Welcome back to my blog. This post is for the first Action Project of the Humanities class, Policy. In this first unit, Legislate, our main focus has been on the United States legislative branch of government. The legislative branch is described and introduced in Article 1 of the Constitution and to start the class, we did a little research on that. We also looked at the process of turning a bill into law, making sure to examine every step, and of course watching School House Rock. Following this, we looked at some of the laws that were made by the U.S. government from 1803 to 2001. Keeping up with the history, we learned about the United States' colonialism and its emergence as a colonial power on the world stage. Towards the end of the unit, we began to look at war policies like those made for the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. For each of these different wars, it was important to examine why the United States declared war and what influence it had before and after it joined. Following World War I, America had made a strong influence on the world stage and the country's power continued to increase. For Field Experiences, our class met with Troy LaRaviere, a former Chicago Public School principal and now someone who is turning to Springfield to pass a bill that would allow CPS principals to form a union. We also met with Andy Davis who also has experience with trying to pass bills in Springfield to help us understand the process we students would have to go through if we wanted to get a bill passed. For this Action Project, we have been asked to find legislation that we have an interest in and would like to talk about. What we say about the legislation is addressed to some legislator that has the power to address the issue in hopes that they will listen and take the chance to do something about it or because it is worth a shot if we believe in it. The legislation I have chosen is a bill that would change the Illinois Vehicle Code so that bicyclists could treat stop signs as yield and red traffic lights as stop signs. The bill was introduced in December of 2021 and was re-referred to Rules Committee in February. My writing about this bill is shown in my script which has also been recorded to mimic a voicemail I would be giving to who this is addressed which is 9th Representative Lakesia Collins. I hope you enjoy listening and/or reading.
Script:
VeloNews, Tiberiu Tesileanu and Clover Autrey, 2017
Hello Representative Collins, my name is GS and I am one of John Kass’s so-called Little Bike People. I am calling to bring to your attention the issue that in the state of Illinois, and more specifically Chicago, the current law for bicyclists at intersections is not followed or enforced. Bikers are supposed to follow the same rules as motorized vehicles at stop signs and traffic lights, but a biker that follows those rules is rare. Because of this, there is a lot of unnecessary confusion and struggle about the law when the biker does not adhere to it. This problem also threatens the safety of pedestrians, bikers, and motorists, which is all the more reason to fix it. To reduce confusion, improve safety, and eliminate the false equivalency of cars and bikes, I believe that HB4276 should be reconsidered in the Rules Committee and put into action.
According to Illinois law, a bike is treated as a vehicle, meaning they must follow the same rules of the road as vehicles, such as completely stopping at stop signs and traffic lights. However, many bikers, especially in urban areas, treat stop signs as a yield and will move through traffic lights when the road is clear and safe. The “Idaho stop” is a given name for this behavior, as the actions have been permitted in Idaho since 1982. According to Bicycle Universe, as of 2018, Illinois has only allowed a biker to proceed through an intersection if the traffic light is malfunctioning or inoperative. It is still not allowed for a biker to treat stop signs as yield or safely proceed through red lights. Entering the intersection of malfunctioning red lights can only happen after 120 seconds, which is the typical light cycle, and only in municipalities with a population of fewer than 2 million people. This version of the Idaho stop does not apply to Chicago’s legislation and does nothing to keep traffic moving. The Idaho stop has also been proven to be safer for cyclists on the road. A 2001 study by University of California Physics professor Joel Fajans showed that by taking two parallel streets, one small with stop signs at the many intersections along it, and one large with a few traffic lights, a car would prefer to drive on the busier, large road that didn’t have frequent stops. The smaller road becomes the safest route for the biker because it lacks heavy traffic. But for a biker to pedal and completely stop every 500 feet is very difficult, so they choose the busy and more dangerous road that would significantly reduce the energy used and physical strain. If an Idaho stop law were to be put in place, a biker could ride on that safer road while being able to keep a mostly average speed and only slowing at intersections to conserve energy.
