gman214

There was a recent post concerning "STOP" signs and bicyclists. Inside my neighborhood, I usually slow down to almost not moving, look for traffic and then quickly turn or ride thru the intersection. On main or high traffic roads, I stop!

A local bicyclist was injured the other the day. IT'S CLAIMED HE RODE THRU THE STOP SIGN. Hope he has a speedy recovery!

I'm sure as more cities create bike lanes and routes, traffic laws will be enforced on bicyclists. Including direction of travel, helmets, and traffic signals! One of our routes, that include walkers, has a Speed Limit for bicyclists.

Here's the Article.

Cyril 

Why cyclists should be able to roll through stop signs and ride through red lights - Vox

Another Article

gman214

I agree with rolling thru traffic signals IF THERE'S NO TRAFFIC.

Northwestrider

A good article

1986raleigh

Texas is same as car, red or stop means stop. Ignore at peril of tickets.

Willbird

In town when I approach a stop sign or stop/flasher light I "drive like a car"...take the center of the lane and stop just like I was driving a car.

Out in the sticks I slow way down and stop if need be, but if it is a 4 way stop with no cars in sight, yea I run the thing at speed :-).

I vastly prefer riding in the country :-).

Signals that work on a "demand" basis now more and more use cameras not weight sensors, and darned if they do not seem to work great even for bicycles.

Bil

spdracr39

Completely based on traffic and the visual sight range of the intersection.

TrojanHorse

I'm still waiting for cars to actually stop at stop signs, much less bikes. They don't call it a California Stop for nothing!

If there's nobody around, I'm not stopping. If there's a car then yes, I'll stop. I don't want to get hit (again).

jsigone

Stop, track stand, go.

Rule is applied in group rides unless the right of way cars wave us to pass thru.

WrightVanCleve

I stop if there is no clear view of the road but I'll roll through if I can see that there is no cars coming from either direction. Usually I'll slow quite a bit so that I can stop when I do see a car but continue when I know the road is clear.

Washington trip was a bit different, I found out that there are laws against what I do here in Ohio. If there are laws here in Ohio, I don't think they are really enforced or depend upon locality.

rommer25

Here in California, I think the law is the same for car and bicycle. I usually, on my bicycle, slow and if it is clear, ride through. How much I slow (or stop) depends on how much I can see safely. A couple of months ago, I rode through a stop sign, turning right. A police car was coming the other way. The office just looked at me and kept going.

TrojanHorse

Group rides are a different animal - some groups just wrecklessly blow through stop signs, red lights... you name it. Honestly, if a group ride doesn't emphasize stopping for traffic control signals I'm not interested in riding with them.

And no, I'm not advocating the full group stop for every sign in the wilderness... I think common sense has a place.

MikeRides

I stop for red lights.. but I coast through stop signs. If at a red light, the intersection is clear and there's no cars in the foreseeable distance I'll proceed before waiting for the green, otherwise I'd be standing there forever trying to trip the light. Same applies when I'm crossing a street on foot

TXsailor

I usually roll through stop sighs and would fully expect a ticket if a cop saw me. A week or so ago I was slowing to a stop since a cop was stopping on the cross street. He waved me on so I just kept going

Willbird

I also live in Ohio, apparently running a signal or sign on a bike is the same penalty on a bike or in a car, BUT they cannot add points to your drivers license for a non DUI offense committed on a bicycle.

practical

I use the "Idaho Stop" rule - which allows bicyclists to treat stop signs like yield signs. It's not technically legal in other states but it's probably accepted. The police in Shelburne, VT enforce the law for cyclists so be careful if you're riding there.

ill.clyde

Pretty much this. In the mornings when there's little traffic on my commute I'm more likely to flaunt stop sign/light laws.

On my way home is a different story. With lots of traffic I try very much to act like traffic

thrllskr

I commute daily 13.5 miles each way. I ride through downtown Denver and other highly congested areas. I choose to take streets with less traffic so I can avoid getting hit. In doing so there are bike lanes and lots of stops signs and long long red lights. My commute would take me 15-20 minutes longer if I did not Idaho Stop at Red lights and yield at stop signs. Anyone who tells you bikes are vehicles when we are on the road..."If you treat me like a vehicle I will act like a vehicle."

indyfabz

+1. I really wish they would adopt the rule in PA, or at least in Philly, which has many narrow streets. Being able to keep ahead of the traffic flow is a significant safety enhancemnent. My biggest fear is that, with all the idiots we have on two wheels, too many would take it as "I don't have to stop OR yield." Then again, that's how many people ride now so maybe it wouldn't change things that much.

When the law was changed in ID, vehcicle-cylist accidents dropped and then leveled off.

CommuteCommando

I have noticed that some drivers come to a fill stop whenever when they see a bicycle. This is so they can bich about those scofflaw cyclists.

Condorita

I only seldom don't come to a full stop.

gman214

R

Hum?! I had the right of way, the driver actually looked at me BUT continued thru the STOP Sign, turned in front of me! I anticipated that and slowed because she was on the cellphone...FEMALES AND CELLPHONES, SMH!!

ill.clyde

Not to pile on with an ongoing somewhat cliched rant about "women drivers" but this year this has been born out time and time again. Much of the time it's a young woman too, but either way, a woman behind the wheel with a phone against her head is about the most spatially unaware thing on the planet. I've noticed it while bike commuting, and while driving. It's frankly rather scary

Vexxer

We roll through stops if there is a clear view in all directions and no traffic.... not stop lights though, even if the roads are empty we wait... unless its one of those with a trigger that never changes because we dont have enough weight on it.

donalson

I usually use the Idaho stop method at stop signs, stopping and starting uses a lot of energy and I'd prefer to keep that energy for later in the ride... for lights it depends on where I am, most of them have camera sensors now and do a good job of picking up even cyclists... but if I'm turning right and onto a bike lane I'll slow down and just make the turn, if not I follow the right on red law (stop, look, GOOOOO)... there is only one light that I use as a stop sign and that is one that I use on my night ride, the sensor isn't very good and I can see either direction on the road it crosses for 1/4+ mile in either direction...