As it should be. Isn’t a cyclist or pedestrian required to wait until it’s safe to cross, before crossing? As far as I know there is no requirement for the motorist to stop just because someone is standing there. Might be different in CA since they have to be different at just about everything.
Here in Northern VA there is a several popular Hike/Bike Trails. They cross many, many roads, and you can’t even see the cyclist until they are at the road because of foliage or berms, there is a stop sign for the trail. Yet most of the cyclist seem to think that they can just keep their pace right on across through traffic. I always thought that a stop sign meant STOP until it was safe to cross, even if it takes a while. I often wonder when one of these “self entitled, you shall yield to me types” runs the stop and gets hit, who will be at fault. I also sometimes see cops sitting there watching the cyclists run the stop, doing nothing about it. To make it even worse the “you shall yield to me” cyclists lobbied for and got enacted an ordinance that says they don’t have to stop for stop signs. So much for having to follow the same rules as motorists. I guess it’s up to the motorist to prove that the cyclist ran the stop, because the cyclist will always claim “right of way”. One of the reasons I finally got a dash cam.
George: " I’ve seen bicyclists occasionally pull out in front a moving car, a car that should have stopped to yield to cyclist"
For example, the car is making a rolling stop at a stop sign, instead of coming to a complete stop. Or both bike and driver are fully stopped at a four way stop sign controlled intersection, bike to the right of driver. Bike has legal right of way, being to the right, but driver goes anyway.
Common sense says that’s the correct approach in that situation. Experienced pedestrians know they’ll never come out the winner in a collision with vehicle, so they wait until they are sure the vehicle is going to stop. But if driver’s aren’t required to stop and allow pedestrians to cross at a cross walk, what’s the purpose for the cross walk? Just to let motorists know someone may happen to be crossing the street there? Or to indicate to pedestrians that’s the only place they are allowed to cross the street, and even then the pedestrian must always yield to passing motorists?
Crosswalks can be problematic indeed. I believe drivers are legally required to stop for pedestrians in Calif crosswalks, but I’ve never seen any enforcement, not even once. If a pedestrian is hit while in a crosswalk, then that’s when the enforcement will take effect. May be too late for the pedestrian though. Estate may make a bundle. Just today I was crossing at a crosswalk, intending to push bike across, no cars going left to right, but a long line of cars going right to left. 4 cars went by, didn’t slow, the 5th slowed and driver indicated to me to go, then as I started to cross the driver speeds up again. Since I’m now in the middle of the road the driver had to quickly stop. That sort of misunderstanding is what makes crosswalks unsafe. Many crosswalks in the San Jose area have been removed b/c so many pedestrians were getting hit. Driver’s I expect are also reluctant to stop b/c they fear getting hit from behind.
In VA I believe it is vehicles must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Standing at the curb isn’t in the crosswalk. And yes crosswalks indicate where they are supposed to cross. My Dad actually got a jaywalking ticket in Wash. D.C. once for not using the crosswalk.
hmmmm … Wondering what others folks here think? Agree or disagree with @PvtPublic ? Does a pedestrian actually have to be standing in the street in a crosswalk before drivers are required to stop? Or does this rule vary state to state?
I think it might vary state to state here the driver is required to stop if the pedestrian is already in the crosswaik.
My apologies i worded that incorrectly, Should have been “Crossing the highway”, Which to me means actually walking across not standing there waiting. From the VA motor vehicle code:
§ 46.2-924. Drivers to stop for pedestrians; installation of certain signs; penalty.
A. The driver of any vehicle on a highway shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing such highway by stopping and remaining stopped until such pedestrian has passed the lane in which the vehicle is stopped:
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At any clearly marked crosswalk, whether at midblock or at the end of any block;
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At any regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral boundary lines of the adjacent sidewalk at the end of a block; or
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At any intersection when the driver is approaching on a highway where the speed limit is not more than 35 miles per hour.
B. When a vehicle is stopped pursuant to subsection A, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from an adjacent lane or from behind the stopped vehicle shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, at intersections or crosswalks where the movement of traffic is being regulated by law-enforcement officers or traffic control devices, the driver shall yield according to the direction of the law-enforcement officer or device.
No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic.
The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.
Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.
D. The governing body of Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and any town therein, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax, the City of Falls Church, and the Town of Ashland may by ordinance provide for the installation and maintenance of highway signs at marked crosswalks specifically requiring operators of motor vehicles, at the locations where such signs are installed, to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing or attempting to cross the highway. Any operator of a motor vehicle who fails at such locations to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians as required by such signs shall be guilty of a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of no less than $100 or more than $500. The Department of Transportation shall develop criteria for the design, location, and installation of such signs. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any limited access highway.
E. Where a shared-use path crosses a highway at a clearly marked crosswalk and there are no traffic control signals at such crossing, the local governing body may by ordinance require pedestrians, cyclists, and any other users of such shared-used path to come to a complete stop prior to entering such crosswalk. Such local ordinance may provide for a fine not to exceed $100 for violations. Any locality adopting such an ordinance shall install and maintain stop signs, consistent with standards adopted by the Commonwealth Transportation Board and to the extent necessary in coordination with the Department of Transportation. At such crosswalks, no user of such shared-use path shall enter the crosswalk in disregard of approaching traffic.
