Re: Aren't bicycles suposed to stop at stop signs? - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

09-09-2003, 07:44 AM

"Steve + Laura" wrote ...
> I went on a charity group ride the other day, and saw hundreds of
> bicyclists ride through 30 or 40 stop signs. The number of cyclists I
> saw stop for a stop sign: zero.
>
> Aren't you supposed to obey normal traffic rule on a bike? I even saw
> riders blow through a stop sign at an intersection holding up a car that
> had no stop sign. The driver stopped, but was more than a little annoyed.
>
> Is this how I'm supposed to ride on the street? Seems a bit unsafe...
>
That's because it is (quite) unsafe. Every state that I know of requires
bicycles on the road to obey the same laws as other vehicles, including stop
signs and red lights. This sort of behavior is infuriating to motorists and
law enforcement people, and it's a good way to get hurt or killed.

You might not make any friends this way, but it would be a good idea to
contact the organizers of this ride and ask them to put a little more
emphasis on safe (and legal) riding practices the next time they organize
one of these rides.
--
mark

09-09-2003, 08:04 AM

"mark" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:wHl7b.5159$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthli nk.net...
>
> "Steve + Laura" wrote ...
> > I went on a charity group ride the other day, and saw hundreds of
> > bicyclists ride through 30 or 40 stop signs. The number of cyclists I
> > saw stop for a stop sign: zero.
> >
> > Aren't you supposed to obey normal traffic rule on a bike? I even saw
> > riders blow through a stop sign at an intersection holding up a car that
> > had no stop sign. The driver stopped, but was more than a little
annoyed.

Another great one. I live in an area where many "spandex clubs" come to do
their weekend rides 4 and 5 abreast - Santa Cruz County California. One day
I am driving down a country road in Corrallitos and see a full sized sign on
a white sawhorse near the top of a hill. I believe the sign said " SLOW -
ROUGH ROAD AHEAD ". Of course this was not true. Over the hill the asphalt
was smooth and seamless. I then noticed other temporary signs placed along
roads in this area and realized they had been put out by a bicycle group
with reasonable assets. The lie irritated me and I still remember it. If the
sign had said "SLOW -BICYCLISTS" it would have thought it was perfectly
appropriate.

Howard