As an everyday biker of Chicago, I experience bicyclists passing through intersections in similar situations as this policy without it being passed as a law. I understand that many pedestrians and vehicle occupants do not appreciate bikers that move through intersections and create potential hazards. Some citizens believe bicyclists should never pass through intersections unless they completely stop and yield to cars and pedestrians. If this legislation were to be put into action, it would be legal for cyclists to treat stop sign intersections as yield and proceed with reasonable speed while maintaining caution to prevent hazards to other citizens. Not only would this make the activity easier for cyclists, but it could also prevent any disputes between citizens and cyclists because if everyone was knowledgeable of the law, there would be a shared understanding of what is lawful and what bikers must do at intersections.
It can be reckless to hurtle your way into the intersection of a busy street no matter how you are doing it. Most bikers including myself are accused of this action when I regularly decelerate and check for cross traffic before proceeding through without putting my foot down. The accuser generally comes from motorists who view bikers cautiously moving into intersections as people with a death wish and lawbreakers for not coming to a complete stop. I should follow the same rules as motor vehicles because I, a biker am a vehicle too. That seems laughable and absurd when I see their 4000-pound machine that could easily kill do the exact opposite of what they tell me.
HB4276 proposes the Illinois Vehicle Code be amended to define “immediate hazard” and, “provides instances in which an individual operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign may proceed through the intersection without stopping at the stop sign.” A bicyclist would not have to stop at a stop sign if the intersection is cleared of or yielded to pedestrians, motorized vehicles, and other traffic.
Some bikers think the Idaho stop shouldn’t exist because bikes have the same rules of the road as vehicles since they share it, which in theory makes sense, but bicycles cannot be used on highways and cars cannot enter bike lanes. Stop signs and traffic lights were designed for cars, not bikes. A bike doesn’t move fast enough to require traffic calming and is too light to be picked up by the inductive sensors at traffic lights to trip the signal. There are a few cyclists that have no care for the world around them but that can be the same for motorists. There are plenty of drivers that think they own the road and put others and themselves at risk. For the most part though, bikers will approach an intersection with caution and are always on the lookout for anything that seems dangerous.
Greenfield, John. "More Video Showing Drivers Are No More Likely to Stop at Signs Than Cyclists." Streets Blog Chicago, 6 Dec. 2016. https://chi.streetsblog.org/2016/12/06/more-video-showing-drivers-are-no-more-likely-to-stop-at-signs-than-cyclists/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Rosenfeld, Jonathan. "Why Chicago Cyclists May Break the Law (To Stay Safe)." Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, 19 Feb. 2018. https://www.rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com/news/chicago-cyclist-breaking-law/#:~:text=The%20cyclist%20must%20only%20give,to%20yield%20instead%20of%20stop.. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
As an everyday biker of Chicago, I experience bicyclists passing through intersections in similar situations as this policy without it being passed as a law. I understand that many pedestrians and vehicle occupants do not appreciate bikers that move through intersections and create potential hazards. Some citizens believe bicyclists should never pass through intersections unless they completely stop and yield to cars and pedestrians. If this legislation were to be put into action, it would be legal for cyclists to treat stop sign intersections as yield and proceed with reasonable speed while maintaining caution to prevent hazards to other citizens. Not only would this make the activity easier for cyclists, but it could also prevent any disputes between citizens and cyclists because if everyone was knowledgeable of the law, there would be a shared understanding of what is lawful and what bikers must do at intersections.
It can be reckless to hurtle your way into the intersection of a busy street no matter how you are doing it. Most bikers including myself are accused of this action when I regularly decelerate and check for cross traffic before proceeding through without putting my foot down. The accuser generally comes from motorists who view bikers cautiously moving into intersections as people with a death wish and lawbreakers for not coming to a complete stop. I should follow the same rules as motor vehicles because I, a biker am a vehicle too. That seems laughable and absurd when I see their 4000-pound machine that could easily kill do the exact opposite of what they tell me.
