Why It's Illegal to Roll Through Stop Signs on Your Bike — For Now

Ever see a bicyclist roll through a stop sign after slowing down at an intersection? Or ride through a red light after stopping and yielding? It’s called the “Idaho stop,” and until recently only one state allowed it: Idaho.

But that’s changing. In October, Delaware became the second state to make it legal for cyclists to yield instead of stopping at stop signs on some roads. Some are calling it the “Delaware yield.” And several other states are considering Idaho-stop-type legislation.

The practice is controversial, said Douglas Shinkle, transportation program director for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). “There’s a perception among some people that this is giving special rights to bicyclists and legalizing an unsafe behavior.”

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