uRabbit

In the state of Washington, cyclists must obey all laws that motorists do. Though we do have some bike lanes and paths. However, I seem to go noob mode when I slap the trailer onto the back.

We wanted to turn around on the road we were on, so we go to a crosswalk and used that. Motorists cannot make u-turns. Cyclists in Washington state are expected to obey all traffic laws.

As we were waiting for traffic, a road cyclist actually stopped traffic for us to cross. I felt like a total jerkoff.

So, did we do the right thing?

spunkyj

I can only offer my opinion, but I don't think what you did was too bad.

Seeing that you were waiting at a crosswalk, it sounds like the roadie was right to stop and that he and wasn't unduly holding up traffic. If you wanted to feel a bit less like a "jerkoff" you could become a pedestrian by getting off the bike and walking it across the road.

In terms of whether you did the right thing, you took a shortcut that cars are not able to take by using a pedestrian crosswalk. Personally, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to get off your bike and become pedestrian when it is convenient. This is one of the advantages of riding a bike! If you don't physically get off the bike then technically you're in the wrong. While IMO there is zero difference between rolling through the crosswalk at walking speed and actually walking it, I usually still hop off to keep up appearances and so that if I do get hit in the crosswalk I will be in there legally, and won't share part of the blame.

CB HI

I do not know of anything wrong with squaring off a U-turn so that it is legal. And the other cyclist simply followed the law for someone waiting at a un-signaled cross walk - wish more motorist would do the same.

uRabbit

Exactly what we did.

I also feel as though I may be able to yank the trailer out of the way of an oncoming vehicle if the need arises.


He did say, "It's hard enough getting their attention..." We thanked him graciously.

hopperja

I'm always amazed at how much mis-information is out there. If you want to actually know the laws, look up and read RCW 46.61. It contains most of the rules the police and you are required to play by (note: some rules are actually laid out in the WACs as the RCWs give authority to the State Patrol to add rules, though these are mostly equipment related).

In short, in WA-

1- cyclists are pedestrians when on a bike in a crosswalk or on a sidewalk. There is no need to get off your bike to be a pedestrian. Simply being on the sidewalk or in a crosswalk makes you a pedestrian when ON a bike. There is no requirement in the RCWs to dismount. Yes, you can ride in a crosswalk.
2- cyclists must obey the rules attributed to pedestrians when on a crosswalk or on a sidewalk. Cyclists are required to yield to pedestrians when on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk.
3- cyclists must obey the rules attributed to motorists when in the roadway
4- RCW 46.61.295 basically says that motorists can make U-turns when safe to do so. Of course, if there is signage prohibiting a u-turn, then it's prohibited. If there is no signage, and it's safe, a u-turn is perfectly legal.

spunkyj

This is great for cyclists in WA. Wish my city were as reasonable. I guess I wrongly assumed that WA was like most other places where cyclists are not allowed in pedestrian crosswalks, based on the originally posted question.

In this case, what the OP did was 100% legal, but still left him feeling guilty about having the best of both worlds. I don't think there is any reason to feel guilty about the perks of cycling. If motorists are envious they can buy a bike, too.

alhedges

I'm not sure that most places prohibit riding a bicycle in a crosswalk. In my state, bikes have the rights and duties of vehicles when they are in the roadway, and those of pedestrians when they are not.

spunkyj

Cool. That's new to me, but I guess I have no good reason to assume that my personal experience is representative of the norm. I'd be curious to know how many states (or provinces here in Canada) have gone one way versus the other. In Ontario, dismounting for crosswalks is required by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act.

uRabbit

Hmm. Not sure how I feel about that. I especially dislike sidewalk riding when there is enough room and it is safe to ride on the roadway. I do understand that the sidewalk is much more favourable than the road in certain areas (we had to use the sidewalk for about fifty feet during our ride yesterday). However, it is a double-edged sword. Some motorists may get confused. They may see bicycles on sidewalks and look at them as not real traffic on the roadway. This can be a dangerous assumption. Giving special attention to cyclists could be a step in the wrong direction.

That said, it sounds like WA is doing a good job of the way it has its laws set up. At least we did not get honked at.

spunkyj

^I wasn't referring to riding on the sidewalk (this is also not allowed in Toronto, and generally I don't think its advisable).

When I referred to dismounting for crosswalks, it was in a context similar to what the OP described (to cross a roadway from a roadway). For example, sometimes at busy or awkward intersections (especially with multiple crossing streetcar tracks) I'll dismount and walk my bike across the street with the pedestrians rather than make a left turn. It is not legal to ride "in or along" a crosswalk here, so hopping off the bike is required.

hopperja

I didn't want to turn this into a should I ride on a sidewalk vs. should I not ride on a sidewalk debate. I was just trying to answer your OP with factual information. The fact is, unless it's specifically prohibited by City Code, the RCW says you can. However, there is a very little known WAC (State Patrol rules that are published pursuant to RCW authority) that prohibits sidewalk riding in business districts (ref. WAC 308-330-555). It doesn't appear that one can be issued a citation under that WAC though, because there's no penalty mentioned. Remember, in WA state law, there has to be a rule listed and a penalty...

uRabbit

I appreciate the comments. Loads of informations. Thanks all.

dougmc

Obviously not completely true -- do you have to have a functional muffler on your bike? Plates? Four brakes? Proof of insurance? etc.

