# A Legal Woodside Stop Sign Ride?



## chidonchea (Jul 14, 2008)

The folks in Woodside are not very happy with bike groups in their town. Group Citations read comments 
Would you take part in a group ride that stops at all stop signs in Woodside, then stops again on the other side of the intersection for a re-group? This could be used to promote Woodside as a safe cycling town.
If the ride got too big they may need a cop to wave riders thru the stop signs.


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## dwgranda (Sep 8, 2009)

There was an obey the stop wristband that I saw in this area. Will have to look into what happened to that. Considering I can't remember much of the details it might not register with car drivers either.

edit:

http://www.honorthestop.org/

Min order is $30. No wonder I don't already have one.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

A stop sign means stop?


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

Would the group stop as a whole, then as a whole ride through the stop sign? 

Or would every single rider stop and go, stop and go? And regroup on the other side?


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## ShaneW (Sep 6, 2008)

I might go. I ride in Woodside all the time but I also stop at all the stops every time anyway. Not entirely sure what this will prove other than to annoy the locals even more if there is a huge group of cyclists stopping and going at the stops, especially one by one.


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## patpend2000 (Jan 31, 2006)

I'd love to see a group of 50-60 riders heading west on woodside stretch out single file before the stop sign, taking the lane so cars cannot pass, then each rider proceed through the sign one at a time for the next 20-40 minutes. Woodside needs to get with the times and put in a stoplight at this intersection. This weekend they had to have a motorcycle cop come control the intersection because the westbound traffic was backup up all the way to 280.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Is your intent to demonstrate that cyclists can follow the rules and improve community relations? I think you are more likely to antagonize drivers and residents. If you really want to do that another way is to organize a critical mass of cars to drive through Woodside strictly obeying all road rules. We would come to a complete stop at stop signs, strictly obey the speed limits, be courteous to fellow road users, pass cyclists only when safe to do so, etc. A 100 or so cars doing that at commute time looping around Woodside would have an interesting effect.

Regardless, attitudes and behaviors are unlikely to change. Both sides are pretty entrenched I'm afraid. There will be the same issue in 10 years time, unless Steve and Larry get so much money that they can just buy Woodside and turn the whole area into a gated community.

A stop light at this intersection is also not without its pitfalls - it will make it far more likely that we will end up with a serious accident or fatality than the current arrangement.


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## numbnutz (Mar 14, 2005)

agree there is no real solution to the problem. you can't really have a group ride / group drive and also obey the traffic regulations to the letter. that's why they have police escorts for funerals and motorcades, and this is why group road rides are so attractive for bored cops in places like Belvedere, Woodside and Ross. This is also (one of the many reasons) why I don't really go on large group rides anymore. i prefer to ride with 1-3 other people. To me, that's a perfect mix of social riding and efficiency. Why people want to ride with 10-20-30 other cyclists outside the context of an organized event ride is somewhat bewildering to me.


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## Greg Smalter (Jul 16, 2005)

The comments to that article are surprising. That's the largest collection of non-cyclists I've ever seen that understand bicycles are supposed to be treated as cars. I guess being unified in their dislike of cyclists is what it takes for them to understand. They don't seem to understand that I'm to be treated as a car when they honk at me for being in the road, pull up along side me and yell a new law that they just invented on the spot that says it's illegal for me to be in the road, or abruptly stop in front of me when I'm turning left and attempt to wave me across 2 lanes of oncoming traffic because they think I'm a super-fast pedestrian who needs their help.


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## Gee3 (Jan 31, 2006)

How about as a collective whole we just obey the stop signs when we come to them (in any city)? I think that would help a lot more than a group ride that could end up impeding trafiic and making these fools even more angrier.

Just a thought...


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Woodside is a town with 2 billionaires and hundreds of millionaires. A lot of them adore their horses and ranches. A few of them ride bikes too.

But their town is overrun with cyclists. The town literally has more bike traffic than car traffic. Most of the bikes are fine. But a few of them are going half the speed on a road where you can't pass. And then there are the massive cycling groups of 30-150 riders that go through there every day. These groups often block the entire lane and roll through all stop signs.

So there's my take. It is such a high concentration of narrow roads and thousands of cyclists that it will continue to be a problem. Do your part and follow all rules there and set an example for your groups and to new riders.

In other neighboring towns like Los Altos, etc. it's not much of an issue despite the massive numbers of cyclists too.

fc


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

What the town really needs is a stop light in the intersection of 84 and Canada. I believe the town has tried many times to do this but reports are that some influential residents have gone absolutely ape-**** in town meetings.

They are trying to hang on to the idiotic small-town feel of a stop sign. I think stop lights are illegal too in Woodside.

fc


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## ShaneW (Sep 6, 2008)

There are actually more than just 2 Billionaires in Woodside btw. This town has CRAZY money!

The best thing we can do is ride like we drive (assuming you are a decent driver). You dont blow through stop signs in your car - dont do it on your bicycles. You dont drive 2-3 people abreast in your car - dont do it on your bicycles. If you wanted to be treated like a car - act like a car. I realize this is really dumbing it down but we are only hurting ourselves and being selfish when a huge group of bicycles thinks its ok to block traffic. Its selfish and arrogant. 

I cycle as often as I can but I want to pull my hair out when I see how stupid some of the people riding in Woodside are. A few weeks back I had some bonehead pass me in the oncoming traffic lane going down Hwy84. There were 5 cars and I was at the back of the line. He almost got hit by oncoming traffic who had to swerve out of the way and then almost caused an accident in one of the final turns towards the bottom where he was STILL passing cars in the oncoming traffic lane. Once he got to the bottom he stopped and waited for some friends I assume!!! Unbelievable. These are the idiots who wreck it for the 90% of us who ride with some courtesy and "share the road".

BTW - if the idiot that did this brilliant move is reading this you are the biggest moron on a bicycle I have seen! You endangered not only your own life but dozens of others!


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

There is something deep and strong within me that wants to see the residents and cops of Woodside be hoisted on their own petard. I have a sense that good old passive-aggression, i.e., organizing masses of big-wheeled pick-up trucks and Harleys to noisily tiptoe their way through the town a few times, is the only way to scratch that itch.

Another thing that really bothered me about driving through Woodside (at least westward) is that there is no posted sign that says you've left the town and the 25mph speed limit no longer applies.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

What would happen if the SJ Bike Party paid a visit to Woodside?


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## ShaneW (Sep 6, 2008)

Mapei said:


> Another thing that really bothered me about driving through Woodside (at least westward) is that there is no posted sign that says you've left the town and the 25mph speed limit no longer applies.


If you continue alond Woodside rd as it curves towards 84 there is a sign that allows you to up your speed to 35 but otherwise its 25mph for a ways.


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## AntF (Apr 25, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> What would happen if the SJ Bike Party paid a visit to Woodside?


Something to the tune of this


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