By Ben Schnabel, PTMP:
In 2023 my home state of Minnesota adopted the “Safety Stop” or “Idaho Stop” for bicycles. This allows bicycles to treat a stop sign like a yield sign. So if no one is coming, the bike can roll through the intersection. It was interesting to hear the feedback from regular vehicle commuters who’s first reaction was often along the lines of, “That can’t be safe. Why do bicycles get to break the law?” While there is a good amount of data to show that overall this is safer for cyclists, another advantage is better flow for regular vehicles.
When presenting information to groups of people that you are trying to convince it is helpful to frame it with the benefits to the individual person. Someone that hasn’t commuted on a bicycle and maybe hasn’t ridden one since childhood probably doesn’t think much about how traffic flows with bicycles.
So the next time someone says bikes should obey all of the traffic laws of a car, ask them to think about a situation where they are behind a bike. With a safety stop, the bike is able to proceed through the intersection and is out of their way before they need to navigate the intersection. They don’t need to wait behind the bike as it stops, then gets going again, possibly a little more wobbly for a few feet until they are out of the way and you are able to navigate the intersection.
For thoughtful motorists, understanding the positive benefits to themselves and overall traffic flow can help turn them into allies.
Ben Schnabel, PTMP, is an Assistant Director for Parking Operations at the University of Minnesota. Ben can be reached at schna015@umn.edu.
Forum Question: How can policymakers better communicate bicycle laws to non-cyclists?