Fit City

By Jason Newman

December 15, 2011 9:56 AM | Link to this

With regard to stop signs, I stop (track stand style) if there is anyone, either in a car or on foot, within eyesight of the intersection. If no one is anywhere to be seen, I slow way down then roll through, around 5 mph. Not much faster than a walk.

I am not simply being lazy by slowly rolling through. It is safer: I get out of the intersection faster. The less time cyclists are around intersections the better.

With regard to traffic signals, I follow them, except for those that don’t recognize when a cyclist is in the intersection. I stop and wait until it is evident that the light is not going to change, then go when it is clear.

On a side note, one thing cyclists could do to foster better will with car drivers is this: Cyclists, when at a red light or stop sign and there is no shoulder or bike lane, please don’t roll to the front of the line of cars that just had to pass you. They will only have to pass you again once they are under way. Just stay in your place in line.

By Belle

December 15, 2011 10:10 AM | Link to this

Pam, I’d like to bring your attention to a third perspective, that of pedestrians. I work downtown and park across the street from my office. More than once, I’ve almost been ran over by a biker that failed to observe the red light and blew through the pedestrian crosswalk while I was in it. I counted myself lucky that all I got was a good scare.

By Clark

December 15, 2011 10:19 AM | Link to this

As a biker, I consider myself to be using a higher form of transportation than the automobile. Therefore, I rarely stop at stop signs unless necessary.

It’s a matter of conservation of momentum and besides, my 190 pounds (total of myself and bike) are of hardly any concern to a 3300 pound (vehicle and fat dude), gas-wasting behemoth.

By Drew

December 15, 2011 11:15 AM | Link to this

Hi Pam, This is definitely a good topic to cover. I commute to work by bicycle 4 days a week. Yes, I definitely stop at stop signs while I ride (and drive), since I have had many, many close calls with bikers and drivers a like. The most frustrating one was actually when I was riding to work one morning, all three of my bicycle lights were operating, and I was hit by another cyclist who blew through a stop sign. Come on! Everyone needs to obey the rules of the road.

By clark

December 15, 2011 11:25 AM | Link to this

I stop at stop signs when driving and especially when on my bike. I cringe when I am on a training ride and see others cyclists not stop at stop signs. If they don’t wnat to stop then they need to go to Palmer or Southwest Parkway. Stop signs are there for safety purposes.

By Becky

December 15, 2011 11:44 AM | Link to this

If there is no car within a block, I’ll still slow down but not stop entirely. If there’s a car nearby, I’ll stop - like one foot on the ground all the way stopped. I don’t trust them to let me have my turn, I’d rather they just went. OTOH, in my car, I always see cyclists in dark clothing with no lights - giving people who come close to hitting them the evil eye. And people of both vehicular persuasions blowing through stop signs when there is other traffic around. And — Yield signs, they do actually apply to you.

By John

December 15, 2011 12:01 PM | Link to this

Texas, along with every other state, should consider making the “Idaho stop” the law of the land. Everyone wins. read more http://bit.ly/wE9zu

By Frank

December 15, 2011 12:03 PM | Link to this

I live downtown, so I see a lot of cyclists. I always stop a stop signs and obey laws, especially when there is a cyclist present. Mostly because a majority of cyclists DT do not obey the laws. They think that since they are on two wheels it gives them the right to take up the road and if they get hit it’s the drivers fault.

I am totally about sharing the road, but it goes both ways and I don’t see a lot of sharing from cyclists DT.

By McChris

December 15, 2011 12:09 PM | Link to this

I think the issue of “cyclists blowing through stop signs” is generally presented in a reductive way. I get the impression that most motorists complain about cyclists who blow through busy stop signs and didn’t wait their turn. Of course, there’s a vocal contingent of motorists who complain about anything that inconveniences them in any way, reserving pedestrians and cyclists for particular scorn. I’ve got a feeling that a many of your correspondents are the same people who spitefully cut me off in crosswalks when I’m walking around the UT area.