(But of course I know what you meant.)

Nevermind what you do, the people around you will go into "extra careful" mode. That might be why the road cyclist stopped traffic for you -- you've got a kid back there. (Or it looked like you had a kid back there, anyways.)

Without a trailer, I find that most cars will not pass close than five feet from me or so. With a trailer, that turns into fifteen feet -- they react like I'm hauling dynamite. Which makes sense -- by myself, I'm just an annoying cyclist. With a trailer, I'm an annoying cyclist hauling kids around.

spunkyj

Maybe this is veering a bit off topic, but do you guys feel that your kids are generally safe in the child trailer? More or less so than in a car?

uRabbit

My wife does not. I do. It is a double wide trailer as well, and we strap her into the middle. Got a double wide because we would like to take our pup with us when it cools down a bit. And I throw a full size floor pump into the back, along with a first aid kit, water bottles (they stay cooler in there), etc.

They are pretty sturdy trailers We bought a used Burley d'Lite. The only weak spot I can see is the bar that comes up in the middle up top that completes the frame between the two side walls.

PatrickGSR94

Same here, I promised my wife I wouldn't haul our son around on busy roads.

I did get a helmet for him, but then read some reports of small kids being choked by helmets, and you can't really see them when they're back there in the trailer. Plus the trailer itself acts like a huge helmet (rollover protection and stuff), so yesterday we rode around with my son not wearing his helmet. We'll save the helmet for when he's actually on a bike.

uRabbit

Interesting...

PatrickGSR94

Problem is that the helmet (the 5+ size) is a touch big right now, even with adjusting the straps in as far as they will go. The next smaller helmet (the 3+ size) wouldn't fit over his noggin. The helmet frequently slips down over his face while we're riding, and I don't see it unless I happen to look back or stop. If it were to slip back, the strap could choke him. He's only 2 1/2 and not old enough to know how to adjust the helmet position on his head by himself.

dougmc

The reports I've read about kids getting choked by bicycle helmets involved kids wearing them while they were playing on playground equipment and the helmet would get snagged on something. Did you read something different?

I guess in a crash that could happen, but you might be glad that the helmet was there too. I suspect that a helmet on a kid in a trailer is probably overall a good thing, though I do agree with you that they're pretty safe already.

uRabbit

Strange. Our daughter is 1 1/2 and we found a Schwinn helmet at Target that fit. Ugly as sin though...

PatrickGSR94

Maybe so, but my kid has an overly large melon lol.

I dunno I may look into better fitting helmets. Not sure if I can return this one as it came bundled with a bell that is on his tricycle right now.

cabledawg

On the trailer issue, safety is based on how you ride. When I've the kiddo in the trailer, I ride a bit slower, take corners a little wider, and dont make assumptions about traffic. Coincidentially (sp?) I do the same when hauling a trailer on my truck. And in all the years of hauling kids around in bike trailers, I've yet to flip/crash one so in my mind, a trailer can be pretty safe.

As for the helmet issue, I cant remember the brand (I think its a Bell), but they do have a few smaller helmets that have an adjustable band (not the straps under the chin, but the band around the head) and while they do go for a few more dollars than a non-adjustable, it might be the thing you need for your big-brained kid.

PatrickGSR94

Yeah I was thinking because he sits so low between the wheels, it really would be very difficult for the thing to flip.

iconicflux

This is exactly why I got a child seat and used some padding from another crashed helmet to make my son's pads thicker so it sticks on his head better. I like trailers but I kept noticing the straps seemed to be constricting his airway because he'd slip down in the seat and the back of the helmet wouldn't go into the helmet pocket on the trailer because he wasn't tall enough which just exacerbated the problem.

hopperja

+1, and the child trailers will tip. Be careful not to go too fast around corners.

I am very conscious about conspicuity. I have ridden perhaps 2,000 miles with my kids in trailers. I fly an orange flag, use the DiNotte 140L, and use a slow vehicle reflective triangle nearly every time I ride with my kid/s in/on a trailer.

I have converted my child trailer to utility duty. Now, the youngest usually sits in a bin, and he wears a helmet. When any of them were inside the child trailer, they would not wear a helmet. I figured, if the trailer tipped (which it did a couple of times), the cage would protect them, and realistically, in the event of being rear ended by an automobile, neither the cage or a helmet would make any difference. Fortunately, due to some providence, some luck, paying attention to conspicuity, and some route planning, my 3 children survived riding in a trailer.