‘Idaho stop’ debate is latest aspect of cyclist-motorist feud

Q

I love that Berkeley is considering support of the “Idaho stop” where police can allow bicyclists to treat stops as yield signs.

— Frank Wu, Oakland A

Reaction was mixed to the idea under consideration by the Berkeley City Council, based on Idaho allowing bicyclists the yield option since 1982. The city cannot reverse state laws, but it can deprioritize enforcement of bike riders rolling through stop signs. Simply, Berkeley can approve a change in enforcement priorities. Q

I hope Berkeley can be used as a test case for the new measure. I’ve been carefully bicycling in San Jose since the ’80s, but I have my doubts about lessexperienced riders and car drivers dealing with this potential change.

— Peter Ross, San Jose A

Now, to those with an opposing view. Q

Years and years of cyclists simply ignoring stop signs and red lights must be stopped.

— Jim Thurber, Mountain View Q

The problem is the huge numbers of bicyclists simply blowing through stop signs without slowing.

Also, a much smaller but still significant number of bicyclists blowing through red lights. Most responsible cyclists do treat stop signs as yield signs, slowing dramatically, and being fully prepared to stop if there’s other traffic (this is what I do), but only actually stopping if there’s actual traffic.

— Paul Wendt, San Jose A

And … Q

Berkeley police have issued no tickets to people biking or walking in via targeted enforcement efforts since October 2018, only warnings.

— Robert Prinz, Bike East Bay Q

“Idaho stops”? Before I moved to this state we called them “California stops.” … Will we soon be calling it a “Berkeley stop”?

— Kurt Sims and Stan Johnsen

A Maybe.Q

While in the old SUV with my beloved relative, I was dismayed to see we were waiting for the light to change at National Avenue and Los Gatos-Almaden Road in the green bike box. My relative explained we’d pulled up to that point for fear of not activating the induction loops for the traffic signals. Could you please reassure my relative the signal will operate without pulling into the big green bike box? Maybe we could all use a briefing on what the green lanes and bike boxes are for.

— Robert Leone A

Good idea. Go to bit. ly/2DppYHu. Green bike boxes are designed to accommodate both the bike user and the driver who may inadvertently find themselves stopped in one. The sensors are set up to accommodate both, although the intent is for vehicles to wait behind the bike box. Green bike boxes are intended to help bicyclists negotiate a signalized intersection ahead of vehicles to avoid conflicts that can make both drivers and bike riders nervous on a turn.