The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Safety and children first
By Mark Reaman
Despite a request from councilman Will Dujardin to take the issue to a public hearing to allow citizens to comment, the Crested Butte Town Council voted to not pursue formalizing the so-called “Idaho Stop” in the town. The Idaho Stop occurs when a bicyclist slows down at a stop sign but doesn’t fully stop before proceeding through the intersection.
The state this year passed a regulation allowing municipalities to allow such “stops” but Crested Butte chief marshal Mike Reily argued to the council that he was against such a move. He admitted that the Idaho Stop is a daily part of the bicycle culture in Crested Butte and his department does not ticket such action but they do sometimes issue warnings. Legally, all cyclists must come to a complete stop at stop signs.
Reily argued that formalizing the Idaho Stop would set a bad example for children who ride bikes and might not understand they need to pay attention at intersections and ride through in a reasonable manner. “The increased potential for collisions between cyclists and larger motor vehicles who do, or assume they do, have the right of way is potentially disastrous,” he told the council through a memo. “For the obvious safety implications, I cannot give my full-throated endorsement to encouraging cyclists to ride contrary to their interests.”
During the October 1 meeting the issue was in front of the council to move to a potential public hearing. Town manager Dara MacDonald said she had expected to receive some comments from the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association but no formal comment had been received.
Mayor Jim Schmidt said he had been persuaded by Reily’s safety argument to not take the additional action to formally legalize the Idaho Stop. Dujardin, however, wanted a continued discussion on the matter and he moved to set the measure for a public hearing. Councilman Paul Merck agreed with Dujardin and seconded the motion to have a hearing on October 15. With not much discussion the motion failed by a 4-2 vote, with councilman Jackson Petito not at the meeting.
After the vote Merck asked why the rest of the council didn’t agree with having a public hearing. Councilwoman Laura Mitchell said she felt the move would be sending the wrong message to local children who ride their bikes.
“I think we are missing the mark to not send it to a public hearing,” said Dujardin. The Idaho Stop “is more reflective of what the town is about.” He noted that there was a personal responsibility element to any situation but being that Crested Butte was such a bike town, the matter should be thoroughly discussed.
Councilman Kent Cowherd reiterated that if the law even slightly increased the chance that a kid could be injured at an intersection it “was inviting a tragedy for the children.”
Schmidt said that any of the council members who voted against the motion to set if for public hearing could reconsider and ask that new vote be taken. None did and thus the official town law is that cyclists must stop at each intersection where they encounter a stop sign.
