Bill turns stop signs into yields for bicycles
PORTLAND, Ore. - It could soon be completely legal for cyclists to run stop signs and flashing red lights here in Oregon.
A bike bill that will appear in the legislature on Wednesday would make a so-called 'Idaho stop' legal. The nickname comes from the first state that made it legal for cyclists to go through a stop sign without stopping.
Basically, if the way is clear, a cyclist would be allowed to slowly and safely run a stop sign. Blatantly unsafe decisions would still be illegal and a cyclist could still be fined.
Earlier versions of this story reported in error that the bill also applied to stoplights.
To be clear, the law would not instantly give cyclists the right of way when they are pulling an Idaho stop. They would still have to yield to pedestrian and vehicle traffic and would be at fault for an accident.
The bill is House Bill 2690, which you can read here.
