Stopping Well
 

Today I had the unusual experience of getting complimented by a police officer on a bike.
Was approaching an intersection where he was stopped by a stop sign observing the increased
activity of people crowding to the beach after so much rain.

Uncharacteristically, I came to a complete stop at the stop sign and heard him observe, "wow",
that's a really nice stop!" I did not have the heart to tell him that in the off-season I usually just
slowed and looked both ways without coming to a complete stop.

LOL. I admit that I do not always stop either. But if there is a chance I will be in the way of another vehicle, I will definitely yield.

I was riding up the mountain road to the Taos Ski Valley, and I notice a vehicle dogging me. I was starting to get pissed, when the vehicle finally pulled around me and I noted it was the cops. The cop rolls down his passenger-side window and says "You are riding really safe, way over on the right side of the road. And your clothing is very visible." I respond "Uh, Thanks". All the while thinking "Just get around me junior, and stop backing up traffic".

I agree with linnefaulk - I always try to ride in a way that minimizes disruption to traffic and risk of misadventure.

Same for me ... walking my bike in a walk zone with a lot of kids running about. WTF?

I did take the opportunity thank the constable and ask why they fail to enforce the walk right ride left rule.

"Stopping Well"

And I thought your water supply was all screwed up.

BTW, congratulations. I also am one who slows way down or even stops and walks my bike in the presence of small children and other dangers,

Having a cop noticing you doing something right is a good thing. I still want a speeding ticket.

Not a problem, I have a few friends on MSP. Let me know when and where, I'm sure they will accommodate. LOL

Reminds me of the NASCAR ad a few years back when the man is pulled over he asks "are you sure I wasnt doing 180??". Yeah, something like that.

The areas of my safe riding strategy are to be highly visible and predictable and then to ride on the least busy roads or those with a good shoulder.

This is what came to my mind.

http://www.koolstop.com/images/KS-DHA_index.jpg

Actually I think "stopping well" a great way to distinguish yourself as a cyclist. It sets a good example for other cyclists and might even help improve some motorist's perception of cyclists.

OK, as long as you include trackstanding, rather than necessarily having to put a foot on the ground, under the "stopping well" rubric.

This is a huge problem -- many law enforcement officers, motorists, and bicyclists still believe we are safest "way over on the right side of the road." There are many scenarios in which positioning oneself farther left, even in the center of the lane, is the safest and most appropriate practice, but we need some more education all around on this.

Yeah, and if that was the case, I would have described it in that way. PLEASE find something useful to post about in your 14,588th post.

Gotta admit I seldom come to a complete stop. I gauge approaching situations and try to time my arrival to the intersection accordingly, otherwise I stop. Fortunately, I live in a semi-rural area with sparse traffic.

Easy -- I was not criticizing you or your post in any way, but I am very concerned about the officer's choice of words, which imply that he is stuck in the mindset that all of us should ride as gutter bunnies at all times. This is a highly sensitive issue right now in both San Diego and Los Angeles Counties, where cyclists are being cited for taking lanes that are too narrow to share safely side-by-side.

I generally do that as well. But I've been foxed twice in recent weeks. In both cases the crossing vehicle stopped. Had it not stopped I would have just very slowly made the turn and went on tight behind it. When it stopped geometry and timing became all messed up and traffic was adversely affected. To say nothing of the unevpected behavior causing a safety concern.

So, I guess I'm going have to stop and put a leg down at every intersection. No more just sliding in as I have been doing.

The law states, in places where it is law, using the words stay as far to the right as practicable. Although many people including a lot of LEO's seem to forget the bolded part. I usually ride around 1m (3') from the curb, which on many two lane roads, gives drivers of small cars, enough room to give me 1m of clearance without crossing the centre line. The benefit is that I don't then need to ride in the potholes, broken pavement and sunken drainage covers, that seem to infest the half metre closest to the curb. For larger vehicles they need to change lanes, and that's their problem, not mine. What I find annoying is when some idiot in an overgrown SUV finds that making that lane change, while yelling at their kids and yapping on their phone, will delay them .1 seconds, and they are determined to push through without changing lanes. Of course the solution is to bring out your phone or notepad and note their tag, and report them for dangerous driving to the local constabulary.

Like most, when in an urban or suburban setting with other traffic about, I will always stop and when outside the city, I'll slow down and check before proceeding. I have to admit that it really pisses me off when I see other cyclists, (in the presence of other vehicular traffic), not even slowing down or looking. They just continue at their pace through the stop sign, and sometimes even red lights. I want to yell at them, "Hey! Stop at the intersection. You're giving cyclists a bad name."

There's certain parts where bike riders don't stop at the sign and the police don't enforce. Does your community have such an area? Mine would be the Huntington Beach Main Street at the Pier. These are mostly recreational riders, with their weekend bikes, no helmets, no shoes.

The only time cars come to a complete stop in my neighborhood is when the poe-lease are watching. Motorists who think otherwise aren't paying attention.

Not a compliment but a red faced apology from a trooper who pulled out in front of me. I stopped inches from his driver side door.

He said he was looking for drivers not using seat belts and was so focused on that he didn't see me in my screaming yellow jacket. A good wake up and a reminder that we are all human and should treat each other as such.