Stop Signs and Bicycles
 

The biggest complaint, by far, made by the general public against bicycle drivers is that they never stop for stop signs. Most bicycle drivers also drive cars at some time. All drivers know that they must stop for stop signs. So why don't they stop? The law says stop!
Here are a few reasons to consider why the law is not followed. We all know it is wrong to break the law but it happens.
1. it IS possible to come to a complete stop for a few seconds and not put one’s feet on the ground, which makes it look like they never stopped.
2. keep momentum going because getting back to speed takes much longer than it takes a car to accelerate.
3. shoes may be clipped to pedals and it is inconvenient to move from the pedals to the ground.
4. going at very slow rate of speed gives time to look both ways several times.
5. can see in both directions better than from inside a closed environment like a car that has many distractions, phones, radios, people talking, blind spots.

Just imagine driving a car behind a line of 10 bicycles that each come to a complete stop individually at a 4 way stop intersection. The first bike starts slowly after a car goes through. The second bike has to start slowly and now you have one bike, then a car, then a bike past the intersection. The third bike now starts and you have one bike, one car, one bike, one car, etc. The car back in the line has a line of alternating bikes and cars when that car finally gets through the intersection and the whole line is going at a relatively slow pace. By having all the bikes go through together and getting out of the way allows the cars to get back to normal much quicker. Against the law, yes. Less frustration for the bicycles and cars, yes. Can a bicycle driver get a ticket, yes.

Cx
A great post. I doubt anyone has ever REALLY been inconvienced by a bicycle not stoping at a stop sign and I would be surprised if that ever caused an accident. The truth is those people just feel inconviencd by bicycles and don't want them on the road. It's just an excuse to use against cyclist. But you already knew that, didn't you. :ho:

How about just slowing down to a almost stop.Most I have seen just breeze through at full speed.

Oh boy! This is the second active message thread on bicycling. I predict that, within the next few minutes, the blood will begin to boil.

Give it a rest. Bla, Bla,Bla.

It would be better if the moderator just closed this thread as nothing of value is likely to be posted. There is reality and then the perception of reality by people who don't like cyclists.

Was this mentioned?

When you are on a bike you trust the car behind you will stop and get nervous if it doesn't look like they might. Speaking for myself, I have gone through stop signs many times because there was lots of space ahead and I would rather explain my decision to a police officer and hope he understood or pay the fine if he didn't. It's a calculated risk.

Unless you know from experience how fragile you feel on a bike compared to sitting in a car you probably won't understand.

I understand BUT, looking at this from an auto driver's perspective, not knowing if the cyclist is going to stop, move cautiously, or just blast through the sign creates stress from the uncertainty. No different from the cart driver that pulls out of a side street without stopping because HE knows he's just going into the diamond lane, but the driver of the car doesn't know that. More stress.

Ideally, everyone should stop at the signs, every time. Will it happen? Nope. What works for me is the attitude I am driving the internal roads of a large resort and may come upon many types of vehicles as well as pedestrians and runners. And I must be prepared for all eventualities. And expect everyone I encounter will do something stupid.

Let's face it, a very small % of cart drivers, vehicle drivers and cyclists don't like each other. All three modes have a place here. Some of drivers/riders are going to disobey traffic laws and will continue to cuss the other and give the 1-finger salute. The very large % of the rest of us will respect each others rights to be out on the paths and streets and will get along.

Personally, when I make it there FT this year, I'm going to travel by all three modes and will have eyes :shocked: on the small % of you to keep from getting ran over.

no, but a few were almost killed when they blew thru stop signs at intersections where I had the right away.

I see quite a few stop at stop signs....
 

but to those who don't you won't convince them with your post...

I see far more cars doing a rolling stop than bicycles. Could be they are saving their brakes.

I am not a police officer! I don't care it's not my job to enforce the law! I don't care when speeders pass me, don't stop at stop signs, heck most don't know how to do 4 way stops anyway. They either roll through them, stop way out in the intersection well beyond the stop sign or can't figure out who's in line to go next. I stay clear of bikers I don't want to hit them. I could care less what they do at stop sign as long as they don't dart in front of me. Why? I am too busy watching all the law breakers in the vehicles!

Is the OP referring to those red octagonal yield signs?