F. A locality adopting an ordinance under subsection E shall coordinate the enforcement and placement of any stop signs affecting a shared-use path owned and operated by a park authority formed under Chapter 57 (§ 15.2-5700 et seq.) of Title 15.2 with such authority.
Code 1950, §§ 46-243, 46-244; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-231; 1962, c. 471; 1968, c. 165; 1972, c. 576; 1976, c. 322; 1989, c. 727; 2000
As to
§ 46.2-923. How and where pedestrians to cross highways.
A. When crossing highways, pedestrians shall not carelessly or maliciously interfere with the orderly passage of vehicles. They shall cross, wherever possible, only at intersections or marked crosswalks. Where intersections contain no marked crosswalks, pedestrians shall not be guilty of negligence as a matter of law for crossing at any such intersection or between intersections when crossing by the most direct route.
hmmm … it appears in VA you are correct, assuming the legal meaning of “crossing highway” requires movement by pedestrian. If so, a purely technical reading says if pedestrian is standing at beginning of crosswalk, waiting to safely cross, passing drivers are not required to stop. Pedestrian might have to wait for hours if traffic heavy. Driver apparently is only required to stop if pedestrian is already moving across the street.
I wonder if a driver did stop in that situation, where pedestrian was not moving at beginning of crosswalk, waiting to cross, and somebody driving car behind ran into driver, would the driver that stopped for pedestrian would be at fault for the accident?
Well it is state law not federal so it will vary. Pedestrians are to wait until traffic clears to begin crossing the street. Then you must yield to them. They can’t just jump out and expect everyone to slam on their brakes although tha happens. Minnesota.
Bikes are not motorized so are same as pedestrians and need to walk their bikes in cross walks unless a bike lane.
I’m not clear on the current law but 50 years ago there was no provision
for operating a low power bike, mo ped, mini bike, etc. without a license. Even the old wizard was illegal without a license. Anything with a motor is/was considered a motor vehicle. Prove I’m wrong and I have a suit to file with glee.
That’s the case in these parts, although most cyclists by what I observe ride their bikes when crossing at crosswalks. Me, if crosswalk isn’t traffic light controlled, I get off bike and push. If at a major traffic light controlled intersection where I need to cross 6 - 10 lanes using crosswalk, I prefer to cycle across; minimizes the time I’m in the roadway.
If you are riding a bicycle, even in California, you are NOT a pedestrian so none of those rules apply. If you dismount the bicycle and push it, then you are a pedestrian.
Just being to the right in an intersection does NOT give you right of way. That is a tie breaker rule if two or more vehicles arrive at the same time. Order of arrival is the primary rule of right of way. That is in every state, including Calif.
California is interesting though. Pedestrians have the right of way even if they re jaywalking. If a vehicle does not stop for a jaywalker but forces them to change their direction or stop, a cop observing this could write two tickets, one for the jaywalker and one for the motorist.
The laws in Cal are so screwed up though. My mother was driving down a street at or below the speed limit when a jogger darted out from between two parked cars, not at a crosswalk and ran into the side of her car. She hit the car, the car did not hit her. She still sued.
She went through 4 lawyers before she found one that would take her case and the only way she got anything was that the lawyer filed in a court 200 miles away, and my Mother who was 86 at the time could not make the court appearances. The insurance company settled for a small amount. BTW, the lawyer filed in the local court but it was thrown out.
Back to Aerospace:
At a BBQ attended by engineers working on Reagan’s ‘’Star Wars’ project. Two of them could not get ketchup out of the squeeze bottle. Their solution—hammer a screwdriver through the lid.
This was the type of bottle that had a peal off seal under the lid.
Me, being a mere clinical laboratory scientist, just kept quiet and watched the engineers solve the problem.
Yes, I think most drivers are aware of this “tie goes to the driver on the right” rule. I’ve always wondered who decides if it is truly a tie or not? Even if an officer saw it happen, how would they know if it was a tie or not? Mathematicians I think would say an actual tie is impossible.
I always thought the rule was he who has the biggest wheel’s had the right of way. 
It’s the three second rule. After three seconds if the didn’t go they lose their turn. Even worse when they wave you to go when they should. Never do that.
I have decided that if someone wants to challenge me on who got their first, I’m going to let them go first, it is not worth getting into n accident over. No ne wins in a collision, except the lawyers.
But if I believe I have the right of way, I will not hesitate to move because otherwise I am holding everyone else up and creating confusion. But I will yield if someone really wants it.
Can you cite chapter and verse for that “law”? I’d sure be interested.
Chapter 1, verse 2. It’s in my book.
Do you you mean they opened the lid & poked the tip of the screwdriver through the seal? Seems a little unsanitary, but otherwise within reason if ketchup was required. Those seals are nearly impossible to remove w/out using some kind of sharp object.
Your post reminds me, I recently discovered a good ketchup tip. Always running out during Covid. Then I discovered that I can I buy Heinz ketchup in an (almost) one gallon can for $6-$8, then at home divide contents into four quart containers, freeze three of them, and pop the fourth into the fridge section. Freeze/thaw cycle, texture slightly different, but flavor remains excellent.
Not to continue on the ketchup theme but when I finally got a top to work right, I ended up just using it on new bottles. But I always carry a knife.