ROLLING STOP SIGNS LAW

The State of Idaho has had a law allowing bicyclists to treat stop signs like yield signs since 1982. Recently, Oregon has been attempting to get a similar law on its books. The Oregon law has been proposed by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, a statewide organization of 5000 members.

Many reasons have been proposed for allowing bicyclists to yield rather than stop. Bicyclists often want to avoid the extra energy needed for a full stop and clipping out. One of the best reasons for the law is to end the controversy and complaints by drivers that bicyclists never follow the law.

The Idaho law not only allows rolling stops at stop signs, it allows bicyclists to travel through red lights to the right after slowing and to the left after stopping. See Below:

The Idaho law

49-720. STOPPING -- TURN AND STOP SIGNALS. (1) A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection or junction of highways, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.
(2) A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a steady red traffic control light shall stop before entering the intersection and shall yield to all other traffic. Once the person has yielded, he may proceed through the steady red light with caution. Provided however, that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a right-hand turn. A left-hand turn onto a one-way highway may be made on a red light after stopping and yielding to other traffic.