Have you read your state code on the subject? Laws tend to be written with very specific language to cover edge cases and exceptions. “Following the same rules” is rarely the law as implemented.
If you’re comfortable sharing your state or province I’ll look up the statute for you if you’re interested.
There are a lot of exceptions. Any time the code uses the term “motor vehicle” it does not apply to bicycles. When it uses, “vehicle” it does.
The sections that define traffic control devices all use the term vehicle, so according to the law, you shall stop at the stop sign.
But every section I have found about enforcement of traffic laws uses the term, “motor vehicle.” Ticketing, red light cameras, and the court process all apply to “motor vehicles,” rather than, “vehicles.” The section you linked lists several exceptions by reference and they are all exempting bicycles from the specific language about penalties for violating traffic laws.
From reading the code, I would still reccomend the practices I reccomended elsewhere in this thread. Disregard stop signs and proceed nonstop if the intersection is clear. It is safer as a cyclist to treat stop signs as yields. You should prioritize your own safety over the law.
Though the law says you must stop, it has little power to enforce it.
Have you read your state code on the subject? Laws tend to be written with very specific language to cover edge cases and exceptions. “Following the same rules” is rarely the law as implemented.
If you’re comfortable sharing your state or province I’ll look up the statute for you if you’re interested.
Oh definitely. Georgia, USA, the relevant bit should be https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-40/chapter-6/article-13/part-1/section-40-6-291/:
“The provisions of this chapter that apply to vehicles, but not exclusively to motor vehicles, shall apply to bicycles, except as provided in this Code section and except that the penalties prescribed in subsection (b) of Code Section 40-6-390, subsection © of Code Section 40-6-391, and subsection (a) of Code Section 40-6-393 shall not apply to persons riding bicycles.”
There are a lot of exceptions. Any time the code uses the term “motor vehicle” it does not apply to bicycles. When it uses, “vehicle” it does.
The sections that define traffic control devices all use the term vehicle, so according to the law, you shall stop at the stop sign.
But every section I have found about enforcement of traffic laws uses the term, “motor vehicle.” Ticketing, red light cameras, and the court process all apply to “motor vehicles,” rather than, “vehicles.” The section you linked lists several exceptions by reference and they are all exempting bicycles from the specific language about penalties for violating traffic laws.
From reading the code, I would still reccomend the practices I reccomended elsewhere in this thread. Disregard stop signs and proceed nonstop if the intersection is clear. It is safer as a cyclist to treat stop signs as yields. You should prioritize your own safety over the law.
Though the law says you must stop, it has little power to enforce it.