Advocacy & Safety - proper use of crosswalk

the 2 roads at the corner of my house are divided roads and I take the crosswalk then about 100ft of sidewalk and then a left onto the road I want to take.

i wait for the little OK to cross signal and then ride my bike across it.
it's extremely common to have vehicles cut in front of me as I am crossing.

the other day, another cyclist cut me off as he was making a right turn in front of me.
I was forced to take evasive action and make a complete stop. he then yelled something at me, which i didnt really hear well because I was too concentrated on not crashing into him.

am i supposed to walk my bike across or something? i seem to recall that mentioned to me as a kid, but not sure if that was a real rule or not.

the 2 roads at the corner of my house are divided roads and I take the crosswalk then about 100ft of sidewalk and then a left onto the road I want to take.

i wait for the little OK to cross signal and then ride my bike across it.
it's extremely common to have vehicles cut in front of me as I am crossing.

the other day, another cyclist cut me off as he was making a right turn in front of me.
I was forced to take evasive action and make a complete stop. he then yelled something at me, which i didnt really hear well because I was too concentrated on not crashing into him.

am i supposed to walk my bike across or something? i seem to recall that mentioned to me as a kid, but not sure if that was a real rule or not.

cross WALK. Perhaps that will give you the answer.

Either be a pedestrian, or a driver of a vehicle.

If you're riding on the sidewalk (which is the pedestrian style of bicycling), you're supposed to dismount at every driveway and intersection and walk your bike across. Motorists don't expect pedestrians to approach intersections very fast, which is why they don't see you.

Just get out in the d*mn*d road and ride to "the road I want to take"!

Sidewalk to crosswalk > pedestrian, walk across.

MUP to stop sign on MUP and crosswalk (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=moe+road+and+grooms+road,+clifton+park,+ny&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=17.00155,78.134766&ie=UTF8&ll=42.851743,-73.794136&spn=0,359.961505&z=15&layer=c&cbll=42.851727,-73.794289&panoid=SjKu1AdGKPz-oU0CvAgRbQ&cbp=12,139.42,,0,13.73) > ?

MUP to crosswalk at a traffic light (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=moe+road+and+grooms+road,+clifton+park,+ny&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=17.00155,78.134766&ie=UTF8&ll=42.854732,-73.794308&spn=0,359.961505&z=15&layer=c&cbll=42.854832,-73.794328&panoid=Yf7Tqb0ACV8LK2TEi9l_zg&cbp=12,22.75,,0,6.61) > ?

If it is legal there, to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk, then it is legal to continue to ride the bicycle as you cross the street in the crosswalk.

As noted above, sidewalk riding is not advisable.

The problem with riding your bicycle in crosswalks, especially where turning traffic is present, is that you enter conflict areas with greater speed, less reaction time, and less maneuverability than pedestrians do. Drivers do not anticipate your arrival in the conflict area reliably, and you are unable to stop instantly or step backward when you realize a conflict is about to occur.

This is why many cyclists encourage cycling in the roadway according to vehicular rules. There, you can take a position in the lane that discourages drivers from turning right in front of you, and you are more visible.

If you do use the crosswalk, you must be prepared to stop before entering the crosswalk in front of drivers who are too close to stop in time, and/or who don't adequately anticipate your movement. I walk my bike at crosswalks on the rare occasion where I find myself taking my bike through a pedestrian area of a highway.

It's generally illegal for adults to ride bicycles on the sidewalk. There can be local laws that override the state laws. You should verify the laws in your city and state. Anyway, people don't generally expect that people on sidewalks are moving very fast.

It's generally considered by cycling advocates that (adult) riders don't belong on sidewalks and that sidewalks aren't very safe for bicycle riding.

What Steve & Genec said... It is a Cross-WALK and not a Cross-RIDE. Dismount the bike and walk across, then re-mount and go your way.

Motorists often don't look out for pedestrians in the crosswalks, so they certainly aren't expecting cyclists there ;-)

In general, you shouldn’t ride a bicycle on sidewalks. Many crashes between bikes and cars occur on sidewalks, especially when bicyclists ride against the flow of car traffic. Sidewalk traffic is usually regulated by local city authorities, even in cases where state law has no specific prohibitions against riding on the sidewalks, you will need to check your city code to see whether it's legal, and where sidewalk riding is prohibited.

