[SDCBC] yield, stop, or service

[Gene Carman]

I too have been pulled over and warned...  it was a quite friendly 
situation, years ago.  I was in PB, very early in the morning and 
loaded for touring...  doing a shake down ride.  Cop pulled me over 
and said: "the first one didn't bother me too much, the second one 
kinda raised my eyebrows, but the third stop sign really got to me...  "

We talked for a bit...  he suggested that I actually stop in the 
future, and wished me luck on my tour.

These days I stop for most stop signs...  there are a few however...

And stop lights.  I always stop for those.

At 07:01 AM 6/28/2007, Fulton Martin wrote:
>There's a motorcycle cop that doesn't quite agree--he pulled me over
>when I didn't fully stop at a right turn stop sign. He gave me a warning
>(verbal), and we had a little discussion--when I noted that plenty of
>bicyclists completely blow through stop signs, he agreed, and stated
>that he gives *them* tickets. He's retiring on June 30th, though, so I
>may return to my scofflaw ways...
>
>Serge Issakov wrote:
> > I think Mr. Forester's advice below (which is also in his book, and
> > would probably make for a good short safety article in Chainguard)
> > really combines well with what Jon Isaacs wrote earlier:
> >
> > "Safety is about habits and expectations."
> >
> > The common denominator is that your behavior should not be about
> > following the rule for the sake of the rule.  Your behavior should
> > reflect an understanding of the underlying principles and purposes of
> > the rules, which, in the case of stop signs, John explains with better
> > clarity than I've ever seen anyone else do.
> >
> > Develop your habits and expectations accordingly.  So, the habit with
> > stop signs should be to slow down, check for peds (stopping if
> > necessary), then, when clear, creep forward making sure there is no
> > vehicular traffic to yield to (stopping if necessary), then, when
> > clear, proceed.
> >
> > At least that's my take on it.
> >
> > Serge
> >
> >
> > On 6/27/07, John Forester <forester at johnforester.com> wrote:
> >>  The law regarding stop signs carries two duties. The first duty 
> is to stop, the second duty is to yield to approaching traffic that 
> is so close as to constitute a danger. Generally, in urban areas 
> the stop location is behind a crosswalk, but the yield cannot be 
> done from that location because the cyclist cannot see far enough 
> along the cross road. Any driver then has to stop, then creep 
> forward to where he can see to yield, and then perform whatever 
> yielding action the traffic situation requires, which may be a 
> lengthy stop or may be an immediate go. The earlier stop protects 
> pedestrians, the later yield protects all drivers. In my 
> instruction I emphasize the importance of creeping forward so 
> slowly that the cyclist has the longest time to evaluate the 
> approaching traffic, so he can make the best use of whatever 
> yielding action is required. I do not emphasize the earlier stop 
> before creeping forward, as, for a cyclist, by slowing to a 
> creeping speed he has adequately pro
>te
> >  cted pedestrians by yielding to them  (which might require, as 
> does any yield, a stop until the pedestrian traffic clears). 
> Motorists have pretty well figured this out also, and do about the 
> same as I recommend. Traffic engineers are pretty well agreed that 
> America places too much reliance on STOP signs where YIELD signs 
> would be appropriate. However, I recommend no advocacy for changing 
> the law; just leave it alone and, if ever really prosecuted when 
> doing a truly slow creep, just pay your fine.
> >>
> >>  John Forester, MS, PE
> >>  Bicycle Transportation Engineer
> >>  7585 Church St.
> >>  Lemon Grove, CA 91945-2306
> >>  619-644-5481  www.johnforester.com
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
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>--
>Fulton Martin
>__=o&o>__
>public at exwis.com
>San Diego, CA
>N32 43.956, W117 05.874
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