i ride my bike to the library every day (about a mile away). for stop signs, i don't stop unless there is a car coming. i usually just roll slowly through them. our neighborhood has police all over it and not one has said anthing to me, but is it still "illegal" to not stop at stop signs when riding a bike?
2007-09-07 05:50:18 · 40 answers · asked by :) 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Yes, it's usually just not worth their time to cite you for it.
2007-09-07 05:52:26 · answer #1 · answered by M G 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
A bicycle is a "vehicle" per the traffic code. When I was a police officer in California, we used to write people traffic citations all the time for being drunk on a bike (weaving in and out of traffic, making cars swerve, very bad stuff) and it was JUST LIKE a DUI in a car. The process, punishment, prosecution was all the same as a "car DUI".
So, yes, a bicycle rider is under THE SAME laws as a vehicle. Signaling, staying in marked lanes, staying off the sidewalks, minimum and maximum speed restrictions, etc.
2007-09-07 06:04:24 · answer #2 · answered by THE Answer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You probably won't get stopped. But if you cause an accident, you can get cited if you don't stop.
Bike riders are supposed to follow the same rules of the road as automobiles and motorcycles. Stop signs are placed where there is a danger to make you stop and take the time to really look. Do it or one day you may end up on the hood of someone's car instead of rolling along.
2007-09-07 05:58:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bike riders need to comply with the same rules of the road for cars. So...what you are doing is illegal. Different areas will enforce the rules (such as near Berkley where there is a LOT of bike traffic) and others won't (such as where you live). To be safe, always stop. It might not only save you a ticket some slow day, but it could save your life from a car that comes out of nowhere.
2007-09-07 05:54:46 · answer #4 · answered by SoCalBeachGal 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I may be wrong, but I do believe that in most places, bicycle riders have to obey the same laws that pertain to pedestrians. But, then again, I think if you are riding a bicycle on a public road, it might be a good idea to stop at a red light or a stop sign. Automobiles tend to win at the collision game between a bicycle and an automobile.
2007-09-07 05:59:22 · answer #5 · answered by ProLife Liberal 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
All traffic must obey the laws......
you on a bike is still traffic....
and bike riders wonder why they get hit when they don't see a car coming and go through a red light.....or stop sign
2007-09-07 05:55:46 · answer #6 · answered by Timmy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Biking laws are the same as for automobiles. That means riding on the same side of the street, stop signs, yields, traffic lights etc. Hope this helps!
2007-09-07 05:54:46 · answer #7 · answered by Wicked Momma 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In my state, bicycle riders must obey traffic signs and signals. A biker who runs a stop sign can still break someone's leg or cause a head injury. The signs and signals are there for a reason. Ride responsibly.
2007-09-07 05:53:50 · answer #8 · answered by Tellin' U Da Truth! 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well depending on the laws where you live, yes, you should. cyclists are supposed to follow the same traffic rules as motorists. in some cities and states you have to register your bike. i almost hit a girl on a bike once because she didn't stop and i had the right of way. cyclists who choose to use to road and not the sidewalk should stop and signs and lights, and yield just like everyone that's driving.
2007-09-07 05:54:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes- bikes are expected to obey all the same laws/ rules of the road as cars. You could be cited for failure to stop, and depending on the state you're in, it could even be a 'moving violation' that affects your auto insurance (if you have a car).
2007-09-07 05:54:47 · answer #10 · answered by W. Coastal Eddie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In New Jersey you are supposed to obey all traffic laws if you are on a bike. I don't know about where you live.
There was the episode of Threes Company, where Jack got arrested for drunk driving on a bike. It could be federal, but I doubt it.
2007-09-07 05:54:04 · answer #11 · answered by apple juice 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