Do you run stop signs?
 

I will admit I do if no one is around. If cars are present, I stop. I'm talking about rural riding here, not city riding.
I know that is not the right thing to do. But if a car is present I stop so as not to make them mad and that includes cars going the same direction as me. No need to "push someone's buttons".
Sometimes I think we are guilty of making people mad and that is dangerous to all of us.
I never run a stop light. Ever. Then again I don't ride where there are stop lights ;)
I never run one in the car, unlike people driving thru my neighborhood.

On my bicycle I do a Calfornia roll... Almost stop, sometimes to the point of doing a trackstand. Never in my car... Afterall I am a driver's ed instructor...

I bet that carries a target on your back for sure...lol.

In my car, no. On the bike, I always slow down, look in all directions, then proceed if it's safe. You know, like most people driving cars do...

On quieter back streets, I'll do an "Idaho stop", but not at busy intersections.

Just the other day a gaggle of Harley riders busted thru a red light light in front of a bunch of cars like they had perfect right to do so. Sometimes I wonder about those guys.

I can't say I don't slowly roll through a few in very rural areas. I do try to consistanly follow to rules of the road to reinforce the idea that bicycles are vehicles which have the same responsibilities a deserve the same courtesies that drivers do.

In my car, I stop at every stop sign and every red light. On my bike, on the back streets and neighborhood streets, I check carefully for traffic and will go through if safe, but definitely stop if I'm unsure or there's traffic. I always stop at a red light, but I rarely ever ride where there are traffic lights, but when I do, I stop at the red light.

Like most of the others I will do more of a slow roll or quick pause at a stop sign if there is no traffic with the right of way.

Kansas has a law for motorcyclists that says you can run a red light if your bike won't trip the sensors to get the lights to change and the intersection is clear. I follow the same idea on my bicycle.

I admit to slowing to a near trackstand but running, no. If you build bad habits, they will bite you. I believe that I come to much more of a full stop than most drivers.

As long as US traffic lights fail to detect cyclists then, on occasions I will cross a red light.

Pretty much what BBW said in the OP.

I've heard that term used with a lot of different geographic areas. Is there a state or a place where people make full and complete stops at stop signs?

I do the slow roll through stop signs, and also right hand turns at traffic lights. If it is "T" intersection and there is no chance of traffic coming across my route, I blow through at almost full speed. I also frequently jump the light a touch, so that I'm through an intersection before the first car, avoiding the chance of being hooked or squeezed. If I'm stopped at a light, it will be awhile before it changes, and there is no traffic, I will go ahead and cross. I spend a lot of time riding in urban areas, and it's the only way to make it tolerable for me.

Saw this just yesterday at 34th Street & 8th Avenue in New York City: A man walks out into the middle of the intersection against the light, cars whizzing back and forth on all sides of him, honking, swerving, he just keeps walking calm as can be, expecting traffic to part for him like the Red Sea before Moses... and as he gets to the other side he turns to face all us other pedestrians who've been patiently waiting for the Walk sign and yells "Don't try that at home, people!"

Sensible law. I treat stop signs with respect, not with deference.

I've gotten yelled at for rolling through stop signs at 5MPH when there wasn't a car in sight. Neighbors in the next subdivision over reported a friend of mine who was training for a TT to the police for blasting through stop signs when there was neither vehicular nor foot traffic anywhere nearby. Many cyclists have been running a negative PR campaign in the community, and that has alienated non cycling types against all cyclists.

I am probably the only cyclist in Vancouver, BC who even pretends to stop at stop signs. Well, some of the racers will stop, especially if they're wearing team kit, as they wouldn't want to bring discredit upon their sponsors. But most of the guys & gals I see are the typical Critical M*******s, and they think they're exempt from the same rules as motor vehicles. I, having attained my cycling education thru club riding, randonneur brevets, and John Forester, will stop (or do a "pretend stop") at stop signs, and will wait for red lights (unless I know I can show in traffic court that the light wasn't about to change for one bicycle & no other vehicles were present).

And the problem with Vancouver's Critical M******* approach is that motorists now routinely roll thru stop signs, likely because they see cyclists do it, and peds ignore red lights entirely. This reallly annoys me. And what's funny is that I often travel to California (my former home), and I'm impressed with the fact that almost without exception, cars will come to a COMPLETE stop at stop signs!

If you go on the listservs for cycling advocacy in BC and bring up the subject of cyclists blowing stop signs, you're usually told to shut up, bicycles are different, or that we need to get more people on bicycles, and having to stop at stop signs just discourages them!

What also annoys me are people on official ACP-sanctioned brevets who run stop signs. I really think they should get severe time penalties. Bike racing and gran fondos are different; there are corner marshalls or police at the stop signs or red lights to let riders thru without stopping. But in any official event where this is not the case, I really think that all traffic laws should be obeyed.

Riding in a group in an organized event can also be weird. Quite often the group will run a stop sign, each riding shouting "clear" as they pass by the stop sign. In this situation, I find that it's usually best just to follow the group, as slowing down or stopping (when it's plain that no vehicle is approaching) would be more likely to cause a crash. I remember that at the start of PBP, leaving St. Quentin-en-Yvelines, my group of about 40 riders ran every stop sign and red light along the main boulevard without even slowing down until we were out in the countryside. But it was between 5 and 7 in the morning and people in that area knew what was happening. But when I was riding alone, or with a small group, we always stopped at the red lights and did the slow roll thru the stop signs.

Luis

I sincerely doubt there is a causitive relationship between cyclist behavior and motorists running stop signs and red lights.

I do the track stand type of "stop" more often than not, but I find it sometimes causes confusion with the motorists at the intersection. I think as long as they see my feet on the pedals, they think that I'm going to go, even if it's not my turn, so they delay in taking their rightful turn, screwing up the whole "who goes first" thing. I find when I come to a complete stop with a foot down, traffic flows better. I hope that makes sense.

Agree. Running red lights is SOP for motorists here in Kentucky. I also agree that we as cyclists are often our worst enemy.

On a positive note, I come at least to a teetering stop at four way stop signs. Many motorists feel sorry for me and wave me ahead of them. In fact, when I make it clear that I really intend to comply with the law, most motorists are pretty courteous.

Yes, you are probably right. It's likely more a general cultural thing around here, something everybody does regardless of vehicle. Probably says more about the level of traffic enforcement. Of course, any time the cops start ticketing cyclists for anything, there's a huge outcry from the CM's whining about being persecuted!

Luis

I can't imagine any cop in my town hassling a cyclist for doing a rolling stop at a stop sign.

Any time I have a good line of sight that says it's safe I run 'em.

FWIW I once had a local cop stop traffic at a 4-way stop so that I could roll through.