Bicis Stopping

Stopping At Stop Signs And Red Lights

A common question beginning bike riders have is whether bike riders need to stop at stop signs and traffic lights, or if those signs are just for motorists. 

Here are 3 points to remember:

1. Stop signs and signals direct people to stop, look around, wait their turn, and decide who goes next.  Yield signs are a little different.  When you see a Yield sign, it has already been decided that other people should go first and you should wait to go when it is safe to do so.
2. In California, people riding bikes DO need to stop at stop signs and red lights. Road signs and traffic signals DO apply to people on bikes.
3. We usually see stop signs and traffic signals at intersections. These are the places where most crashes happen. You will see stop signs on smaller streets and traffic signals on bigger streets.

Let’s talk about red lights first. You should make a full stop at all red lights and stop signs.

• The best way is to stop at either a red light or stop sign is to put your foot down because it makes it clear to everyone that you are stopping. 

• While making a complete stop is the safest action to take, you may see that some car drivers and bike riders don’t stop or even slow down at red lights or stop signs. Before you enter an intersection, be sure that the other road users are also stopping and see you (remember, eye contact!)
• When you see a Yield sign it is telling you that you should let others go before you so that everyone can get safely where they are going.
• Have you noticed car driver or bike riders not stopping for you? That is not, and we should avoid doing that to others.