California considers exempting bikers from stop signs
As a biker, waiting at a deserted stoplight in the late evening feels really, really ridiculous. In fact, I rarely do it. Now, if a cop were to see me run the light, he could decide to ticket me and put me through all kinds of bureaucratic hell. So, it's nice to see that lawmakers around the country are considering changing traffic laws to allow bikers to cut bikers some slack when it comes to stop signs and traffic signals.California state authorities are debating a change that will allow bikers to keep their momentum at empty intersections. According to Rachel Kraai of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition:
"Bicycles would still have to yield if there was a car at a stop sign. They would still have to stop for that car and let them go through... At a stop light they would still have to stop and look both ways, but then they could go through."
This wave of more bike-friendly laws is great news to me. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a cyclist come to a complete stop at a stop sign -- unless it's to yield to a much larger, heavier object that could flatten them. The rolling stop is a common practice for bikers at stop signs, because losing momentum for no reason basically sucks. At least bikers would be able to follow their common sense instincts without fear of being fined.
The California law would basically mimic the new rules adopted by Idaho, allowing bikers to treat stop signs like yields signs. The only major opposition I can see to these changes is over safety concerns. The new laws allow for much more discretion on the part of bikers, and I can see a lot of people complaining if bikers start forgetting to yield.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-10-2008 @ 6:37PM
John said...
Then bikers should wave all their rights to file lawsuits when they get hit in traffic.
This kind of thinking blows my mind. I though we were in a society looking to make people safer, not to reduce safety just because someone finds following traffic laws "inconvenient".
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7-10-2008 @ 7:51PM
leroy said...
John,
Ever ridden a bike? Well, in last twenty years, as an adult? Believe me, cyclists have it in THEIR best interest to be safe. You can also believe that "rolling" through a stop sign can be perfectly safe. I do it every day. People in cars have a problem with this because THEY can't roll through stop signs. And it should stay that way, between your cell phone and your ipod along with insulation of your rolling tomb, your situational awareness is nigh compared to the average cyclist.
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7-10-2008 @ 10:12PM
leroy said...
John,
Ever ridden a bike? Well, in last twenty years, as an adult? Believe me, cyclists have it in THEIR best interest to be safe. You can also believe that "rolling" through a stop sign can be perfectly safe. I do it every day. People in cars have a problem with this because THEY can't roll through stop signs. And it should stay that way, between your cell phone and your ipod along with insulation of your rolling tomb, your situational awareness is nigh compared to the average cyclist.
Reply
7-11-2008 @ 12:14PM
L. Gordon said...
Having both been hit in a car by a bicyclist who ignored a red light, and being a bicyclist who hit a pickup making a legal turn, I think this is the dumbest idea ever. Bicyclists are responsible for following the rules of the road, and I regret being dumb enough to not do it myself on one occassion (broke a collar bone).
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