be a complete stop. Hence, I take the extra time to actually stop forward motion before going through. It does give you a second or two more to assess the situation.

It's part of the social contract: Stop means Stop. While I like and respect (as much as I may based solely on what you have posted here) many of the folks who have stated that they don't stop at stop signs, I really think the attitude that one should only obey those laws that one finds convenient is uncivilized.

When I commute I obey the stop signs and lights when traffic is around.

Now if I'm riding my quiet neighborhood where everyone knows that I ride for exercise and with very little thru traffic, they know I don't stop for the stop signs unless there is traffic or my vision is obstructed.

The law is the law, and if I get stopped I'll gladly pay the ticket. (probably frame it!)

I look at my bike as one step up from a pedestrian, and moving along at a break neck clip of 10 miles per hour under my own power and not motorized, I use my judgement as to stop or not to stop just as I would if I'm on foot.

I consider stop signs a good place to practice my track-stand technique... at least for a second or two.

I do this even if there are police present. In fact, one time I did this, I swear I saw one officer turn to his mate and say, "Did you see that old fart do that track-stand? That was cool!"

I'm aware that "rolling" stops tend to be relative. Do enough of them and you are rolling thru at a good pace. Maybe too fast.

I'll stop at stop signs - roll up, put foot down for a second, start up again. So easy to do it and no worry about cops, tickets, etc. I usually plan my routes through the local suburban traffic lights based on how they lights are 'prioritized' so I have a high probability of making green lights; if I do get stuck at a 'red', its usually only a quick stop where light will quickly run throug its sequence to let cross traffic get through. Currently dealing with one intersection where I used to have priority, but the lights have been screwed up due to an endless road construction project and I now have to stop, press the ped button, and wait four minutes (yes, I've timed it three times!) even in the early moring hours when there's almost no traffic around. At that particular intersection I simply roll up, check for cross traffic, and blow through it; I've also seen cars do the same thing. I ride through the suburbs, and don't use clipless pedals (I don't believe in the 'but I've got clipless pedals" rationalization).

No.

yes

Yes but I try to be discreet.

I would also like to reply to PaulH's remark (though not to him directly) with respect to my driving/cycling habits though I understand you are puzzled but are not seeking any further information or conversation on the topic (feel free to explain that!).

I use machines a lot. I have hundreds of them. I do not form habits or perform other activities while using these machines so that I may pay attention. I am very afraid of machines. I take nothing for granted and make no assumptions. I do my best to understand their workings and master their operation.

I try not to use my machines in a way that will result my injury. I mostly obey rules so I don't cause confusion or insecurity to other operators. Rules are often made by people thinking about something else. Perhaps driving.


I like your inertia theory also.