caloso

This is true. And it raises an interesting question: is anyone aware of a statutory requirement that a cyclist put a foot down when stopping? I would bet there isn't one.

fietsbob

Pay Pal deal in wagers?

mje

I don't if it is the actually case in Arizona or not, but when I was in Tucson once a few years ago, I noticed how adept some cyclists were at swiping their foot on the ground while blowing through stop signs at speed. It seemed that touching the ground, regardless of cessation of forward motion, was what counted as a stop there.

sheltonlp

https://youtu.be/azFUWiI2yA0 Definitely required to stop in Oregon...

Paul Barnard

I never really know how to interpret that when I read it. If by blow through you mean you simply don't come to a complete stop, then I don't think that's a huge deal. The act of stopping does nothing to increase safety. It's all about making sure nothing is coming. But within the context you used "blow through a stop sign" coming down a good size hill, it would probably be against the law even in ID and certainly ill advised in almost every situation. I'd urge you to become familiar with your state vehicle laws and the laws that are bicycle specific.

loky1179

Yes, the IOWA stop law is very different than the IDAHO stop law. In Iowa, it is basically OK to treat stop signs as yield signs, EXCEPT after the fourth of July. By then the corn is too high, and you can't safely see cross traffic. After the harvest, you're free to roll 'em again.

Sorry, I just can't pass up an opportunity to promote my neighbors to the south.

canklecat

Depends. In the OP's specific hypothetical situation I'd definitely stop.

In the same situation without a LE officer present, it would depend on the terrain and type of intersection:

• *On flat terrain at most stop signs I often do a quick stop without putting my feet down. I let the bike rock forward and back (easily done, very visibly, with a suspension fork), then take off.
• *If it's a stop sign on my side without a stop sign on the intersecting side, and the non-stop sign road is a highway exit, or not clearly visible for a couple hundred yards, I'll do a quick stop and double check every direction. Just a good habit so I don't overlook the 18-wheeler barreling down on me.
• *If the take-off is uphill and I'm turning right, or if it's a four-way stop intersection with a clear view in every direction, I'll usually roll through. Especially if there's a car behind me.

In my personal experience, most of the incidents when I've been struck from behind were by cars moving slowly at stop signs. They expect me to roll through because they're going to roll through. If I stop, I risk being hit. It happened many times when I commuted years ago.

I stop at all stop lights, or find a way around. In some tricky scenarios I'll zip around in a parking lot or sidewalk. Mostly because some traffic lights on my routes are uphill and it's damned difficult to get back up to speed quickly. So I'll circumvent the light and rejoin traffic from a level or downhill zone.

FBinNY 

When thinking about traffic lights and stop signs, it pays to keep in mind that not all laws are the same.

There are laws of man and laws of nature.

Ignore traffic signs and the worst that can happen for violating the laws of man is a citation and possible fine. OTOH the penalties for ignoring the laws of nature can be far more serious.

I'm not invested in your attitude about the laws of man, but urge you to use some common sense about the laws of nature.

kickstart

Fulfilling the intent of the law is more important than the letter of the law.

Machka 

Bicycles are vehicles of the road. So it's simple. If there's a stop sign, you stop.

You know you can look up the law for your local area, right?

Machka 

OK then.

Ty0604

Do you know if this passed? Link below.... There's a lot of lights in Beaverton that I'll run after a cycle. The roads see little traffic and I'd be stuck if not. Tried a Google search but couldn't find any updates on it.

To clarify, the senate passed the law but it was headed to the house for approval.

Oregon Senate passes bill allowing bicycles, motorcycles to run red lights | OregonLive.com

FBinNY 

The law doesn't actually change much except to codify what's probably been standard practice all along.

Most cops and courts recognize that nobody is expected to wait forever for a broken light to change. So even where there's no law that covers the exception, you shouldn't get cited if you wait a reasonable amount of time before proceeding past a light that isn't changing. All this law does, is put this unwritten law into writing.

My question, is how long is a "cycle" when the light isn't changing.

sheltonlp

I didn't know about the law but I ride a lot in Washington County where lights do not normally change for me. There are a few intersections that actually have a little bike symbol where there is a sensor but that's maybe 3-4 that I know of. In busy intersections I just use the crosswalk buttons but that's a real PITA and I always feel like I should be walking my bike across the crosswalk...lol.

