Did the Cyclist Protest in San Francisco Help Their Cause?

It looks like San Francisco may be making an important change to allow cyclists to yield at a stop sign rather than having to do a full stop. Their recent protest halted traffic and may have been effective in illustrating the need for change. Do you think Chicago cyclists will be able to accomplish the same with a peaceful, organized protest? Could the Idaho Stop be in our near future?

Full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/us/san-francisco-may-let-bicyclis...

For additional reading, see Chainlink group, "Idaho Stop": http://www.thechainlink.org/group/idahostop

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Permalink Reply by Matt on October 21, 2015 at 3:59am
Yes, I thought it was a great idea when I saw it. It is worth a try.

Also, you do know there is an "Idaho Stop" group here on The Chainlink, right?
http://www.thechainlink.org/group/idahostop
Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on October 21, 2015 at 4:01am

Yes, thanks! I included it in the post under "additional reading". I think we are hoping the same thing - organize a peaceful, logical protest on CL using that group?

Permalink Reply by Eli on October 21, 2015 at 4:26am

It's hard to imagine such a policy making it through the City Council over the objections of the Active Transportation Alliance, which continues to oppose the Idaho stop.

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on October 21, 2015 at 5:06am

Does Active Trans object to the Idaho Stop or is it just not their current priority? 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 21, 2015 at 5:24am

I think that encouraging a "courtesy and common sense" approach makes more sense.  Idaho stop should be part of this.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on October 21, 2015 at 6:11am

Sadly it's a lack of courtesy and common sense that has led to the idea you need a stop sign at every intersection rather than through and yield signs, which would basically be an idaho stop for everyone and really improve traffic flow so bikes wouldn't have to be passing and being passed over and over.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 22, 2015 at 3:00am

If a lot of us make a long-term effort at courtesy, ask for courtesy from others, promote it on social media, write about it on our blogs (neighborhood, bike, or whatever), it can make a difference over time.  I've written about it on my neighborhood blog, making a conscious choice to use language that will reach people there (lots of churchgoers, so referring to the Golden Rule makes a point), and doing some promotion of posts on Twitter.  

I've actually seen some improvement in driver behavior in the neighborhood since I started doing it.  Of course there's still a long way to go.  If we effect a lot of small changes, they eventually add up.  It does require patience and time.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 22, 2015 at 3:02am

A side note - I've made it a personal campaign to strike back against the most egregious cab offenders for cutting through crosswalks full of peds, cutting off cyclists while making right turns on red. Lots of 311 reports.  Each one takes a small amount of time.  I've seen some of those same cabs since I reported them, and they've yielded to peds on those later sightings, so perhaps they're getting the message. Maybe some are even telling their fellow cabbies.

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on October 21, 2015 at 10:36am
Where's that video of cyclists riding single file and obeying every stop sign? Also causing gridlock because drivers don't know what the rules of a 4 way stop are.
Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on October 22, 2015 at 3:24am
Here's a link to the video on Facebook:
I couldn't get the video to embed.

Official Wiggle Stop-In video recap. Amazing job everyone. We won't stop until we have the Idaho Stop.You can hear a full discussion of the merits of the Idaho Stop here: http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201507310930

Posted by The Wigg Party on Thursday, July 30, 2015
Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on October 22, 2015 at 5:51am

Put me down on the list of those bicyclists mildly opposed to this Idaho-Stop of Rolling-Stop idea. 

When cyclists start following this as a new law then motorists are going to be even more upset and even more strongly critical of cyclists, who they perceive as "breaking the law."  This change will be quickly know the the cycling community but will be unknown to the drivers.  We're all aware of the 3-foot passing rule, but how many drivers are really aware of this? 

Even if known by drivers, it will be used to further criticize bicyclists as being given "entitlements" that aren't granted to motorists.

Personally, I follow the rolling-stop method now, even if it's a violation.  I think changing the law would only compound the irritation of motorists, which we don't need on the street.

Permalink Reply by Greg Valent on October 22, 2015 at 6:38am

The 'Idaho stop' may work in Idaho because the entire state has a population of 1,600,000. Stop signs mean stop. That's good enough for me.

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