A Tribune article sympathetic to cyclists

State law requires bicyclists to follow the same rules as motor vehicles, but the laws are not strictly followed or enforced. A study released Monday by DePaul's Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development found that just 1 cyclist in 25 comes to a complete stop at stop signs, and 2 out of 3 go through red lights when there's no cross traffic.

The study proposes that Illinois cities consider changing their laws and allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, and some red lights as stop signs, thus permitting cyclists to maintain their momentum. It's known as the "Idaho stop" for a 1982 law in that state.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-bike-study-get...

(I may be wrong, but I think the author of this article, Mary Wisniewski, attemded the last Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Council meeting.)

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on December 12, 2016 at 4:42am

WOW. This study effectively proves what cyclists have known. Thanks for sharing Bob!

"'It's tough to step up enforcement without aligning the rules with reality,' said study co-author Joseph Schwieterman. The study suggests that permitting the Idaho stop in certain circumstances would free up police to deal with more flagrant violations.
 
"The Idaho stop recognizes that sometimes it is safer for a cyclist to get out in front of traffic so he or she can be seen, rather than waiting obediently at the light and risk getting smacked by right-turning traffic when the light goes green.
 
"The report pointed to a 2007 London study that found that female cyclists were much more likely to be killed by trucks than men. The study suggested that female cyclists are more vulnerable because they are more likely to obey red traffic lights. By going through a red light, men were less likely to be caught in truck drivers' blind spots, the London study found."
Permalink Reply by Josh L. on December 12, 2016 at 3:42pm

This is my argument. Both cyclists and cars are better off with the Idaho stop. In most cases car drivers wont' have to worry about the cyclist to their immediate right.  If they catch up to the cyclist, the cyclist is positioned on the right side of the road and easily seen.

As you noted, for the cyclist it is safer to clear the intersection - away from the moving cars - as long as you look left and right first.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 12, 2016 at 5:06am

Yes, Mary Wisniewski was at the last MBAC meeting. I was sitting next to her.  FYI - she rides too.

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on December 12, 2016 at 2:03pm

I was fortunate to have a chance to be interviewed by both DePaul's Chaddick Institute and in the Tribune article. It is great to see a policy institute come out in favor of the Idaho Stop. I have been a long, long time supporter of the Idaho Stop. It amazes me that people give the Idaho Stop brushback, but never mention the routine traffic pattern of drivers of motor vehicles "stopping" at stop signs way past the white line and into the crosswalk. 

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on December 13, 2016 at 2:55am
Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on December 13, 2016 at 8:49am

Bob did you see that you were referenced, by name, in the comments on the Trib article. Keep fighting the good fight!

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