Say "Idaho" to most people, and they think of "potatoes."
You might think about them if you're a cyclist: They are, after all, a good energy source. (An old riding buddy used to keep two baked spuds in his jersey pockets.) But you might also associate another word with the Gem State: "Stop."
Way back in 1982, the state passed a law allowing cyclists to treat red lights as "Stop" signs and "Stop" signs as "Yield" signs. It also allows cyclists to ride through a red light if there is no cross-traffic in the intersection. These provisions allow cyclists to get ahead of the traffic proceeding in the same direction, making it far less likely that they'll be struck by a turning vehicle.
Since 2011, a few cities in Colorado have enacted stop-as-yield policies. A Paris decree, issued in 2012 and amended in 2015, allows cyclists to treat certain stop lights (designated by signage) as "Yield" signs. It also permits cyclists to turn right at red signals or, if there is no street to the right, to proceed avec prudence extreme through the intersection. To my knowledge, no other US state or other jurisdiction has passed a similar law, though a bill with essentially the same provisions as the Idaho statute was introduced last year in the Utah state legislature and is still making its way through the Statehouse.
But the Utah Yield won't be the second piece of statewide "red-as-stop, stop-as-yield legislation." On Tuesday, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed Act 650, which gives cyclists the same rights as the 1982 Idaho law.
So now that there's an Idaho Stop and it looks like there will be a Utah Yield, Arkansas has to come up with a catchy nickname for their law. I should think any state that can call itself "The Land of Opportunity" shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
You might think about them if you're a cyclist: They are, after all, a good energy source. (An old riding buddy used to keep two baked spuds in his jersey pockets.) But you might also associate another word with the Gem State: "Stop."
Way back in 1982, the state passed a law allowing cyclists to treat red lights as "Stop" signs and "Stop" signs as "Yield" signs. It also allows cyclists to ride through a red light if there is no cross-traffic in the intersection. These provisions allow cyclists to get ahead of the traffic proceeding in the same direction, making it far less likely that they'll be struck by a turning vehicle.
Since 2011, a few cities in Colorado have enacted stop-as-yield policies. A Paris decree, issued in 2012 and amended in 2015, allows cyclists to treat certain stop lights (designated by signage) as "Yield" signs. It also permits cyclists to turn right at red signals or, if there is no street to the right, to proceed avec prudence extreme through the intersection. To my knowledge, no other US state or other jurisdiction has passed a similar law, though a bill with essentially the same provisions as the Idaho statute was introduced last year in the Utah state legislature and is still making its way through the Statehouse.
But the Utah Yield won't be the second piece of statewide "red-as-stop, stop-as-yield legislation." On Tuesday, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed Act 650, which gives cyclists the same rights as the 1982 Idaho law.
So now that there's an Idaho Stop and it looks like there will be a Utah Yield, Arkansas has to come up with a catchy nickname for their law. I should think any state that can call itself "The Land of Opportunity" shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
Arkansas advance?
ReplyDeleteColine--Copyright that!
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