Bicyclists fined $195 for stop sign violations

[DSMCy]

Couple things here, first I didn't know a DNR officer could issue speeding tickets. Pretty sure I've passed DNR vehicles on highways, probably going 5-10 over.
Second, I've always wondered if you could get a ticket on a bike. I've seen plenty of them fly through stop signs while I'm coming to a stop in my car.

Pretty funny that one of the guys is on the Board for that trail. Tried to get out of the ticket with a good ol "don't you know who I am".

http://www.kcci.com/news/bicyclists-fined-195-for-stop-sign-violations-on-trail/35078464

 

[Judoka]

Needs to happen more often. I'm fine if cyclists demand the right to share the road. But if that's the case they need to be obligated to follow the same rules.

 

[Mr Janny]

Needs to happen more often. I'm fine if cyclists demand the right to share the road. But if that's the case they need to be obligated to follow the same rules.

I don't necessarily disagree with you on this, but have you seen the video of all of those bike riders in San Francisco who protested a proposal to enforce traffic laws on bike riders, by getting a group of riders in one area, and specifically following the traffic laws? They brought traffic to a standstill in no time. It was a mess. Obviously, that's an extreme, but certainly in areas with a high volume of bike riders, there would be an impact.

 

[everyyard]

Oregon already has law and it is probably coming in other states where a 3 mph roll through is considered a stop for a bike and probably more efficient for all traffic, including cars, when it comes to bicycles. Please see recent videos of San Francisco riders proving this point.

 

[3GenClone]

"I told him if he is on the board, then I expect more out of him, and he should expect more out of himself," King said. "He was less than thrilled when I said that, I know. He told me he was extremely disappointed to be receiving a citation. But he and his buddy rode right through the stop signs, and then Ron told me he hadn't even noticed there were stop signs out there. He sure wasn't paying any attention because there are stop signs on the trail at all those road crossings," said King in response.

This is my absolute favorite part of the article and just about sums up the stereotypical biker: the rules don't apply to me, but they apply to everyone else

 

[Clark]

I'm fine with them being able to run the stop signs so long as we pass a law making bike riders automatically liable for any injuries/damage as a result of them running them. So even if the car is being driven by a legally blind, drunk off his *** driver, the bike rider is legally at fault.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I cross a bike path either way I go to work, and it's amazing how many idiots just blow right across the street (in one case a rural highway) without even looking. Both places have trees obscuring the view until they get right to the street too.

 

[DSMCy]

I'm OK with the slow roll through for bikes as well. I'm not expecting them to put both feet on the ground, look both ways, and then start pedaling again. That is a little extreme.

I also realize college towns are little different, but I've been at the 4 way stop in Ames on Hyland Ave, where the barber shop is located. It's my turn to go and a kid on a bike shoots right through the intersection. If I hadn't seen him coming, he would have smashed right in my driver's side.

It's hard to tell from this article if the bikes were actually slowing down at the stop sign. The board guy says they slowed down, looked and listened, but then the officer says they told him they didn't see the stop sign.

 

[HandSanitizer]

I got a ticket from the Ames Police back in 2000 for riding down the road onto the sidewalk by the Welch Ave ATM (across from the FD) and 20 feet later to the Bike area to lock it up so I could get a haircut at a business on Welch.
$86..... because I rode my Bike on the sidewalk for 20 feet. I remember him calling my name and description of my Bike on his Walkie. Writing me a ticket and that was it.

 

[chuckd4735]

Oregon already has law and it is probably coming in other states where a 3 mph roll through is considered a stop for a bike and probably more efficient for all traffic, including cars, when it comes to bicycles. Please see recent videos of San Francisco riders proving this point.

Like that a lot because it is essentially what I do (3mph might be a stretch). I have never gone through an intersection without looking, but I also dont come to a complete stop either.

There are also areas on trails where there are more bikes crossing the road then there are cars crossing the trail. Always made more sense to me to have vehicles stop at the trail crossing, and have a yield sign on the trail at the crossing.

 

[CYCLNST8]

There's a difference between carefully rolling through a stop sign and completely ignoring it. I bike a lot and it bugs the hell out of me when a group decides they have the right of way no matter what. I'm glad they got a ticket. Sharing the road means being courteous to motorists as well.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Oregon already has law and it is probably coming in other states where a 3 mph roll through is considered a stop for a bike and probably more efficient for all traffic, including cars, when it comes to bicycles. Please see recent videos of San Francisco riders proving this point.

