LexRides

Lou

brokebike · cutter Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2434 Location: local

I'm on the fence about it. Sure, it sounds great in theory, but if put into widespread practice, I have concerns about the monster this rule could become in the hands of the two-wheeled masses.

The fact that all of us have to live with is, no matter what, we are always going to be sharing the road with larger, faster vehicles. There will always be some degree of contempt and misunderstanding between motorists and cyclists... this alone makes the streets a dangerous place for us even when we are following all the rules of the road to the best of our abilities. The thought of legal, rolling stops sure sounds great (I mean, most of us do it anyway at our own risk), but something about making an exception for bikes that will no doubt confuse and irritate motorists, as well as make more brazen (or more naive) cyclists less attentive at intersections and gives them that same false sense of security that bike lanes do, kinda makes me want to question the practicality of this rule.
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elzie5000 · cutter Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Posts: 1177

Considering how many people ride on the sidewalk, or against traffic, and how many drivers think bikes shouldn't be on the road in the first place, I don't think the legality of rolling stops should be anywhere near the top of the law enforcement priority list.

taylor · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject:

you're right, it shouldn't be - but I know at least one person who has gotten ticketed for a rolling stop on a bicycle in Lexington. The story may actually exist on the board somewhere, or maybe it's floating around on a listserv. As long as the potential for getting ticketed exists (which it apparently does), I'd say legalizing a rolling stop for bicycles should be pretty high priority.

but if we were to start getting rid of all the stupid laws that everyone breaks because they don't usually get caught doing it, well, that'd be a much longer process. practicality of the law is probably an issue, but when isn't it? The fact that you can ride on the sidewalk outside of downtown's limits doesn't really make for a super-clear and practical enforcement, either.

roller · d'oh! Joined: 17 May 2008 Posts: 294 Location: duncan park

I'm all for it, but it ain't gonna fly in Lex.

It has been working in Boise for 27 years, which is about the size of Lex so it's not unprecedented. Making a stop sign a yield sign for bikers makes sense in more rural areas.

In a busy downtown environment, bikers have the most to lose from blowing through a stop sign. Motorists fear driving through a hornets nest of bikers blowing stop signs....we'll all crash and die! Many motorists basically don't want bikes in the streets (keep 'em in the park!), let alone having special 'rights'. Are bikes toys? no. Are they cars? no...they're 100-watt human-powered travel machines that should have special rights of the road.

alex · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 10:03 am Post subject:

i think this is basically what all skilled bicyclists do anyway. i'll continue doing whatever makes me the safest, including running lights so i'm not continually passed by reckless impatient drivers. i believe i'll live longer that way. if i get a ticket for it, so be it. i'd rather be alive with a ticket
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How about, "Can you NOT rip a giant hole in our downtown and erect a big goddamn penis full of crappy chain businesses?"
-F.L.