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Published December 8, 2024

Why stop sign laws don’t work for bikes

Don't be mad at that cyclist who just rolled through a stop sign.
'Pre-2020 Oregon:' a cyclist approaches a stop sign, comes to a full stop putting down their leg, looks both ways, and then continues onward. 'Coming to a full stop makes cyclists burn energy and spend more time in intersections (1).' Two large panels next to each other. The first is from a cyclist's point of view, as they approach a stop sign and the loud noise of a car cuts into their vision on the right. 'Nearly 60% of the ~50,000 yearly bike crashes that injure cyclists occur in intersections.' From a driver's point of view, they see their steering wheel, dashboard, and their own eyes in the rearview mirror. Outside the car's front window is a stop sign and a cyclists. The cyclist is labeled 'approaches intersections slower,' 'can hear oncoming cars,' 'better peripheral vision,' 'looks own mortality in the eye every day,' 'fashionable' (pointing to the cyclist's one rolled up pant leg). 'In 2020, Oregon narrowly passed a stop as yield law.' The cyclist from the first set of panels approaches a stop sign again, looking both ways and continuing onwards faster. 'A 2024 study confirms the new law doesn't increase bike crashes especially if you educate drivers (2).'
'How stop as yield works for bikes:' A cyclist approaches an intersection. Two arrows fork off from the panel, showing different responses to possible situations. 'Yield to pedestrians, and cars with right of way.' The cyclists stands, waiting for a car to zip by and a pedestrian with a scarf and a prancing dog to walk across the street. The cyclist pedals forward once the street is empty. In the second scenario, the cyclist finds the street empty. 'Roll through thew you have good visibility.' In the now-empty street a bird lands on the stop sign. 'How stop as yield works for cars: Expect bikes to roll through stop signs.' A cyclist with a rear basket and sunglasses passes through the intersection, with a car idling at a stop sign. '(And don't hit bikes I guess?) That's it.' A cyclist waves at a car that's waiting for the cyclist to pass before turning right. The cyclist's shadow is cast long across the road, making it obvious where they are. 'The law doesn't apply to red lights. Bikes must wait for green.' A cyclist waits at a light, their shadow stretching long behind them.
An elephant wearing a bandit mask pedals a tiny bike across the page. A banner is attached to the bike, reading 'Bike Crimes.' 'The elephant in the room: cyclists regularly ran stop signs before this law was passed, contributing to a myth that cyclists are particularly guilty of disobeying traffic laws.' Several cyclists blast past a stop sign, spinning it around: a cyclist on a recumbent bike, a cyclist on a tall bike, a cyclist wearing a long Victorian dress and riding a penny farthing, a cyclist on Pee-wee Herman's cool bike with a fin on the back, and three cyclists, a mother, daughter, and baby strapped into a child's seat, on a tandem bike. A man in a blazer and tie rolls his eyes, saying 'Scofflaws!' 'But everyone breaks the law.' A cyclist and pedestrian stop quickly, looking afraid. '95.9% of cyclists, 97.9% of pedestrians.' A driver cruises to a stop, crushing the stop sign, 'and 99.97% of drivers report breaking laws.' The man with the blazer and tie looks outraged, eyes bugging out. 'Most cyclists disobey laws to 'overcome a car-dominated transportation system' and protect themselves (3).'
A single panel, with a black background. 'In Oregon, stop as yield is a (the word step is crossed out) pedal forward. But cyclists will be vulnerable until our cities invest in bike infrastructure and public transit.' An older man with a large mustache and a young girl whose helmets have dinosaur-like spikes on it look small as they face down a car whose driver faces away from the reader. The rear window of the car reads 'the car always wins.' 'Biking should be safe, fun, and accessible to everyone in our city, not just the 'strong and fearless' (4).'
Actual bike crimes: riding a bike that's attached to the front of a bus, riding a bike cross legged while reading a book, locking only a bike's front wheel to a bike rack, and attaching a bike to a team of sled dogs (it's a crime of cuteness).

Sources

  1. Carl Sundstrom and Dan Nabors, “Bicycle Crash Statistics,” BikeSafe, 2014.
  2. David Hurwitz et al., “Impact of Bicycle Rolling Stop Laws on Safety-Relevant Behaviors in the Pacific Northwest,” January 1, 2023.
  3. Marshall, Wesley E, Daniel Piatkowski, and Aaron Johnson. 2017. “Scofflaw Bicycling: Illegal But Rational”. Journal of Transport and Land Use 10 (1). 823.
  4. bicyclelaw, “Stay Seen, Stay Safe? | Bicycle Law,” July 27, 2021.

Further Reading

  1. “Allowing Rolling Stops on Bicycles Doesn’t Cause Risky Road Behavior, Study Finds – OPB.” Accessed September 21, 2024.
  2. BikePortland. “Oregon Passes Version of ‘Idaho Stop’ Law That Allows Bike Riders to Treat Stop Signs as Yields,” June 25, 2019.
  3. BikePortland. “Guest Post: How Oregon Got Idaho Stop,” December 26, 2019.

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