This makes too much sense to be adopted in Iowa. :smile:

I don't have any problem with a very slow roll through. It's a pain to get back up to speed if you come to a full stop when there is no traffic. I do get annoyed with other bikers that just blast through stop signs.

Final note, are they going to start enforcing this for cars at stop signs? How many cars come to a complete stop especially if there is no other traffic? Closest call I have had as a pedestrian (runner) was at a four-way stop and a guy in his pickup rolled through fast. I had to dive onto the parking to avoid getting hit. It was CLOSE. ****** than stopped a hundred feet down the road, hesitated and than just peeled out. Every single time I come to the busy four-way stop 1/4 mile from my house as a walker or biker it is an "adventure". No one there wants to come to a complete stop and none want to yield to anyone else, be it car, bike of walker.

 

[KCCLONE712]

Ummm. After moving to Chicago I bought a nice bike and started riding. I agree there are some ballzy bikers and while I am on the more conservative side I have become more prone to take risks that I thought I would ever do. I used to ride a motorcycle and sold it because it was too unsafe. That being said I have never felt more unsafe on 2 wheels than riding around Chicago.

There is no good solution, IMO. As a biker I don't think there are is any place for cyclist on a city street, it is just too dangerous. Sadly there is no good solution and it is the only place for them/us to go. To give insight from a drivers perspective. I live by a street that has six lanes of traffic (two bike lanes, two cross walks for pedestrians, and two lanes of car traffic). Either of the situations progress at the same rate so I can see how drivers can easily make a mistake as there is a lot to process.

 

[JP4CY]

As a biker, it sounds like the tickets are warranted with going thru multiple stop signs in a row. I wonder if the officer is cracking down everywhere then, like making sure no vehicle pulling a boat out of a lake has an impaired driver, making sure everyone walking in ditches in the fall has a pheasant hunting permit, etc.

 

[intrepid27]

My son goes to school in Ft Collins, CO and he said that bikes there are subject to same laws as motor vehicles and the cops will give you a ticket just as quick on a bike.

 

[stretchclone]

I have heard of bikes getting tickets in the past. what drives me nuts is when you are at a stop light or sitting in road construction and a bike or motorcycle flies by between the cars. that is wrong!

 

[BoxsterCy]

Ummm. After moving to Chicago I bought a nice bike and started riding. I agree there are some ballzy bikers and while I am on the more conservative side I have become more prone to take risks that I thought I would ever do. I used to ride a motorcycle and sold it because it was too unsafe. That being said I have never felt more unsafe on 2 wheels than riding around Chicago.

There is no good solution, IMO. As a biker I don't think there are is any place for cyclist on a city street, it is just too dangerous. Sadly there is no good solution and it is the only place for them/us to go. To give insight from a drivers perspective. I live by a street that has six lanes of traffic (two bike lanes, two cross walks for pedestrians, and two lanes of car traffic). Either of the situations progress at the same rate so I can see how drivers can easily make a mistake as there is a lot to process.

Some of the bike lanes Minneapolis has put in on the streets are so confusing that neither the bikers or the drivers can figure them out. Rode 20 miles last night, mostly on trails, and the most dangerous section was the five blocks on city streets riding by parked cars having to eyeball everyone of them for potential opening doors or pulling out into me.

 

[arganbright2]

I've always thought biking was a recreational activity hence the need for bike trails. I think all bicyclists should have to ride on bike trails only unless a street has a bike lane (for people that want to ride to work or whatever). I love to play golf but I can't drive my cart on the street hence I haul it to the golf course to use it. Same principle

 

[JP4CY]

I've always thought biking was a recreational activity hence the need for bike trails. I think all bicyclists should have to ride on bike trails only unless a street has a bike lane (for people that want to ride to work or whatever). I love to play golf but I can't drive my cart on the street hence I haul it to the golf course to use it. Same principle

I think you can drive a golf cart on streets in Iowa if the speed limit is 35 or under.

 

[CyJam]

This is my absolute favorite part of the article and just about sums up the stereotypical biker: the rules don't apply to me, but they apply to everyone else

Hey, that's my life motto.