My wife (who's just starting to ride again) and I had a long discussion today about stopping at stop signs. We've been riding together quite a bit over the past 6 weeks since she took the 2 1/2 day riders course and find ourselves approaching stop signs with the intent of keeping our feet on the pegs, looking both ways and keep moving. I have stopped a few times and put my feet down only to cause her to brake hard to stop. She says if she see me move into the intersection, she assumes it is safe for her and keeps rolling.
Our discussion today was on the discipline of stopping at EVERY sign and putting our feet down, then looking for oncoming traffic. I find if I am approaching an intersection with the intent of keeping my feet up, I'm looking both ways but my mind is actively trying to keep the bike balanced and I am distracted. I usually look right, then left, then right again to confirm but if I am trying to keep from putting a foot down, I may not look right a second time. If I am riding alone, I am more confident of pulling off a feet-up near stop but if I am riding with my wife I am thinking about whether or not there is room for two bikes to safely make the turn. All this overloads my tiny little mind.
My wife said in the training school they did not require that you put feet down at stop signs. Not sure if it is the law but I am wondering what you experienced riders do. Do you do the same thing at each stop sign? Do you do the same thing when leading another rider? following another rider?
Looking for some experienced counsel.
Thanks in advance for your views!
Hope you don't mind if I jump in with a couple of things.
One should NEVER assume that just because another rider has entered an intersection, it is safe to do so. She needs to perform her own checks and NOT be dependant on you. As a matter of fact, that rule could be applied to ALL aspects of riding.
If you are still working on slow riding balance, and know that your attention is distracted trying to keep balanced, then stop and put your foot down. Why risk it? The 2.5 seconds of time you saved rolling though the intersection is not worth dumping the bike, falling over, or getting hit. In the mean time, practice slow riding, "stop-n-go" and "pause-n-go".
You wife may have been referring to the "pause-n-go" which is NOT a substitue for a complete stop, but rather a way to learn better slow speed balance and control. The MSF does NOT advocate "rolling through stops" as it builds lazy and bad habits.
Having said all that, my stopping preferences are based on the indiviual situation. If all traffic is slowing, checking, and then rolling, then that is what I will probably do as not to hold up traffic. I usually do this if there is NO cross or turning traffic. However if I feel that cross traffic is NOT paying attention or may not stop, then I stop and put my foot down and wait until I feel safe enough to go.
Mark
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Topic: How do you stop? (Read 5155 times)