Fort Collins Might Stop Making Cyclists Stop at Stop Signs

When I was a student at CSU, I got pulled over for running a stop sign on my bike.  Twice.  Both times, it was at an intersection in front of my dorm, at which there was absolutely no reason for bikes to have to stop (i.e. the bike lane never intersected with any other traffic lanes).  And yet, I was pulled over and fined.  Twice.  That was the year I learned that it was silly to make bikes stop at stop signs 100% of the time.  And now, it seems, the city of Fort Collins is starting to agree with me.

The city is considering joining Breckenridge, Dillon, and other areas in adopting a "Stop-As-Yield" law for bicyclists.

Stop-as-Yield, or the Idaho Stop Law as it’s commonly known, allows cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, and a red light as a stop sign. Under the law, cyclists still have to obey right-of-way laws and stop when required for safety.

[via The Coloradoan.]

The new law would allow cyclists "rolling stops" if they approach intersections where no traffic is present.  Currently, if you do that in Fort Collins, you could get a ticket.

Like I did.  Twice.

So I think it's pretty obvious where I stand on this issue, but how about you?  Leave a comment and let us know if you want this new law to pass!