HB4276 proposes the Illinois Vehicle Code be amended to define “immediate hazard” and, “provides instances in which an individual operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign may proceed through the intersection without stopping at the stop sign.” A bicyclist would not have to stop at a stop sign if the intersection is cleared of or yielded to pedestrians, motorized vehicles, and other traffic.
Some bikers think the Idaho stop shouldn’t exist because bikes have the same rules of the road as vehicles since they share it, which in theory makes sense, but bicycles cannot be used on highways and cars cannot enter bike lanes. Stop signs and traffic lights were designed for cars, not bikes. A bike doesn’t move fast enough to require traffic calming and is too light to be picked up by the inductive sensors at traffic lights to trip the signal. There are a few cyclists that have no care for the world around them but that can be the same for motorists. There are plenty of drivers that think they own the road and put others and themselves at risk. For the most part though, bikers will approach an intersection with caution and are always on the lookout for anything that seems dangerous.
To make our roads safer, to eliminate this confusion between drivers and bicyclists, and to be bike-friendly as this city claims, we must adopt the Idaho stop law. If we want to achieve this, why not try something new?
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your time.
I hope you enjoyed reading and/or listening to my AP. This project was meant to be a voicemail which I wanted to do as best as possible but it ended up being a little long. I think the Idaho stop law should be adopted into the Illinois legislature and the same for other states because bicyclists are already not following the current laws because it doesn't make much sense or they don't really know about it. If there is a law that serves no purpose, does it really need to continue existing? This AP may be something I come back to where I actually call my representative and hope to talk to them. Working with this legislation has been a great experience for me because it allowed me to think about my actions when biking and think about the changes that should be made to better the experience for me and other cyclists and other citizens. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in the next post.
Sources:
"Bill Resource: 2021 IL H 4276." Custom State Net, https://custom.statenet.com/public/resources.cgi?id=ID:bill:IL2021000H4276&ciq=ncsl6&client_md=7d3561335ccae4769ad20cda1ed4b0e7&mode=current_text. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
"Bill Resource: 2021 IL H 4276." Custom State Net, https://custom.statenet.com/public/resources.cgi?id=ID:bill:IL2021000H4276&ciq=ncsl6&client_md=7d3561335ccae4769ad20cda1ed4b0e7&mode=current_text. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Flowers, Sarah. "The Idaho Stop Law: What Is It And What Do You Need To Know?" Bicycle Universe, https://bicycleuniverse.com/idaho-stop-law/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Greenfield, John. "Illinois lawmakers killed an “Idaho stop” bill this week, but one could pass in the future." Streets Blog Chicago, 17 Feb. 2022. https://chi.streetsblog.org/2022/02/17/illinois-lawmakers-killed-an-idaho-stop-bill-this-week-but-one-could-pass-in-the-future/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Rosenfeld, Jonathan. "Why Chicago Cyclists May Break the Law (To Stay Safe)." Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, 19 Feb. 2018. https://www.rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com/news/chicago-cyclist-breaking-law/#:~:text=The%20cyclist%20must%20only%20give,to%20yield%20instead%20of%20stop.. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Stefani, Jay. "Chicago, it’s time to adopt the Idaho Stop law." Levinson & Stefani, 17 Jan. 2017. https://levinsonstefani.com/chicago-its-time-to-adopt-the-idaho-stop-law/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Stromberg, Joseph. "Why cyclists should be able to roll through stop signs and red lights." Vox, 9 May 2014. https://www.vox.com/2014/5/9/5691098/why-cyclists-should-be-able-to-roll-through-stop-signs-and-ride. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
Stromberg, Joseph. "Why cyclists should be able to roll through stop signs and red lights." Vox, 9 May 2014. https://www.vox.com/2014/5/9/5691098/why-cyclists-should-be-able-to-roll-through-stop-signs-and-ride. Accessed 18 Apr. 2022
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