If you do ride on a sidewalk, Ride in the same direction as traffic next to you, and adjust your riding habits for the safety of all sidewalk users by following these guidelines:

n Slow down at driveways and street crossings if a car is coming. If you go too fast, drivers will not see you (they are looking for pedestrians nearby, not a fast moving cyclist further away). If you crash, you may be found at fault if you were going too fast.
n Yield to pedestrians : sidewalks are for walkers, not bicyclists. Be courteous and ride cautiously. When passing a pedestrian, slow down, give an audible warning, and wait for the pedestrian to move over. A bicycle bell works best. If you must say something, make your intentions clear. For example, “Passing on your left.”
n Walk your bike in downtown areas: they are busy with people walking out of doorways, stopping to talk to each other or window shopping. Many cities ban bikes from their downtown sidewalks.
n Trees, bushes, parked cars, buildings, doorways, and trash can create blind spots along a sidewalk, which is generally too narrow to allow you to swerve out of the way if someone appears. Also, a pedestrian on the sidewalk can step suddenly into your path, or a small child or dog can run out from behind a pedestrian.
n Never pass a pedestrian unless you have his attention. A bicycle whizzing past can startle a pedestrian into a bike/pedestrian collision. Even if you pass the pedestrian successfully, you may anger him against cyclists by infringing on “his” walking space. Face it. People on sidewalks are sure that sidewalks are for walking and that roads are for motorized vehicles and bicycles.

And think about it, cars do use sidewalks — at every cross street and driveway and business entrance and exit. The latter are often divided by concrete islands making it necessary for the cyclist to ride either into the street or further into the parking lot to get around the island, and then the cyclist must cut a right angle to get back onto the sidewalk. This island hopping is a particularly hazardous maneuver.

Tom

The problem with riding your bicycle in crosswalks, especially where turning traffic is present, is that you enter conflict areas with greater speed, less reaction time, and less maneuverability than pedestrians do. Drivers do not anticipate your arrival in the conflict area reliably, and you are unable to stop instantly or step backward when you realize a conflict is about to occur.

This is why many cyclists encourage cycling in the roadway according to vehicular rules. There, you can take a position in the lane that discourages drivers from turning right in front of you, and you are more visible.

If you do use the crosswalk, you must be prepared to stop before entering the crosswalk in front of drivers who are too close to stop in time, and/or who don't adequately anticipate your movement. I walk my bike at crosswalks on the rare occasion where I find myself taking my bike through a pedestrian area of a highway.

+1

If you ignore all other reasons, riding in a cross walk is dangerous because you are moving faster than a motorist expects a pedestrian to move and because he cannot predict what you are going to do. For all he knows, you are just passing thru the crosswalk as you continue to ride on the street. He has no idea if you are suddenly changing to vehicular mode or pedestrian mode. A 'cyclist' on the sidewalk or crosswalk is not a cyclist. He is a centaur, a mythological apparition. Motorists don't know if he is going to walk like a man or gallop like a horse or whether he has any substance at all and may be ridden through like the mist. :)

Cross WALK or Cross RIDE, this person (http://www.bikecal.com/bloom/columns-detail.asp?bRecNo=184) doesn't seem to think a Cali cyclist is limited to either one.

Motorists often don't look out for pedestrians in the crosswalks, so they certainly aren't expecting cyclists there ;-)

In general, you shouldn’t ride a bicycle on sidewalks. Many crashes between bikes and cars occur on sidewalks, especially when bicyclists ride against the flow of car traffic. Sidewalk traffic is usually regulated by local city authorities, even in cases where state law has no specific prohibitions against riding on the sidewalks, you will need to check your city code to see whether it's legal, and where sidewalk riding is prohibited.

If you do ride on a sidewalk, Ride in the same direction as traffic next to you, and adjust your riding habits for the safety of all sidewalk users by following these guidelines:

n Slow down at driveways and street crossings if a car is coming. If you go too fast, drivers will not see you (they are looking for pedestrians nearby, not a fast moving cyclist further away). If you crash, you may be found at fault if you were going too fast.
n Yield to pedestrians : sidewalks are for walkers, not bicyclists. Be courteous and ride cautiously. When passing a pedestrian, slow down, give an audible warning, and wait for the pedestrian to move over. A bicycle bell works best. If you must say something, make your intentions clear. For example, “Passing on your left.”
n Walk your bike in downtown areas: they are busy with people walking out of doorways, stopping to talk to each other or window shopping. Many cities ban bikes from their downtown sidewalks.
n Trees, bushes, parked cars, buildings, doorways, and trash can create blind spots along a sidewalk, which is generally too narrow to allow you to swerve out of the way if someone appears. Also, a pedestrian on the sidewalk can step suddenly into your path, or a small child or dog can run out from behind a pedestrian.
n Never pass a pedestrian unless you have his attention. A bicycle whizzing past can startle a pedestrian into a bike/pedestrian collision. Even if you pass the pedestrian successfully, you may anger him against cyclists by infringing on “his” walking space. Face it. People on sidewalks are sure that sidewalks are for walking and that roads are for motorized vehicles and bicycles.