I can't complain too much because all and all Wash County, as well as PDX, are very bike friendly.

The only time I can't bring myself to stop on a red light or a stop sign is in those 3-way intersections without a cross street where there is no way I can impede traffic by just going through. If a cop wants to give me a ticket, by all means go ahead.

RockiesDad

Let me clarify... I should have said that don't usually make a full stop but do a rolling stop watching for cars all the time and making sure I can cross safely. But there are times where I can see the whole intersection and don't slow down too much but just cross. Of course if there are cars there I will make sure they see me and and I see them then stop completely if they have the right of way. So as I mention previously I will now slow down and at least try to make an attempt at stopping even if no one is there...

dragoonO1

I always stop at every stop sign whenever there is any other road user present or approaching the intersection.Yes, it passed. I have proceeded through red lights that don't cycle/fail to detect before and after this bill giving me legal permission.

SB 533 :: Oregon Legislature Bill Tracker - Your Government - The Oregonian

Lil Bear

"Blowing" through an intersection is just a bad idea. Where I live there's a law against lane sharing. If they want me to come to a complete stop, then they need to cite any vehicle that drives past me, because I own the lane. I guess it's a bit of a grey area, and no local judge will fine you. That being said, I generally stop, because track stands are cool.

chedarhead

I follow the law. If there is a stop sign I stop. I don't always touch the toe but I stop. I was once asked by a coworker if I put my foot down to prove a stop and I said no do you when you drive your truck.

Machka 

Here's the thing I keep in mind ... I, on my bicycle, am small and vulnerable. A motor vehicle is large, heavy, fast-moving, and these days, sometimes, very quiet.

If I have a stop sign, I want to stop and make sure it is indeed safe for me to go.

Jim from Boston

Well said, @FB. I won’t discuss my own riding habits vis-á-vis auto traffic laws, but personally if I note a policeman, I will follow the auto laws, just out of respect for the cop, even though in Boston the police are notorious for ignoring cyclists and pedestrians. Cambridge, MA is a different matter; and bicycle traffic laws are strictly enforced, and you better be careful even if no police are in sight.

Massachusetts has a peculiar law requiring a police officer at construction sites, and whenever I pass one, I give the officer a wave, and usually get back a nod. Since they are on foot, away from the patrol car, it’s unlikely they would give pursuit if you broke the law.

dipy911

I come to as much of a stop as I would when I am driving my car.

RockiesDad

Here is another scenario... What do you guys do at a "T" intersection if there is a red light and you are in the straight part of the intersection? Cars may be turning left but they can't go straight. Would you stop and wait for the light to turn green or just do a rolling stop and then go?

If there is a policeman I think I would stop then go. If in a car, yes, I stop and wait for the light to turn green but on a bike I tend to ignore the red light. Again, I guess I am breaking the law but still....

Seattle Forrest

I wouldn't run that (or any) light in my car because I drive my car faster than I ride my bike, my car weighs drastically more, it has more inertia so can be harder to slow or stop, and if I hit somebody or something, I'm going to do far more damage than if I hit that person or thing with my bike. Also, my car is less maneuverable than my bike, it's harder to avoid something.

On a bike, it would depend more on the circumstances. I've been known to run red lights in busy areas with a stop light at every block; instead of being bunched up with traffic, which is less safe and also slows the cars behind me down, it can be better to get ahead of it all. If I'm going to stop a block later anyway, I can stay ahead of traffic that long. In general if there's a lot of traffic I'll try to find a quieter route, but that's not always possible.

Also keep in mind, when you say things like "cars can go left but they can't go straight," that some drivers run red lights too. Even with cameras. Maybe they're drunk, maybe they're reading a text, maybe they're just impatient and thought it was "orange."

mprelaw

Yup. Around here the only times that cars get pulled over for a "rolling stop" are when the cops are just looking for an excuse to pull the car over. And the only times that anyone gets cited for it are when the cops find what they suspected---drugs, an illegal gun, driver drunk, etc. That is, when not justifying the initial stop with a citation would cause a judge to get suspicious that it was just a "pretext stop". Otherwise, they get a "be a little more careful next time" and get sent on their way.

jfowler85

Yes you can.