When I’m driving, I always make a full, roll-back stop at stop signs, but on a bike this often doesn’t make sense. First, because the time it will take me to get moving from a dead stop is far longer than it is in a car or truck, and secondly, since I’m going slower, I will have already spent more time observing traffic at the intersection than if I had made a complete stop in a car. A particularly difficult case is a four-way stop where there’s a moderate amount of traffic: it’s often the case it’s my turn to proceed before I can safely come to a full stop. In those cases, it seems completely appropriate to make the equivalent of a rolling stop.

Complicating this is that there’s no clear understanding of what constitutes a stop on a bicycle. My understanding is that cops don’t expect cyclists to put a foot down at stop signs. So what constitutes a stop? A track-stand? Slowing to less than, say, 5mph, which seems to be the tolerance for rolling stops for cars. It would be helpful if your column addressed APD’s expectation for a bicycle stop at a stop sign.

By Mongo

December 16, 2011 10:32 AM | Link to this

Similar to other comments…always stop at stop lights…roll thru stop signs when no cars present w/in 1/2 block & either do a track stand or put foot down if cars are in the vicinity of the intersection.

When I commute by bike in the AM, I usually just roll thru the stop signs since traffic is very light during that time. But in the afternoon, there is too much car traffic & found that stopping was hurting the commute time, so now use Burnet Rd from the Domain to 45th on my way to Oak Hill. Since I’m not willing to compromise commute time, it is matter of ticking off drivers who want bikes to stop at the stop signs or ticking off drivers who now lose a lane on Burnet during rush hour while they work around me.

By Mongo

December 16, 2011 12:58 PM | Link to this

Similar to other comments…always stop at stop lights…roll thru stop signs when no cars present w/in 1/2 block & either do a track stand or put foot down if cars are in the vicinity of the intersection.

When I commute by bike in the AM, I usually just roll thru the stop signs since traffic is very light during that time. But in the afternoon, there is too much car traffic & found that stopping was hurting the commute time, so now use Burnet Rd from the Domain to 45th on my way to Oak Hill. Since I’m not willing to compromise commute time, it is matter of ticking off drivers who want bikes to stop at the stop signs or ticking off drivers who now lose a lane on Burnet during rush hour while they work around me.

By Susie

December 16, 2011 2:42 PM | Link to this

I do a lot of bike commuting around town. I try my best to act like a car and stop at all lights and stopsigns but I might just slow down rather than stop if I don’t see any other vehicles around. I want to be treated like another car while I’m at an intersection, which means waiting for my turn to go and other cars yielding to me rather than swerving around me to beat me to the intersection then cutting me off. And I especially would appreciate it if drivers would NOT wiggle their fingers at me to go when I don’t have the right of way. You are sitting behind tinted glass and I cannot see the tiny wave of your hand most of the time. I realize it is well-intentioned but most of the time impossible to observe. Please just take your right of way and then we’ll all be on our way.

By Pat

December 19, 2011 10:52 AM | Link to this

I commute about 4 days a week to a from work. I follow the rules of the road. I stop at stop signs, track stand, if no cross traffic. I also, wear a helmet, and have lights, true bike geek. I see bad habits every day, from cars and cyclist alike. I cringe when I see a cyclist, no helmet, listening to iPod, blowing thru stop signs, without hesitation.

By South Austin Cyclist

December 20, 2011 3:58 PM | Link to this

When other cars are in the area, approaching a different stop sign at the intersection, or otherwise might witness a blow-through, I stop, or at least get as close to stopping as I can without dismounting. Never had a problem with this. (I commute up Nueces)

If there’s no cars, around HELL NO! It is a complete waste of energy to have to slow down that much at every intersection, just to pedal back to speed again. It’s completely safe and on a bike, I can see and hear far more than in a car.

The whole things seems like a matter of common sense, and I fart in the general direction of any cyclist-hater who has a problem with this.

By I love biking to work

December 20, 2011 6:09 PM | Link to this

I cautiously enter all intersections, and roll through stop signed intersections occasionally, when I can do so safely.

First, all the risk is on the cyclist. If I broadside you in your car because I make a mistake, I get hurt and you don’t. If I feel I can roll an intersection safely, be aware that I’m taking much more risk than a car that does the same thing. I weigh that risk and behave accordingly.

Please, treat me like a car. Don’t wave me through the intersection you’ve been sitting at for 5 seconds. I see you sitting there, it is your turn and I will wait for you. Go.