Comments on: Make stop signs a yield for cyclists http://www.cyclesanjuanislands.com/2009/09/27/make-stop-signs-a-yield-for-cyclists/ Anything and everything cycling related to the beautiful San Juan Islands Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:34:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Twodeadpoets http://www.cyclesanjuanislands.com/2009/09/27/make-stop-signs-a-yield-for-cyclists/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Twodeadpoets Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:34:54 +0000 http://www.cyclesanjuanislands.com/?p=145#comment-106 Personally I think it's opening a can of worms. Not that I completely disagree cyclists shouldn't be allowed to roll through stops or that I wouldn't trust the savvy and skilled ones but where do you draw the line? At what point do you say, "this cyclist is ready for rolling stops and this one isn't?" Do we just blindly trust that the cyclists who know what they are doing will be okay and shrug our shoulders when the no-brainers blow stops and get killed as a result (what wonders that'll do for our insurance premiums)? Then there are the drivers; I think drivers (who aren't cyclists) will never understand why the laws apply to cyclist and not to them. Meanwhile they'll just complain and never listen to reason (or as usual the laws of physics). Lastly, I think it's a slippery slope to enact laws which seem vague. Yes, there are many on the books as we speak but the system tries to make laws clear and concise. Personally I think it’s opening a can of worms. Not that I completely disagree cyclists shouldn’t be allowed to roll through stops or that I wouldn’t trust the savvy and skilled ones but where do you draw the line? At what point do you say, “this cyclist is ready for rolling stops and this one isn’t?” Do we just blindly trust that the cyclists who know what they are doing will be okay and shrug our shoulders when the no-brainers blow stops and get killed as a result (what wonders that’ll do for our insurance premiums)? Then there are the drivers; I think drivers (who aren’t cyclists) will never understand why the laws apply to cyclist and not to them. Meanwhile they’ll just complain and never listen to reason (or as usual the laws of physics). Lastly, I think it’s a slippery slope to enact laws which seem vague. Yes, there are many on the books as we speak but the system tries to make laws clear and concise.

]]> By: Scott Boye http://www.cyclesanjuanislands.com/2009/09/27/make-stop-signs-a-yield-for-cyclists/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Scott Boye Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:38:11 +0000 http://www.cyclesanjuanislands.com/?p=145#comment-105 I will respectfully disagree. Yeah, coming to a dead stop is a hassle; unclipping, getting out of the saddle, putting a foot down then reversing the process. And half the time I forget to shift down so I'm in the proper gear to get going again. But I say that we get the respect we deserve. How much should a cyclist slow down at that (proposed) octagonal yeild sign? Slow to the point of barely being able to balance? Shift down a couple of gears and roll through at a clip reasonable enough to keep momentum? Or blow through at top speed? I suspect most of us already roll through a stop sign when there is clearly no traffic. But If I expect a driver to give me reasonable room while passing, I feel that I should obey ALL traffic laws. It's a matter of common respect for others and not assuming that we're special just because we pedal. I will respectfully disagree. Yeah, coming to a dead stop is a hassle; unclipping, getting out of the saddle, putting a foot down then reversing the process. And half the time I forget to shift down so I’m in the proper gear to get going again.

But I say that we get the respect we deserve. How much should a cyclist slow down at that (proposed) octagonal yeild sign? Slow to the point of barely being able to balance? Shift down a couple of gears and roll through at a clip reasonable enough to keep momentum? Or blow through at top speed? I suspect most of us already roll through a stop sign when there is clearly no traffic. But If I expect a driver to give me reasonable room while passing, I feel that I should obey ALL traffic laws. It’s a matter of common respect for others and not assuming that we’re special just because we pedal.

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