Fantastic Video on the Idaho Stop

It's for Oregon, but applicable anywhere.

Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop from Spencer Boomhower on Vimeo.

From FABB

Comments

[Bilsko]

Fantastic is right!
This makes me want to go out riding right now and do some Idaho stops - oh well, they'll have to wait till tomorrow morning when I fill my daily quota of Idaho stops.

Riders can also treat red lights as Stop signs in Idaho, right? I wonder if that's part of the proposed Oregon legislation too.

[guez]

I'm actually pretty tired of the whole stop sign law thing, so I'm going to change the subject... a little.

Here's my question: to what extent is there a tension between the imperative of maintaining momentum and safe, defensive cycling? More generally, do you ever find yourself more caught up in efficiency, speed, and form (and your bike computer) than your environment? I'll be perfectly honest: I do, and it scares me.

The other day, someone told me about a cyclist who was hit by a car during a group ride because he was paying more attention to keeping up with the group than his surrounding.

[Bilsko]

Its a good point - commuting style riding and recreational riding (alone and in groups) put the rider in a different mindset.
I am definitely much more acutely aware of my surroundings and defensive while commuting than while out for a group ride.

As flawed as my logic may be, I get really irritated when I do come to a stop at an intersection where there is a vehicle with the right of way and they wave me through. If motorists are going to insist that cyclists follow the rules of the road then if I stop at an intersection where the motorist has the right of way...they should go first! So I've gotten sick enough of that scenario playing out that more often than not, I Idaho stop at every intersection.

(Yes, I do realize that motorists are being generous when waving a cyclist through, and that they do the same with other motorists...but certainly not with the same frequency)

[Rich Wilson]

The problem I have is that the argument made in the video could be made equally to cars. Personally, saving an ounce of gas by being able to roll through an empty 4-way stop in my car would be more useful than saving a cornflake by rolling through on my bike.

[Jonathan Krall]

I get *very* irritated when discussions of cyclists and stop signs center around "momentum." If you actually watch cyclists at stop signs, what they are loathe to give up is balance, not momentum (I'm talking individual cyclists, here, not pace-liners). This is why a cyclist will avoid putting his or her foot down even when at a dead stop.

A cyclist, beginning from rest, who has not yet gained his or her balance, is not agile and not safe. A rolling stop maintains balance, and allows the cyclist to pass through the intersection ready to react to threats.

Yet motorists, who view cyclists as selfish, think rolling stops are about cyclists not wanting to give up momentum. Sadly, I have yet to meet another cyclist or cycling advocate who does not buy into this insulting and, I think, inaccurate description of the issue. The phrase "internalized cyclist-phobia" comes to mind.

[Bilsko]

There are a bunch of problems with assuming that this argument holds true for cars going through intersections.

Drivers sit 6 or more feet behind the front end of their vehicle, so in order to see what's coming down the road in either direction, the driver has to be at least six feet closer to the middle of the intersection than a cyclist does. Also, drivers (except for SUV drivers) are all sitting with eye level well below most cyclists (recumbent riders being the exception).
Cars also have a lot more momentum to bring to a halt at a short notice if there is something to avoid hitting.

I agree with Jonathan that its primarily about balance. Momentum does play some role - when I'm on a geared bike downshifting to take off from a stop or having to strain against a low gear does require more effort. But balance (and unclipping from pedals) is definitely the primary reason.

[Eric_W.]

I like it when cars at National Airport on the ramp to enter the GW Parkway slow down and let bicyclists through. That scenario there is both about momentum and balance.

In any event, the stop sign there should be reversed...

[Washcycle]

Jonathon made a point I was going to. One of the many differences between bicycles and cars is that bicycles become less stable at lower speeds.

To answer your question guez, yes I've been more interested at time with keeping moving than being safe. That goes for times in the car when I go through a yellow I shouldn't have and times on my bike.