الوصف
Pedestrian crosswalks or Zebra crossings seem to be completely meaningless to some people in cars. This morning during rush hour I am entering campus on the Collingwood entrance, on my bike, in a row of cars. Approaching the zebra crossing on Farm Lane in front of the Natural Sciences Building, I stop for pedestrians to cross the street. After the car behind me stops as well, it drives around me, so does a second car. There were two pedestrians just getting ready to walk across. This behavior indicates a complete obliviousness to the most basic traffic rules. Unfortunately I could not get the license plates.
8 تعليقs
Thomas Baumann (مستخدم مسجل)
AndWeReWalking (مستخدم مسجل)
It appears everyone at this incident has an awareness of pedestrians and traffic; yours as a cycler, is heightened.
In reading your account I'd observe that the car behind you as well as the second car stopped because continuing through you would be hazardous to you. You were in the street. The pedestrians were getting ready so they were off the street at the time. They were probably watching you and concerned.
I'm reminded that Toronto has pedestrians hand-signal their intent to cross a street prior to stepping into lanes when traffic stops. If there's a similar practice in place in Michigan I'm not aware of it; however, I'd support one.
Thomas Baumann (مستخدم مسجل)
I gave the first pedestrian a sign to indicate my intent to stop for him, but he was very hesitant. So I had to come to a full stop. That must have irritated the car driver behind me, because I was in the car lane, not the bike lane. If I am in the bike lane it is completely useless to stop for pedestrians, because the cars will never stop (based on experience). But the reason I am in the car lane is that I am moving along at the same speed as the cars during rush hour, and this way I don't get hooked by cars turning right.
By the way, as a pedestrian, I often use a hand sign to indicate my intention to cross. Usually it works.
Rob LaDuca, Chair, All-University Traffic and Transportation Committee (ضيف)
Per MSU ordinance, drivers only have to stop for pedestrians already in the crosswalks, not on the curb intending to cross.
ordinance 32.02 approved by Board of Trustees:
.02* Pedestrian's right-of-way at crosswalks: Where traffic control signals are not in place or in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this section.
http://trustees.msu.edu/ordinances/ordinances_sec32.html
It can be frustrating with mixed use roads, but people are asked to use courtesy and common sense. The drivers you mention were guilty of incivility for sure but not a traffic violation.
Thomas Baumann (مستخدم مسجل)
There is a double yellow line. So the drivers were very clearly in violation since I was obviously not parking or delivering.
The MSU ordinance really renders all the cross walks useless. During rush hour it makes it impossible for pedestrians to cross, because they would have to step into traffic.
AndWeReWalking (مستخدم مسجل)
Good, sound, judgment needs be applied by us all in stepping out into traffic. Even if in a crosswalk.
Often while driving on campus I'll see cars slow or stop where pedestrians emerge. People seem very responsible about this; both in vehicles or not.
I can't help but notice the focus is turning toward the double yellow line. Those drivers receive credit for being tolerant and considerate enough to avoid 'hook'ing you, the cyclist, as they allowed you additional room while outside the bike lane.
Rob LaDuca, Chair, All-University Traffic and Transportation Committee (ضيف)
Thomas Baumann (مستخدم مسجل)