Don't be a right-of-way thief!

The SFBC is actively working to promote respectful, safe bicycling in San Francisco, together with our partners at MTA, SFPD, and DPH — see our outreach flyer, "Give & Get Respect", and please help us spread the Coexist message.

Be sure to also see our Coexist page for more information about that long-running campaign.

And of course, you'll want to check out our Bike Law pages for information on your rights and responsibilities as a cyclist, what the rules are for bike lanes, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Laws of Physics, Laws of Man

You know, it's kind of a cliché, but bicyclists generally don't care for Stop signs — there's a good scientific reason why as Joel Fajans and Melanie Curry explain in this classic essay (from the UC Transportation Center's Access #18, July 2001).

And be sure to check out this marvelous video on Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop by Spencer Boomhower:

Give Way the Idaho Way

You may have heard that in Idaho they see it differently, on the law books at least. Idaho law holds that bike traffic should treat a "Stop" as a "Yield", and a red light as a stop sign. It sounds simple, and is certainly much closer to what's already going on at intersections across the city (with bikes and cars) — respect the right of way and everything will be fine. The SFPD should follow the Idaho enforcement model and focus on true "failure to yield" cases committed by motorists and cyclists.

Prioritized Enforcement Policy and Actions in the Bike Plan

We didn't get an Idaho-style policy for enforcement prioritization in the 2009 SF Bicycle Plan, but see Chapter 5 (Enforcement) to learn what we have committed to as a city, now it's time to act on making the plan real — bring your suggestions to the SF Bicycle Advisory Committee at their monthly meetings.