Characterization of Expert and Public Perceptions of Bicycle Rolling Stop Laws

Abstract

In 2020, Oregon and Washington joined a growing number of states to sign up to new bicycle rolling stop (BRS) legislation that allows bicyclists to yield to pedestrians and motorists when approaching stop sign controlled intersections instead of coming to a complete, unconditional stop. The term “bicycle rolling stop” is synonymous with the “bicycle stop-then-yield” condition or the “Idaho Stop,” as first enacted in Idaho in 1982. This study involved a literature review capturing current BRS and similar laws throughout the United States, and collected and synthesized both expert and public opinions concerning BRS laws from experts and residents in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The results indicated that people were less likely to know about the laws in states where they were more recently enacted, although awareness of the laws indicated a need for broader educational outreach. The impacts of BRS laws tended to be viewed as neutral to positive among bicyclists, but mostly neutral among the broader public.