Bicycles rarely sit and stare at a red light when there is no traffic around. Some states apparently think decriminalizing this behavior is a good idea:

An idea is gaining momentum to allow bicyclists to pedal through stop signs, without stopping.

Bicyclists claim that it can be tough to stop a bike at a red light or a stop sign, only to start pedaling all over again.

The state of Idaho changed its law, and now California is considering the same idea. The vehicle code would be modified to allow what’s known as a “stop and roll.” Bicyclists could treat stop signs as yield signs instead, and red lights as stop signs.

Makes sense to me, but I am a long-time avid cyclist who sees no point is standing around and waiting for a light if there is no traffic. An even better solution would to dedicate a full lane with overpasses for cyclists that allow them to avoid mingling with the cage-drivers altogether. Since that probably will never happen in America (I first saw a system like this in the early 1980s in Stockholm) the stop and roll sounds like a suitable alternative.

The article has a funny “dumb-guy” quote from someone in opposition to the new law:

I just don’t think that should work. I mean, they should obey traffic laws like the rest of us

Um, if they change the law then cyclists would still be obeying when they stop and roll — it no longer would be considered against the law.

Here’s another quality comment from the same guy:

I can just see lawsuits if a bicyclist does that and then gets hit by a car and who’s going to be at fault?

Is this really any different than today? I mean you have traffic laws, and if there is a collision then the parties involved, etc. make a statement and police do an investigation. What would change? Nothing. So why would there be lawsuits from this any more than from current traffic laws? There would not be, but I think some people just throw out the word “lawsuit” to chill conversation. It reminds me of people saying “if you do this then the boogeyman will get you” or maybe “don’t resist, this is for your own safety”.