NYT: San Francisco May Let Bicyclists Yield at Stop Signs

[Tony T]

San Francisco May Let Bicyclists Yield at Stop Signs (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/us/san-francisco-may-let-bicyclists-yield-at-stop-signs.html?hpw&rref=us&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well)

If the supervisors prevail over a veto, San Francisco would become the largest city in the United States to pass a stop-as-yield law. Idaho and a few Colorado counties are the only places in the United States that permit the rolling stop, commonly called the Idaho stop because of its legality there since 1982. Paris adopted a similar law this summer.

[cmg]

who stops....? unless i'm with a group and the group stops, if there's no traffic i never stop. yep, i've had other cyclists tell me the error but i've had shaky characters also see me as a target. whether the city legalizes the running stop makes no difference.

[jtakeda]

Pretty sure Ed Lee said if he saw this bill come across his desk, he'd veto it

[likebikes]

legal or not, stop signs are already optional for cyclists.

[Elefantino]

who stops....? unless i'm with a group and the group stops, if there's no traffic i never stop. yep, i've had other cyclists tell me the error but i've had shaky characters also see me as a target. whether the city legalizes the running stop makes no difference.
I stop. Usually at least a pseudo track stand. I've had other cyclists cuss me out because of it, too. I consider it good humor, unless one of them runs up my backside.

[weisan]

I consider it good humor, unless one of them runs up my backside.

I almost did when we were riding together a few weeks ago....that was before I realized you are an upstanding law-abiding citizen. :D

[Elefantino]

I am a citizen. The other part is open to interpretation!

[weisan]

I am a citizen. The other part is open to interpretation!

I think your answer to the next question will remove all doubts...

Do you like Macaroni and cheese? :hello:

[Elefantino]

I think your answer to the next question will remove all doubts...

Do you like Macaroni and cheese? :hello:
Only with friends.

[tumbler]

who stops....? unless i'm with a group and the group stops, if there's no traffic i never stop. yep, i've had other cyclists tell me the error but i've had shaky characters also see me as a target. whether the city legalizes the running stop makes no difference.

It makes a difference when the cops are posted on the city's popular bike routes and writing tickets. The proposal being considered would instruct them to "de-prioritize" these incidents and focus on actual dangerous behavior (ie. blazing through a busy intersection or not yielding to pedestrians). I hope it passes and also hope that they continue to write tickets for people who blow through busy intersections while others wait they turn.

[oldpotatoe]

legal or not, stop signs are already optional for SOME cyclists.

FIFY

Most treat as a yield already, as do a lot of cars. Slow down, proceed with caution..

The ones that bug me are the people that don't slow down, just blow thru them. Almost hit a guy the other day..both on bikes, I slowed down, proceeded, thinking he would, he didn't..

[Mr. Pink]

Much bigger danger in that town are the cable car and trolley tracks.

[fkelly]

Almost hit a guy the other day..both on bikes, I slowed down, proceeded, thinking he would, he didn't

Yes, that's one "downside" of widespread adoption and legalization of the Idaho rule. Postings here made me more conscious of the rule this summer, though in practice I think most of us have used it for years. I started noticing how many cyclists would just blow through stop signs and the potential for two cyclists doing that to collide. Made me more cautious.

I've also changed a couple of my regular routes to avoid stop signs where there is not a good line of sight down intersecting roads. With the potential for cross traffic that you can't see until you get to the intersection the only truly safe approach is to unclip and stop and look. When you do the same route 50 to 100 times a year, the odds are against you if you don't. So better to just re-engineer to a safer route where you can see any cross traffic well ahead of getting to the stop sign.