Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop: Great video for bike-riders everywhere

[darkemeralds]

Gosh, I hope I'm not spamming the comm today. This just came to my attention and I thought it was fantastic and worth sharing. It's an instructional video designed to explain the "Idaho stop law." In the US state of Idaho, traffic law allows bicyclists to use a rolling stop--i.e., an informed slowdown--at stop signs, rather than requiring a full stop in all instances.

"Cyclists are scofflaws and always blow stop signs" is a common complaint by motorists who sometimes seem to think that this fact rules out funding for cycling infrastructure (or, in extreme cases, justifies attempted vehicular manslaughter).

This video, by Spencer Boomhower, is the clearest, most rational explanation I've seen for why the Idaho stop law makes perfect sense as a general cycling strategy on streets and roadways shared with cars. It's well worth showing to non-bike-riding friends and family.

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

Comments

[sara]

Spam the comm! Spam the comm!

[vlion]

In Moscow, Idaho, bikes own the road. Mostly because, uh, the cops don't crack down on any violation, however egrarious? And if they do, no one hears about...

[copracat]

What a great video. Thank you.