This would be an excellent answer to the recent "crackdown" of cyclists riding through the North Shore. Who's with me?

Riders arrived at every stop sign in a single file, coming to a complete stop and filing through the intersection only once they were given the right-of-way. The law-abiding act of civil disobedience snarled traffic almost immediately.

"The thing you say you want — every cyclist to stop at every stop sign — you really don't want that," Morgan Fitzgibbons, one of the protest's organizers, told SF Weekly. "You're going to destroy traffic in every neighborhood that has a heavy dose of cyclists."

Read the full article.

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on July 31, 2015 at 11:44am

Yasmeen, we are with you !

In the comments for this article, Rob Anderson calls the cycling community - one of the most unpopular special interest groups in the city, and says that it's doubling down on it's poor relationship with this activity.

But if you really think about it, every "real" action has a "realistic" effect on the "overall" traffic flow situation.
Is that what law enforcement and "the driving public" really want? Are we really that annoying of a problem, or are we just too easy of a target to pick on? "Can't we all just get along? "

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Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on August 1, 2015 at 3:40am

Whatever the law is, it should be followed. If you don't like the law then you can work to change it. This is a country of laws.

Sometimes bending the law is accepted and for the most part cyclists "rolling through" a stop sign is tolerated.

Some cyclists behave badly and try to claim the right of way simply because they are a cyclist. Some motorists behave badly and try to claim the right of way simply because they are motorists.

The ill behaved abusers should have consequences for their bad behavior. That unfortunately will often have consequences for the rest of us.

Please don't tell me that the cyclist only endangers his/herself. It is simply not true. Does the cyclist have family? Will there have to be response from paramedics? Will the insurance companies, medicare, medicaid have to pay?

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Permalink Reply by Eli on August 1, 2015 at 9:52am

If you don't like the law then you can work to change it.

This is what the article describes.

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 1, 2015 at 10:11am

When you look back in history at any movement for positive change, they take time and persistence.
Let us begin !

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Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on August 2, 2015 at 10:12am

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 1, 2015 at 10:23am

Hmm, maybe re-read the article? It is saying to follow the laws to the letter to illustrate that the laws don't work.

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Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on August 2, 2015 at 9:55am

Do I have to agree or disagree 100% with the article? I don't in either case. I have a feeling that if the worst offenders in the cycling community would behave better then there wouldn't be a need for a "crack down". I'm pretty sure that 99.9% of Chainlink readers are already well behaved. I could be wrong.

I believe that lining up 300 bicycles to purposely snarl traffic is probably going to be counterproductive. It doesn't simulate reality. I could be wrong.I personally slow down at least to a brief track stand stop at all stop signs. I think that is all the community wants.

Does the letter of the law say that you have to spend 15 seconds with your foot on the pavement at every stop sign? That's not against the law but is it required? Start doing that with the intent to make people upset and you will probably make people upset! I think that will be counterproductive to your cause. That is my advice and I offer it because I believe in in your cause, even if I don't believe in the method. I could be wrong..at least I'm willing to admit that.

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 1, 2015 at 7:26am

The cyclists in SF. had hoped to prove that a better and more efficient way exists.

There has been a growing call for cities to adopt the "Idaho Stop" law. Idaho has permitted cyclists to treat stop signs as yields and red lights as stop signs, which allows cyclists to clear intersections faster, be more visible/safer by getting in front of traffic.

Enforcement resources are more appropriately used upon those who cause a disproportionate amount of injuries by diverting precious enforcement resources away from the deadliest traffic violators - motorists - and not on the relatively harmless ones.

These cyclists also helped point out that single file laws and stay-far-right laws are inefficient when traffic volume increases so it would be more efficient to allow two or more abreast to be more efficient. And that is what motorists want anyways isn't it, just you cyclists get the #☆×% out of our way !