Delaware legislature passes bill that will allow "Idaho Stop"

I wasn't paying attention to this, but at the end of June the Delaware Senate passed a bill, previously passed by the House, that would make the Idaho stop legal at certain stop signs in Delware. 

The bill does much more than this. It defines safe passing, including a 3-foot rule; allows cyclists to ride in a reasonable position in a lane, as opposed to the old "as far right as practicable"; allows for bicycle traffic lights and makes it illegal to honk at cyclists when there is no imminent danger. 

But it also states that

A bicycle operator approaching a stop sign at an intersection with a roadway having 2 or fewer lanes for moving traffic shall reduce speed and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection, except that a person, after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.

Which is the stop-sign portion of the Idaho Stop. The bill passed the Delaware House on 6/20 and the Senate on 6/30 and is still waiting a signature from the Governor before becoming law. That in and of itself is a big accomplishment. No Idaho Stop law has been passed by a state legislature since Utah in 2011 and not by both legislatures since Idaho in 1982. And it passed easily. It was unanimous in the House and 20-1 in the Senate. 

No word on whether Governor Carney will sign the bill, but you can write him here to ask that he do so. Tell him about how often you go to Rehobeth or Dewey.

Hopefully they'll pass it and then we can start hearing how DC isn't like Boise and Dover.

Comments

[Richard B]

Good on Delaware's biking community. Instead of ignoring laws on the books because of their privilege they are getting them changed so they make sense.

[DE]

Just wonderful news. If only more states could recognize reality, then perhaps we could work on getting more cyclists to yield the right-of-way rather than focusing so much on the unrealistic expectation of a full-on, foot-down stop at every intersection, which is never going to happen. I watch police on bicycles and they don't even do it.

Richard B, this won't affect you at all. If you are in Delaware at a 4-way stop and encounter a cyclist, that cyclist will still be legally required to yield the right-of-way to you, no different from the current situation.

[drumz]

Ah yes, Boise with its city population about equal to Arlington or density about equal to Fairfax County. Definitely no parallels to consider there.

[richardb]

@DE

Thankfully it won't apply to me because my daily bike commute doesn't take me through Wlmingtom everyday. Why do you assume that just because I say bicyclists should follow the law I am not a bicyclist?

[DE]

Because you're on here trolling bicyclists on a regular basis?

[washcycle]

His email is literally "richardbiketroller." Not a joke.

[DE]

:)

That's the most I've laughed today.

Whenever someone like that claims to be a cyclist, I never believe them. A cyclist could be, say, against Idaho, like Crickey, but still would understand what it's like to actually cycle.

[ACyclistInThePortCIty]

Dover,not Wilmington?

[ACyclistInThePortCIty]

So, if I follow this (treat stop as yield but only at 2 lane roads, and obey all red lights) could I say I am delawaring, not Idahoing?

[washcycle]

Yeah, it's definitely a sub-category.

[richardb]

Maybe I am tired of times like last week when to swerve in front of an on coming car while I was making my way to the cycle track at Union because some other cyclist thought he got special permission to run the red light on Mass Ave because his privilege meant he got to run red lights.

Or a month ago when I was crossing with my two year old at the tidal basin (walking mind you) and some cyclist comes within a foot of creaming him because he's a cyclist and he gets to decide if he puts kids lives in danger and doesn't have to stop at red lights.

Or three months ago when some ass was biking on the MBT and hit me head on because he was too busy texting instead of controlling his damn bike.

But because I think you smug asses get the right to do what ever you want even thought I've been biking around here since 2004. Come off it.

I am trolling you because you are a bunch of self righteous jack asses that think the whole world is there to bend to your desire not to unclip your shoes out of laziness. If you think stopping at stop signs when no one is coming doesn't make sense get the law changed (FYI I think it's stupid too but I live in a society governed by rules and norms not my sense of self entitlement).

[ACYCLISTintheportcity]

1. I see drivers and pedestrians doing jackass things regularly. So I guess all are equally privileged? But then is it privilege?
2. Getting the law changed is just what this about.

[richardb]

Yes and it hasn't changed in DC yet so unclip and follow the law until it is.

[Washcycle]

The law doesn't require one to unclip and you can stop without doing so. Also, I don't know how you can tell who does and doesn't stop at stop signs just from reading comments on the internet. Weird mutant power I guess.

[Roo_Beav]

I don't understand the density argument. If I approach a 4-way stop with nobody else around, what's it matter if that corner is in the middle of a field or a dense downtown? Either way, nobody else is there!

[ACYCLISTintheportcity]

FYI, I ride flat pedals, so not sure how I am supposed to unclip. Perhaps some here need to chill.

[LooseFur]

I'm inspired by richardb. Never before had I understood that "cycling" is not an activity but instead a personality trait! My main reason for writing is to encourage richardb to get some therapy. Something has caused you a deep insecurity that paints people with a broad brush and projects deep internal shame and conflict. It's never too late to explore where that came from, and maybe develop an ability to interact with society in a healthful manner.

I guess I'll never understand what motivates the trolls anyway.

[richardb]

@LooseFur

It comes from the fact that I am tired of my life being put in jeopardy by self absorbed bicyclist on my daily commute and getting painted with the broad brush of being a cyclist that can't follow simple rules because your privilege means you feel entitled not to.

@Roo_Beave

And you stop because it's the law you [person]

[Joe F]

Richardb, In reality the majority of drivers treat stop signs and right turns on red as a Idaho stop but you don't care about that. All you care about is whining about cyclist breaking the laws, never drivers or peds. By doing so you are not trying to improve cycling just make cyclists who read this site mad. You claim to be a cyclist but there is no way to prove that.That by definition is an internet troll.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

[Riley]

Riding my bike in such a way as to avoid being killed or crippled by motor vehicle operators. Check

Riding my bike in such a was as to not injure or inconvenience pedestrians and other cyclists. Check

Not being a jerk about either one of those options. Check.

[drumz]

I just don't have nearly the amount of bad interactions with cyclists in and around DC like others say they do and I'm out walking, biking, or even driving in DC every day.

I realize that my perception isn't everything so then I rely on data.

But data doesn't really show a lot of evidence that reckless cycling is leading to a lot of collisions and injuries on our streets. I'm willing to change my mind if evidence suggests I should though.

So at the end of the day, I guess some people are just more unlucky with cyclists than I am. Because the notion that bikes are running rampant around the city just doesn't seem true based on what I actually see and what others have actually documented with statistics.

[freewheel]

richardb: privilege is driving an empty 5,800 pound Chevy Suburban into DC because you're special