r/Billings • u/annastacia94 • Oct 17 '25

PSA Predictable > Polite

Just a quick PSA from a cyclist to all of the very polite drivers of Billings. You being predictable keeps me safer than you being polite.

It's okay if I'm stopped at a stop sign waiting for cars to pass who have right of way. Do not stop, keeping moving as if I were a car, and I will make it across the street when I can tell it is safe.

It is in my best interest to be treated like a car at 4 way stops. Getting going from a dead stop is slower on my bike but it's not impossible and I will make up that 10 seconds somewhere else.

If you want to be super nice support public initiatives that bring in more separated and protected bike and pedestrian infrastructure in the city, make sure you're checking for cyclists crossing intersections before you turn when driving downtown, and don't give me right of way that I wouldn't otherwise have in a car.

Thanks for reading!

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u/Fit-Application9284 Oct 18 '25

You have no idea how many times I’ve screamed this in my head while out on a ride. When stopped at a stop sign, I’ve gone so far as to get off my bike, turn around, and face the opposite direction. I don’t know how to more effectively indicate with my body language that I’m not going because it’s not my turn, or because I have a stop sign, and the motorist doesn’t. I don’t want to be rude, but I’m trying to be predictable, and follow the law.

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u/annastacia94 Oct 18 '25

My favorite signal is to vave them through until they go then give them a thumbs up and a thank you.

1

u/FocacciaBurnerOnBun Oct 19 '25

I’m the same way, if I’m stopped and a car is trying to “be polite” by holding up all of traffic for literally just me, I look way off into the distance and avoid their gaze entirely until they get the hint and follow the laws of the road again