salcedo

texbiker

On streets with light traffic I slow down to an almost stop and then ride through.

I-Like-To-Bike

So what?None of the law breakers in the video came close to doing anything unsafe to anyone else in the vicinity. A boring nothing worth whining about... what's next, video of cyclists rolling stop signs that upset the equilibrium of would-be McGruffs?

Rollfast

They're red and white and fat, like Santa Claus. That's good!

jon c. 

I believe one should always come to a full and complete stop. If warranted by conditions.

work4bike

I do Idaho Stops; however, if there are any other car(s) at the other points of the intersection, then I come to a complete stop and wave them thru. I think most cyclists believe that Idaho Stop, means you don't have to stop, period. Wrong...Whenever there's a question in the timing of who arrives first, I stop.

I also take the lane when approaching stop signs, that way a car is either directly behind or in front of me, not to the side where I have to worry if they're taking a right or not.


P.S. That dude needs to fix his brakes.

mcours2006

As a driver, at a four-way stop always come to a complete stop regardless of traffic. I've never been caught for failing to stop but I've seen waaay to many people in my area get nabbed, and I regularly see cops in unmarked cruisers sitting near intersections just to catch people. Not worth the 2 seconds.

As a cyclists it depends on the situation. When there's traffic I behave like a motorist. When there's no traffic and my view of the intersection is unobstructed I not only roll through, it's FSA! I've done this in front of unmarked cruisers a couple of times. They don't bother.

As for drivers who roll through four-way stops, meh They're constantly breaking traffic laws anyway, whether it's speeding, illegal turns, improper lane changes, etc. As long as the behaviour doesn't endanger pedestrians and cyclists I don't care so much.

rumrunn6

the cars in my area are way more obedient that in your area!

genec

And few cyclists come close to doing anything unsafe to anyone else in the vicinity. Yet this is the number 2 complaint we hear from motorists... "those bikers just never stop for stop signs..."

(the number 1 complaint is "those bikers use up the whole road..." )

The OP is just pointing out that cyclists are simply using the stop signs in a manner similar to all other traffic.

I-Like-To-Bike

No the OP isn't pointing out anything about cyclists, other than that some are prone to clueless whining, just like the clueless complaining that you allegedly hear from motorists.

salcedo

salcedo

salcedo

I-Like-To-Bike

What is "it"?
Get what "point" besides that the cyclist in the video repeatedly whines about drivers' actions at stop signs that aren't in any way endangering himself or anybody else in the vicinity?

genec

No sir... the point is that MOTORISTS, who tend to complain about cyclists running stop signs, are themselves just as guilty, and thus should STFU. (NOTE: the "point" in bold)

But I was pretty explicit about that in my response... outlining motorists' complaint #1 and 2... Which you totally missed, but others got right away.

salcedo

JoeyBike

Motorists where I live are pretty good about granting right of way at stop signs, and just roll them the rest of the time, especially 4-way stops. I hate making them stop. Seriously. I just wave them though if they get there before me, that way neither one of us has to stop completely. If I get there before them, I make sure to STAND UP on the pedals to communicate that I am GOING.

I would say that of all the dangers I face riding in the city, motorists at stop signs are near the least of my worries. Realize that locals EXPECT cyclists to blow through stop signs, so this is why I wave them through, and they seem happy that I communicated my intention to grant them right of way. For me, this is a non-issue. But I am not easily offended by SEEING people do illegal moves that endanger no one.

I-Like-To-Bike

Strange way to make a point about whether cyclists do or don't break traffic rules at any specific rate, since all the commentary and "violations" shown were focused on motorist behavior and nothing about cyclist behavior was referenced.

But then I haven't heard what motorists are saying on the subject of cyclists running stop signs on blogs, Facebook or nutty comments to same or wherever genec "hears motorists" discussing bicyclists' behavior.

CliffordK

Nothing about the video above looks surprising, although I rarely take the feet off the pedals at stop signs.

If nobody is coming, I'll slow down a bit, look both directions, and go.

If a car is coming, but slower than me, I'll slow down a lot, then go.

If a car has the right of way, I'll come to a complete stop, or perhaps slow down enough that they'll be able to go before I get to the stop sign, sometimes waving them on.

I watch what the cars are doing. If they're stopping and waiting for me, then I'll go.

I don't really "track stand", but can get down to a mighty slow pace. If I really want to show my intention to stop, then I'll unclip and put a foot down.

Left turns on red or similar situations when I can't trip the light can be tricky, so I've grown to have little patience for them. Wait until the road is really clear, then go, whether than means simply slowing and looking, or stopping.

I-Like-To-Bike

Got it, the OP and you were doing a tag team posting where he posts a video that has one focus - motorist behavior, and you post in post 9 of the thread that the "point" really is all about motorists' alleged complaints about cyclists.

MikeyMK

It's weird on here, with Americans at the helm of many topics, because naturally you only consider your own laws.

I can't speak for the majority of the world around the rest of the planet, but here in Britain, cyclists do not have to abide by motor vehicle laws.

Naturally most drivers here don't realise this either, so they'll moan about dash-cam footage despite a cyclist not actually haven broken any laws - other than Darwin's...

mcours2006

This is no great revelation. One only has to stand at a four way stop-signed intersection for a minute to witness it. Motorists complain about cyclists running stop signs. Cyclists complain about motorists doing the same thing. So what? Two lefts make a right?

CliffordK

As far as "running stop signs" when nobody is around...

A few points... Cyclists tend to have a very good view of stuff around them... if they care to look.

How often do motorists pass cyclists only to slam on the brakes in front of them at the next stop sign? See it a few times on the video above? Talk about RUDE "share the road" behavior.

The most dangerous place for a cyclist to be is in the middle of an intersection. Hitting the intersection with both feet on the pedals and some speed gets the cyclist through the intersection faster, impeding traffic less, and safer (assuming it was clear).

And, of course, we're all just a little bit lazy. Ohhh... those extra decelerations/accelerations.. But, really, they do add up.

Now, don't have anybody complain about a cyclist being too lazy to stop for a clear intersection when the driver is too lazy to get out of their car.

I'm not sure how many serious bike path accidents there are, but my observation is that cyclists are very good at just working it out on the paths.

mcours2006

Our cycling laws are not as progressive as they are in the UK and I doubt that we will ever get to there. In the meantime, though, we have to ride in whatever manner that we deem safest, whether it's rolling through a stop sign or committing some other 'infraction'.

mcours2006

Yep. Most drivers don't even realize it that they approach an intersection and see a cyclist roll through that it actually benefits them. If I saw a car approach a four-way as I am approaching myself and I stop. I'd probably stop long enough to make sure the car stopped as well before proceeding through. The car would have stop, watch me get on both pedals, slowly accelerate through, all the while the driver sits, watches, and curses about that stupid cyclist wasting his time.

https://abc7news.com/traffic/san-fra...c-laws/892465/