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More from the BTA on Idaho-style stop law

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If you’re looking for more information from the BTA on why they’ve decided to push the Oregon legislature to pass a law that would make it legal for people on bicycles to roll through stop signs (a.k.a. an “Idaho-style” stop sign law), read the statement just published by their lobbyist Karl Rohde.

Here are some excerpts:

Coming to a complete stop at all stop signs, rather than yielding at safe operating speeds, substantially reduces the efficiency of riding a bicycle and can create unsafe conditions.

Bicyclists are not enclosed in vehicles and therefore have a heightened awareness to the sound of approaching vehicle

McNeese (Idaho DOT bike/ped coordinator) argues that collisions occur in stop sign controlled intersections because vehicle operators, including bicyclists, make a mistake deciding when it is safe to go, not due to confusion about whether to stop or yield.

Idaho bicycle-collision statistics confirm that the Idaho law has resulted in no discernable increase in injuries or fatalities to bicyclists.

Read the full statement on the BTA Blog.

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