Learning to stop

[spooker]

Yesterday they opened up Ethel St from Harvey to Sutherland ...

I sat for a bit and watched people enter from the sidestreets. Might have been 1 out of 10 who actually seemed to realize where you are supposed to stop.

This is something I see on a daily basis all along Ethel or Cawston. People in cars not stopping at the stop line. Just barreling up to the edge of the intersection so they can quickly glance and go.

Yes, I approach the intersection with my hand ready to brake. I've learned that too many people aren't paying attention.

This is the reason why so many say it's dangerous to ride a bicycle in Kelowna.

Is it too much to ask drivers to respect the rules of the road? Might save someone else's life ...

[lightspeed]

Coming from a cyclist, where 90% of cyclists fail to obey stop signs, good luck getting any sympathy from this crowd.

I agree with you 100% btw.

[dirtybiker]

Also in agreement that people are dangerously lazy behind the wheel.

It is also a rarity to see a bicyclist actually stop, or signal, or have even a small
amount of self preservation.

Part of that being which routes to take to lessen the chance of interaction with
vehicles.

I ride too, the Rail beds, Greenway, Multi use corridors, you know, where it's quite safe
and still gets me where I'm headed.

I'm not the idiot that rides Westside Rd., or Glenmore from McKinnley Rd. to Winfield,
or down Harvey in the HOV, or worse yet, through the Harvey construction zone.

You should see how fast the bicycles fly through the 4 way stop in Oyama at Pemelwash.

At least the other vehicles slow and go.

But, you are correct that anyone stopping at a stop line, let alone a stop sign would be in a
very tiny minority.

[spooker]

[deleted]

[Grandan]

Yesterday they opened up Ethel St from Harvey to Sutherland ...

I sat for a bit and watched people enter from the sidestreets. Might have been 1 out of 10 who actually seemed to realize where you are supposed to stop.

This is something I see on a daily basis all along Ethel or Cawston. People in cars not stopping at the stop line. Just barreling up to the edge of the intersection so they can quickly glance and go.

Yes, I approach the intersection with my hand ready to brake. I've learned that too many people aren't paying attention.

This is the reason why so many say it's dangerous to ride a bicycle in Kelowna.

Is it too much to ask drivers to respect the rules of the road? Might save someone else's life ...

It is bad habits such as not stopping appropriately that will eventually get these many drivers into trouble and yes possibly kill or maim a cyclist or pedestrian. As a long time cyclist in my younger days, it was my habit to reach for the brakes and remained poised to squeeze until the danger had passed. As a cyclist you must learn and accept that you are invisible to drivers. This has gotten worse with the use of digital distractions and we need to be even more vigilant.

[Rider59]

Depends on the cross roads markings. See page 42 bottom right

http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/Do ... ivers4.pdf

I also agree with the other poster about condemning cagers when most bicyclist are much worse.

[spooker]

Depends on the cross roads markings. See page 42 bottom right

http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/Do ... ivers4.pdf

I also agree with the other poster about condemning cagers when most bicyclist are much worse.

The marked "stop lines" and the location of the stop sign itself are quite apparent ... I can post pictures if you'd like ... just drive south on Ethel or Graham from Clement if you want to see it in person ... or any cross street between Gordon and Richter

So if a badly behaving cyclist is closer to a traffic officer, let's say riding on the sidewalk, than a car driver texting on the approach to a busy intersection with crossing pedestrians you would think it's fine for the officer to stop the cyclist and let the car go?

I use this example to highlight the statement "most cyclists are much worse" ... what makes the behaviour of a cyclist worse?

[Dizzy1]

90% of the stop signs could easily be replaced by yield signs - no more "dangerous" and keeps traffic flowing better.

[lightspeed]

90% of the stop signs could easily be replaced by yield signs - no more "dangerous" and keeps traffic flowing better.

Just....no.

Road design and the MVA.

[Dizzy1]

90% of the stop signs could easily be replaced by yield signs - no more "dangerous" and keeps traffic flowing better.

Just....no.

Road design and the MVA.

Just .... yes

Lived in countries that have yield signs at most non major intersections and it’s safer, more efficient and simply better.

I know it’s a difficult concept for North Americans to understand, just like traffic light timing, roundabouts and keeping right except to pass.

[spooker]

Just .... yes

Lived in countries that have yield signs at most non major intersections and it’s safer, more efficient and simply better.

I know it’s a difficult concept for North Americans to understand, just like traffic light timing, roundabouts and keeping right except to pass.

Your suggestion would make sense, if ...
- the majority of drivers in North America were as skilled as those in Europe
- the attitude towards driving was similar

[dodgerdodge]

90% of the stop signs could easily be replaced by yield signs - no more "dangerous" and keeps traffic flowing better.

Yes, in UK it works very well and with 60 million people or more and very congested roads in parts they need to keep traffic flowing best they can. Someone commented NO to this idea BUT the vast majority of drivers treat the stop signs like yield signs anyways so where's the issue.
I very rarely see drivers stopping completely and even at traffic lights people just don't seem capable of stopping behind the white line, instead they are half a cars length over, sometimes a whole car length over and then they wonder why they didn't get the turn arrow!

[cr125]

Yesterday they opened up Ethel St from Harvey to Sutherland ...

I sat for a bit and watched people enter from the sidestreets. Might have been 1 out of 10 who actually seemed to realize where you are supposed to stop.

This is something I see on a daily basis all along Ethel or Cawston. People in cars not stopping at the stop line. Just barreling up to the edge of the intersection so they can quickly glance and go.

Yes, I approach the intersection with my hand ready to brake. I've learned that too many people aren't paying attention.

This is the reason why so many say it's dangerous to ride a bicycle in Kelowna.

Is it too much to ask drivers to respect the rules of the road? Might save someone else's life ...

Anarchy, Anarchy, You should write down all the license plate #s and give them to the police, That should keep ya busy for a while