{"id":24093,"date":"2021-09-27T16:59:56","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T23:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/?p=24093"},"modified":"2021-09-27T17:07:24","modified_gmt":"2021-09-28T00:07:24","slug":"one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/","title":{"rendered":"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Washington became the fifth state to legalize the Safety Stop on Oct. 1 of 2020, allowing people who bike to treat stop signs as a yield if the coast is clear. As the anniversary nears, we spoke to people who bike about how the law is improving their rides.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before the Safety Stop became law, Sal Ponce remembers riding his e-cargo bike through Beacon Hill neighborhood streets with his daughter in tow, diligently stopping at every stop sign even though there was no traffic. Though he would often yield at the block-after-block stop signs when biking by himself, he wanted to demonstrate proper behavior for his kids–but all his daughter felt was whiplash.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sal\u201cMy cargo bike is a bit of a boat, so my daughter started asking me, \u2018Daddy, why are we stopping again?\u2019 Being able to check intersections, keep a reasonable speed, and not have a jarring stop every block is one great result of the Safety Stop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Safety Stop, which went into effect statewide on Oct. 1 of 2020, is an intuitive law that allows people who bike to treat stop signs as a yield, similar to the \u201cIdaho Stop.\u201d The law was Washington Bikes\u2019 priority legislation during the 2020 legislative session because it helps prevent crashes at intersections, the most dangerous place for people on bikes.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Safety Stop received overwhelming bipartisan support in Olympia because it is practical and seamless for how people already ride, and it keeps everyone safer on the road. When a similar law passed in Idaho in 1982, bicycle injuries dropped by 14 percent.<\/span><\/p>\n

People on bikes are extremely vulnerable to being hit by distracted drivers when stopped at an intersection. In addition, people on bikes have an unobstructed view in all directions, unlike people in cars who have \u201cblind spots.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For Noelle \u201cBunny\u201d Lindemann, the law ended her worry about being ticketed by police for riding in a manner she knew was safer. \u201cI biked this way for a while, but I was always scared if a police officer saw me, what the repercussions were,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I am able to see what is coming and go or wait, and to stay at a better speed,\u201d Lindemann added. \u201cI don\u2019t have to stop and start, and I don\u2019t have to surprise drivers who aren\u2019t looking for a cyclist to be starting and stopping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the Safety Stop works: people on bikes are required to slow down to a reasonable speed at stop signs, a speed that allows them to stop if necessary. They must stop completely if there are vehicles or pedestrians in the intersection, if they are behind a school bus with a raised stop sign, and at railroad crossings when a train is near. If the coast is clear, they can roll on through the intersection, maintaining momentum and keeping traffic behind them from catching up or coming too close. The law actually improves the flow of traffic for cars, making it a win for everyone on the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out Olga Lucia Herrera practicing the Safety Stop in Spokane. Notice how the car behind her doesn\u2019t have to get too close because she can roll through the intersection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Video<\/a><\/p>\n

In addition to Washington and Idaho, Delaware, Arkansas, and Oregon have legalized a law similar to the Safety Stop. Oregon\u2019s law passed in 2019 after several attempts. Due to the strong bipartisan support for biking in Washington state and WA Bikes\u2019 ability to pass practical, safe, and smart legislation, the Safety Stop was passed on its first try. It was sponsored by Sen. Andy Billig (D-3rd) and Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34th).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a reason this law received huge support from both sides of the aisle in Olympia–it makes sense and it makes the roads safer,\u201d said Alex Alston, Washington Bikes\u2019 state policy director and lead lobbyist in Olympia. \u201cThe Safety Stop was approved so swiftly thanks to our supporters, advocates, and legislative champions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Washington Bikes prepares to release its 2021 candidate endorsements, we will also be planning our 2022 legislative agenda. Stay tuned for info on electing bike champions statewide for more great bike safety laws, and for our upcoming legislative priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Washington became the fifth state to legalize the Safety Stop on Oct. 1 of 2020, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wa-bikes-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOne year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike - Washington Bikes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike - Washington Bikes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Washington became the fifth state to legalize the Safety Stop on Oct. 1 of 2020, […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Washington Bikes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-09-27T23:59:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-09-28T00:07:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sara Kiesler\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sara Kiesler\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/\",\"name\":\"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike - Washington Bikes\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-09-27T23:59:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-09-28T00:07:24+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#\/schema\/person\/0d84c6f3d783e3e898d414df505c8371\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg\",\"width\":4032,\"height\":3024,\"caption\":\"Sal Ponce rides with his daughter on his e-cargo bike\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/\",\"name\":\"Washington Bikes\",\"description\":\"People who bike make a difference\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#\/schema\/person\/0d84c6f3d783e3e898d414df505c8371\",\"name\":\"Sara Kiesler\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c2ef25eaafd0d7d7bd5d7ded7379f8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c2ef25eaafd0d7d7bd5d7ded7379f8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sara Kiesler\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/author\/sara\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike - Washington Bikes","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike - Washington Bikes","og_description":"Washington became the fifth state to legalize the Safety Stop on Oct. 1 of 2020, […]","og_url":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/","og_site_name":"Washington Bikes","article_published_time":"2021-09-27T23:59:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-09-28T00:07:24+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg"}],"author":"Sara Kiesler","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sara Kiesler","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/","url":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/","name":"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike - Washington Bikes","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg","datePublished":"2021-09-27T23:59:56+00:00","dateModified":"2021-09-28T00:07:24+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#\/schema\/person\/0d84c6f3d783e3e898d414df505c8371"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_8024.jpg","width":4032,"height":3024,"caption":"Sal Ponce rides with his daughter on his e-cargo bike"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/27\/one-year-later-how-the-safety-stop-has-improved-the-lives-of-people-who-bike\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"One year later: How the Safety Stop Has Improved the Lives of People Who Bike"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/","name":"Washington Bikes","description":"People who bike make a difference","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#\/schema\/person\/0d84c6f3d783e3e898d414df505c8371","name":"Sara Kiesler","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c2ef25eaafd0d7d7bd5d7ded7379f8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c2ef25eaafd0d7d7bd5d7ded7379f8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sara Kiesler"},"url":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/author\/sara\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p36Q8O-6gB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24093"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24093"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24103,"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24093\/revisions\/24103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}