Stop signs

[Di bear]

Wahine - I'm big on trackstands at intersections. I've had a lot of people wave me through, but I usually nod them through if they legally have the right of way. Heck, practicing trackstands is a great thing.

[HoosierGiant]

I stop at every stop sign; signal every turn... even if there's not a vehicle for miles. I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise in my car; won't consider it on the bike. The law's the law.

[jobob]

That's one reason why we don't ride with big groups anymore or do a lot of organized centuries. That mass mentality of "We're bicyclists, we don't have to stop." I've become very selective about whom I will ride with. At least pretend to follow the law.

V.

Ditto.

[shootingstar]

I will stop and if cross illegally, will do tend to do it if I know the intersection and its general traffic patterns at certain times, but still it's not often.

And tendency to do it crossing 1-way streets.

Now at 5:30 am it's pretty dead, when I start commute, so that means flying through 2 one-way traffic intersections.

But otherwise, I seldom fly through a red light from the beginning.

I was hit as a pedestrian when I was a teenager, walking school, thinking more about an impending Latin test. As soon as the traffic light turned green and I stepped off the curb to cross, a car speeding through red light, hit me. Snowy wintery slush cushioned my fall, plus a car that was going slow enough I didn't get thrown on top of the front hood...which is what can happen if a small car goes at fast speed, and impact on body is great enough..

I appreciate life. Humbled. I was hit ....in front of a life insurance building.

[Crankin]

I stop at almost all stop signs. If it's a very familiar intersection, in a quiet area, I'll unclip and slow and look, and go, but other than that, I stop. I ride on a lot of country roads that are narrow and winding, with a suburban population. In other words, there's more cars than planned for these kinds of roads. Even though there's so many cyclists around here that drivers are somewhat used to us, I don't trust anyone.
As for the group rides, the 2 groups I ride with once in awhile are very safety conscious. But, I see other groups blow through signs on a regular basis. I worry more about the squirrelly riders who don't signal when they are slowing.

[PscyclePath]

Stop signs require you to do two things under the law:

1) Stop, e.g., cease forward motion. This can be a track stand, or you can unclip and put a foot down. But you have to stop; and

2) Yield right-of-way to any crossing traffic. Only when the coast is clear can you take off again.

If you make a habit of running stop signs or red lights, you're gonna get hit. Maybe not this time, but Fate will eventually catch up to you. Sooner or later... just how lucky do you feel?

There are no exceptions for groups or group riders. Every individual rider is responsible for individually obeying the traffic laws and signals, so each must stop and yield. What's "Clear!" for the guy at the front of the pack probably isn't for the folks struggling to hold a wheel on the back. All must stop and yield, and considerate ride leaders will soft-pedal or hold up on the other side until everyone is across and back together again.

And yes, motorists blow stop signs all the time, or more commonly, one of those "California stops" where they slow and roll on through. With the exception of a few purists, most of us are motorists, too, and carry over bad habits from our automotive driving to our cycling.

Tom

[OakLeaf]

A track stand is a legal stop, but try and convince a cop who saw you not put your foot down - or waste a day in court with your bicycle demonstrating your ability to track stand to some judge.

I don't encourage anyone to break the law. But it seems that some people's definition of a rolling stop is different from others'. To me, a rolling stop means preparing to stop, unclipping if I'm on the velo, foot on the rear brake if I'm on the moto, and being absolutely prepared to come to a complete stop without loss of control in less than 6" if necessary.

I don't do it on blind corners (although some motorists don't realize that we can see a LOT more than they can...). But IMVHO, maintaining a tiny bit of forward momentum is actually safer on a two-wheeled vehicle as long as I'm prepared to stop. With forward momentum, I have the ability to steer and to quickly accelerate if something approaches from behind or beside me. Once I put a foot down, I'm nothing but a target.

Again, just my opinion and I don't advise anyone else to break the law!

[mimitabby]

I slow down and almost stop at a stop sign. If there is traffic, yes, I do what the cars are doing, wait and take a turn. But if i have good visability, and there is no danger, I don't come to a complete stop unless I am on Mercer Island.

