Virginia Considers Allowing Bicyclists to Roll Through Stop Signs

House of Delegates passes legislation allowing Idaho stop

NBC Universal, Inc.

The Virginia General Assembly is considering legislation that would allow bicyclists to yield at stop signs rather than coming to a complete stop if the road is clear.

The House of Delegates passed the legislation, which will be debated by the Senate next.

It’s known as the Idaho stop, because Idaho was the first state to allow it. Five other states now allow the bicycling rule, which says that a cyclist is allowed to slow down and roll through a stop sign as long as the road ahead is clear. If there’s a pedestrian waiting to cross or a car close by, the cyclist should stop.

Brian Kropp, a driver and a cyclist, said some serious education is needed if it becomes law.

“It’s all about whether or not people understand the rules that other people have, and if they do and everyone knows that, then we can have cyclists and cars together,” he said

Greg Billing, head of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, said the ultimate goal is safety.

“Bikes are actually the most maneuverable when they’re moving, and when they come to a complete stop, it actually takes a long time for them to get rolling and makes it a little bit harder for them to get out of the way in the case of a crash,” he said.

Contact Us