1. Duncan
   Moderator
   Posted 3 years ago #
   

   Front page of the Sunday Star:

   Do cyclists need to stop at a stop sign?

   I wonder if the writer also counted the cars coming to a rolling stop?

   Maybe the solution here isn't to change the rules, but to change the roads. So many places around the world have roundabouts rather than stop signs, even on side streets. Then, it isn't a matter of stopping for the sake of stopping, your common sense helps guide your decision as to whether you stop or slow down and proceed.

   I noticed there are mini-roundabouts being installed on Broadway Ave, although I'm pretty sure there were still stop signs, but having to veer around the centre median did slow some of the luxury cars blasting down that side street.

   Duncan's City Ride - That's my blog about cycling in the city of Toronto, natch!

2. bonfire89
   Member
   Posted 3 years ago #
   

   I think rolling stops are fine.

   I think barreling through is probably quite dangerous, and should maybe come with a small fine.

   I agree that our infrastructure could be better.

   I occasionally take side streets to avoid suicide on main streets such as bloor, when doing so, coming to complete stops every 20 seconds makes the trip take a lot longer and is tiring on the legs when done 5 times a week from etobicoke to downtown and back. Not to mention the fact that I am creating traffic on residential streets.

   Although if Bloor had a bike lane....

3. twowheelsarebetterthannone
   Member
   Posted 3 years ago #
   

   I wonder if the writer also counted the cars coming to a rolling stop?

   This entered my head while reading the article.

   It can put a lot of strain on one's legs to constantly come to a complete and full stop. There are lots of intersections where one can easily see what cars are approaching and from where. If it's impossible to see much of intersection because of things like trees and bushes crowding the corner, THEN stopping is probably what should be done.

   I think many cyclists who do not have proper control put themselves on roads they should not be on. Fish-tailers and those who are generally unskilled at proper cycling should reconsider their route and take smaller, quieter streets. There are many cyclists who can easily stop within a few feet when doing a roll-stop if they realize there's a problem and a stop is required. (fish tailing is when a cyclist lacks good control and tends to swerve side to side)

4. twowheelsarebetterthannone
   Member
   Posted 3 years ago #
   

   Let me add that cyclists running red lights are, in my opinion, being silly. (And I'm a regular cyclist)

5. toddtyrtle
   Moderator
   Posted 3 years ago #
   

   @twowheelsarebetterthannone A couple weeks ago I volunteered at Pedestrian Sunday and stood for 2.5 hours at the corner of Nassau and Bellevue. What I saw confirmed my suspicions: The majority of cars did *not* come to a complete stop but rolled through. Five cars in 2.5 hours went the wrong way on one way streets (seems that many think that if it is done in reverse (still at normal driving speed) it is OK.

   So yes, slowing down to near-walking speed looking carefully and passing through the intersection is, IMO, acceptable behaviour for cyclist. The only time I condone running red lights is on those few lights (I'm thinking Mortimer and Logan specifically but I'm sure there are others) that are traffic activated but don't detect bikes. I wait a bit to make sure it wasn't fixed since the last time, be extremely careful and cross.

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