[bean fidhleir]

I stop these days, tho sometimes I used not to where safety wasn't an issue. But I want the ethical authority that comes with playing it straight, so now I play it straight.

[SheFly]

There are no exceptions for groups or group riders. Every individual rider is responsible for individually obeying the traffic laws and signals, so each must stop and yield. What's "Clear!" for the guy at the front of the pack probably isn't for the folks struggling to hold a wheel on the back. All must stop and yield, and considerate ride leaders will soft-pedal or hold up on the other side until everyone is across and back together again.

I FORBID anyone doing a group ride with me to call "Clear" in an intersection (or anywhere else). Why? If the front person calls it, and misses something, and someone behind gets hit, the person calling "Clear" is actually liable under the law. Everyone needs to take responsibility for themselves at any intersection!

That said, any ride I lead (and I do this A LOT) soft pedals after a stop to make sure that everyone got through and is reconnected.

We all want to be seen as having equal rights - that means following (and knowing) traffic laws. I usually come to a complete stop at intersections (although in a trackstand)... but not always. That said, a week ago at our weekly club TT, one of the racers was pulled over and read the riot act for not riding to the right - which ISN'T the law in MA...

SheFly

[Jolt]

Oh, boy, you've hit on one of my pet issues! Under the law we are vehicles and subject to the same laws as motorists. And of course that means stopping at stop signs. I used to be a bike advocate and let me tell you that people's willingness to improve facilities and treatment of cyclists is significantly hampered by their perception that bicyclists are a bunch of law breakers. It has also been my experience that drivers are more aggressive and confrontational on the road when they see behavior they think is contrary to the law (I would add riding to the left of the white line and riding two abreast to this group, though in fact this behavior is usually permitted under the law. Motorists just don't know it). I stop at almost every stop sign and hope you all will too!

Good points. I generally stop just as I would in my car. The exception is situations such as this one residential street on my route to the grocery store, where it's a through street but has a few stop signs that are basically there to prevent people from blasting through the neighborhood. There, I slow way down and roll through rather than coming to a full stop and having to dismount--it's just easier and I'm not creating any kind of hazard by doing so.

[Deborajen]

I always try to stop and unclip at every stop sign, but I'm guilty of not always completely stopping at a wide open intersection that has very little traffic. I'm going to try to make it an always commitment now, especially with gas prices so high and so many new and inexperienced riders coming out. I've seen some bad stuff lately with inexperienced riders blowing red lights, cutting in front of cars, etc. Especially now we need to set a good example.

Deb

[sundial]

If I'm out on a lonely stretch of road with no cars present, I look both ways and proceed through the stop sign. If I'm in traffic, and I make a right turn at either a stop sign or red light, I stop 1) if there are cars signaling to turn and they have the right of way or 2) I do a rolling stop if there are no cars and proceed to turn right on a red light. Otherwise, I come to a complete stop, unclip, watch, and yield to traffic.

[Flybye]

Not all states are the same. In Idaho, we can slow through a stop sign but we should always stop at a red light when approaching an intersection of two way traffic:

49-720. STOPPING -- TURN AND STOP SIGNALS.

1. A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection or junction of highways, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.
2. A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a steady red traffic-control signal shall stop before entering the intersection, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a right-hand turn without stopping or may cautiously make a left-hand turn onto a one-way highway without stopping.
3. A person riding a bicycle shall comply with the provisions of section 49-643, Idaho Code.
4. A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given during not less than the last one hundred (100) feet traveled by the bicycle before turning, provided that a signal by hand and arm need not be given if the hand is needed in the control or operation of the bicycle.

That being said, I rarely stop at a stop sign and unclip - I only do so if the need arises to wait my turn for a car that has beat me to the stop sign to proceed.

We only have 9 intersections in our city with stop lights. 10 if you count the one headed out of town. I stop for lights.

[malkin]

I figure that the rude bike riders become rude drivers when they get in their cars.

I stop when there's anyone around or likely to be around. When it's plainly deserted I roll through.