Here in CA I THINK the law is to stop at a T intersection if on a bike. But many times I end up cautiously rolling through it since it seems like the risk is minimal with traffic coming and turning from only one side. Not that I would jump off a bridge if others did it, but I also rarely see any other bikers stop at T’s so I wonder if it is in fact the law to have to stop??? Anyone have any opinion or facts on the matter, and is rolling through generally O.K. if the coast is clear? Maybe even one of those rules where police officers would look the other way (like tinted windows)??? I don’t like the idea of being one of the riders that gives the rest of us a bad name…so there is that too…
Am I being that guy or does everyone roll through them?
I roll through if there are no vehicles approaching the intersection. If there is a vehicle(s) approaching I assume they don’t see me and stop, let them go ahead of me if they are going to exit the intersection going the same direction as me. I’m pretty sure the law requires you to stop at all stop signs and lights.
In CA you must stop… I was ticketed once at college… bolted though it and I saw the motorcycle cop up the street coming after me… I was already doing 25mph plus downhill… I probably could have lost him as I took a few corners in the neighborhood very quickly and basically waited for him to search me out. He even joked about having thought he lost me. Still got the ticket… sucker.
My recent (well actually fairly long term) observations indicate that in California, traffic lights and stop signs are merely suggestions for cars, bikes and pedestrians.
I will come to a complete stop at a 4 way in my neighborhood, as well as any intersections where there is traffic. If there is no traffic, I slow to a speed that I could stop if necessary, and roll it. And if I were to get a ticket I wouldn’t bitch about it.
T, depends on traffic first and location second. There is one T very near my house that you can see in all necessary directions, so I take that one faster than a roll… Not blasting through by any stretch. I am always able to stop
I also run these same streets a lot and my unscientific survey is that cars pretty much do exactly the same
As far as I know the official highway patrol policy is that “red means red”. Personally (riding in socal/central coast) I’ve seen more than enough cars use the bike lane as an extra 5 feet of room to complete their more relaxed turns that unless there’s clearly no traffic I’m waiting at the light. Plus if there’s cars stopped next to you and you blast through you look like a bit of a dick.
A bike is the same as a car, so you are required to stop.
What about a continuous bike lane through the intersection (with cross walk)?
…and if that’s still a required stop - I’m sure it is - why stripe half the intersections differently?
Road signage should be deliberate and without question - don’t put a 45mph speed limit when you actually meant 40mph - if they’re going to strip the road ‘oh eff it’ I bet you know about where my attitude lies on stopping.
One of the many great things about Idaho is the “Idaho Stop” law on the books. Stop signs are treated as yield signs here.
But uh… don’t move here. The place is overrun by rednecks, racists, hillbillys, etc. The summers are brutal and the winters can kill you. It really is the worst place on earth to live so don’t move here.
(Wish the rest of your CA brethren could figure this out and stop coming up here polluting the place)
One of the many great things about Idaho is the “Idaho Stop” law on the books. Stop signs are treated as yield signs here. Texas doesn’t have an “Idaho Stop” law, but I still treat stop signs as yield signs when riding. Maybe someday I’ll get it a ticket for it, but it hasn’t happened yet; and the fact is treating them as yields is safer for me and less disruptive to vehicle traffic, so I’m going to keep doing it.
no cars anywhere and I will roll through. and by roll through I mean I’m almost pausing to a complete stop but not quite. but coming up to the intersection I am slowing down to the point where I can easily stop.
FWIW I got pulled over for “yielding” at an intersection in Indiana. It was a 4 way stop, I slowed down as I approached the stop sign, and then proceeded through the intersection when I saw no cars. I am not even sure where the cop came from.
I was extremely remorseful to the police officer, apologized, and ensured it would never happen again. Of course, this was at the very end of my ride and at an intersection I’ve gone through many times with no issues. 20 minutes later, he emerges from his car with a $170 ticket.
Who even stops and unclips at stop signs anyways?? Just wasn’t my day I guess. Sigh.
If i’m riding in a bike lane there’s no rational safety reason for stopping so I don’t. They even paint the lines to imply the bike lane is continuous without any stop lines. I don’t know what the law is locally so just use common sense.
Technically I don’t believe the shoulder or bike lane is part of the intersection so one may be able to make an argument that traffic lights don’t apply.
“intersection” means the area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of the 2 highways that join one another at or approximately at right angles, or the area within which vehicles travelling on different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict;
