While I was reading the thread about lane splitting, I began thinking of one of my pet peeves.  I started a new topic because I don't like to hijack existed thread subjects.

If I were writting the motor vehicle laws from scratch, I would change the law about pedestrians having the right of way, especially at cross walks that are not at an intersection.
Here in our town, we have lots of cross walks that are between intersections.  In the past 5 years or so, 2 peds have been hit and killed, so the city now has large, flashing yellow signs above the cross walks that are activated by a push button on a pole that the ped presses the get a "walk" sign.
Peds ought to have to wait until there is no conflicting traffic - stopping a dozen or two dozen cars, trucks, and bikes so some guy can lazily cross the street between intersections is stupid.  Look at all of the fuel wasted as all of those vehicles have to sit, and then re-accelerate to normal speed.  Let the ped go to an intersection to cross, or risk getting hit if he's too lazy to go to the intersection.
And, no matter how careful the motorist is, it's easy not to expect a cross walk that is between intersections.

Your light
Green
Their light
Red

You're the bad guy....
I wonder if they vote..

A cross walk, with pedestrian signal, is available 20 feet away (behind me in this instance). Not at this intersection. Sorry to inconvenience them.

I left wording vague but they were two "minorities" so I'm sure their votes count twice as much as mine.

But, yes. Some days a bicycle is a "vehicle" and entitled to a lane of traffic and must obey signals and some days a bicycle is a "pedestrian" and the signals do not apply to them. Why is it the same for foot traffic where you can pick and choose?


--Steve

5 replies so far, and no-one has asked about the chicken and her mission the cross the road?  

I've been ticketed before because I made a right turn at an intersection while people were crossing. The catch was their crossing sign was a red hand for them. I asked the officer, who was a car behind me and witnessed me make the turn but failed to see they did not have a walk signal how does the law apply. If I turned on a red light as motorist I'd be ticketed. But as a pedestrian you can walk whenever? I asked him what's the point of the crossing indicators if they don't have to abide by the same lighting system as a motorist.

You have a walk sign = green
Flashing hand = yellow
And solid red hand = stop or do not proceed

He said pedestrians have the right of way and I was at fault. It was a $135 ticket because it's a safety issue against pedestrians. I was a little heated and told the cop if they don't have to follow traffic signs why should I. Maybe I'll just start running lights!

In Texas, and most other states I assume, pedestrians always have the right of way
The law of man in this case tries to protect people who don't understand the laws of physics (a 4000 lb metal box will always win a territorial dispute with a 200 lb bag of flesh and bone) which is yet another case of us trying to circumvent the process by which nature keeps the gene pool strong (survival of the fittest)
Remember when the law was first passed that required stopping for school buses unloading?
before that we learned to look before crossing and not run out in front of cars
now we have people just ambling out in front of traffic at any old time, which I predicted when that law was passed
Entitle people an inch and they'll take a mile every time

Kris01 wrote on 07/12/15 at 19:51:09:

If they're of or over breeding age, it's likely too late, they've probably already weakened it

Their is a crosswalk in a nearby town,
which a School bus stops at.
(Some go left, some go right)
Sometimes one is caught behind the bus,
and you have to wait, until the kids, cross the street.

In EVERY Case, when I am behind the bus,
ALL, the kids, walk off the bus, and smartly, cross the street.

EXCEPT TWO.
When they get to the intersection, they walk across like, ’Tim Conway’.
When they get off the bus, they walk normal speed,
when they get to the other side, they walk normal speed.
When they cross the street, it’s the, ’Tim Conway’ walk.

Gee is that, ‘moral’, or not?
Or is that, that just plain, ‘curt a see,’ that they need to be, ’taught’ ?

Quote:

“… He said pedestrians have the right of way and I was at fault. …”

Don’t know about other states, but in MN,
If they crossed at a RED light,  THEY are at fault.
And the Cop, can NOT, make up his/her, OWN rules.