Clear! Does your club, group...?

Question

Some riders will call out "CLEAR" to indicate that an intersection is free of cross traffic. I have only encountered this in parts of CT.

I found this;

"...When passing through an intersection, some cyclists say " clear" if there is no cross traffic. This is a dangerous practice that should be abandoned. It encourages riders to follow the leader, letting others do their thinking for them. Each cyclist is responsible for verifying that the way is indeed clear..."

http://www.evergladesbc.com/custom/2/Bicycle%20Safety.html

Where do you ride? Have you heard the call, "Clear"?

Do you agree that this practice is dangerous and should be discouraged?

Answer 1

We do this in the Chicago area.  If an intersection is truly clear- its "clear" or "all clear" otherwise you may still roll but yell "car right" or something to that effect.  

That being said, it is expected that each cyclist is looking for themselves.  Frequently we are riding in larger groups- many people may yell clear at the same time.  Also, you have to trust the people you are riding with.

When you are in a larger group this is a very important and safe thing to do, as you are all close to each other, each cyclist completely stopping can be dangerous, think traffic when one car slams on their brakes!  In addition, this is good practice, as it reinforces communication within the group and lets others know that the intersection was monitored before they started/continued rolling.

Answer 2

Works fine with groups I ride and have ridden with. It should be made certain that all riders are responsible for checking the intersections themselves as well. Someone usually points it out at the ride's start if any newbies are present.

I do see your point though.