And think about it, cars do use sidewalks — at every cross street and driveway and business entrance and exit. The latter are often divided by concrete islands making it necessary for the cyclist to ride either into the street or further into the parking lot to get around the island, and then the cyclist must cut a right angle to get back onto the sidewalk. This island hopping is a particularly hazardous maneuver.

Tom

What Steve, Genec, and Pscyclepath said.

For me, the key is speed. Except for those deserted sidewalks with no curb cuts and good sight lines, we should be moving at pedestrian speeds. This being no fun and taking forever to get anywhere, we get back on the road as soon as that's safe.

Cross WALK or Cross RIDE, this person (http://www.bikecal.com/bloom/columns-detail.asp?bRecNo=184) doesn't seem to think a Cali cyclist is limited to either one.

I'm not certain of the meaning of this sentence or to whom it is directed, but for the sake of clarity I'll repeat what others have said. A cross walk should only be used by able bodied people for walking. Cyclists should dismount and walk their bikes across the crossWALK.

But if mounted on a bicycle, why use the crosswalk at all? It's safer and quicker remain on the roadway, to follow the rules of the road and continue to act like a vehicle.

Walk or ride in AZ:
http://azbikelaw.org/blog/sidewalk-cycling-in-arizona/

If it is legal there, to ride your bicycle on the sidewalk, then it is legal to continue to ride the bicycle as you cross the street in the crosswalk.

As noted above, sidewalk riding is not advisable.

Yep and Yep. I would just say you need to be more vigilant if riding the sidewalk, it is not advisable to ride on the sidewalk against the direction of adjoining traffic on the road. Had a nasty accident doing that once.:eek:

it is not advisable to ride on the sidewalk against the direction of adjoining traffic on the road. Had a nasty accident doing that once.:eek:

In Tempe, AZ riding on a sidewalk against flow of vehicular traffic is also illegal.

" Sec. 7-52 (c) (http://www.tempe.gov/citycode/07bicycles.htm) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle in any direction except that permitted by vehicular traffic on the same side of the roadway where the sidewalk or bicycle lane exists; provided, that bicycles may proceed either way where signs or pavement markings on the sidewalk, bikeway or bicycle lane appear designating two-way traffic."

Practically all of my bicycle mileage is on the road in the normal travel lanes, yet my only crash with a car occurred when I was riding in a crosswalk. If you're going to bike the crosswalk I recommend treating it as a pedestrian and walking it.

Practically all of my bicycle mileage is on the road in the normal travel lanes, yet my only crash with a car occurred when I was riding in a crosswalk. If you're going to bike the crosswalk I recommend treating it as a pedestrian and walking it.
Is it legal for adults to ride in crosswalk/sidewalks where ever your accident occurred?

I use a crosswalk and a few feet of sidewalk every day on my commute to cut through an intersection where a minor road jogged as it crossed a divided surface street at a light. Because of the jog and the divided nature of the main road motorists are not allowed to proceed straight at this light. However me being a cyclist, a late son of a ***** in the morning, and a missing the wife softy in the afternoon, will usually move onto the sidewalk as I get to this intersection, cross in the crosswalk, and take the other sidewalk to the jogged road. The personal rules I follow are:

(1) Move no faster than a pedestrian (I act like a Nascar driver on pit road and gear low to keep my speed down)
(2) Wait religiously for the walk signal, note not for the green which comes a little before the walk signal, as I've noticed that right turning drivers in particular seem to interpret the lack of a walk signal as me NOT having the right of way. I believe the law says otherwise but I'm not going to have a fight about it EVERY morning.
(3) Before entering or exiting the sidewalk and before entering or exiting the crosswalk, I check a full 360 degrees around me.
(4) I am especially vigilant for right turning motorists coming from behind me as they are far and away the most common threat.
(5) at least once a week I see a driver on the main road ignore the red light and plow through at the 65 mph speed limit, I keep a sharp lookout to be sure that the lead driver in each lane is slowing down. I'm a little concerned about the 2nd driver in each lane but I guess getting out of bed is a risk also.

In one year of riding this route I have yet to see a pedestrian or another cyclist.

In Tempe, AZ riding on a sidewalk against flow of vehicular traffic is also illegal.

" Sec. 7-52 (c) (http://www.tempe.gov/citycode/07bicycles.htm) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle in any direction except that permitted by vehicular traffic on the same side of the roadway where the sidewalk or bicycle lane exists; provided, that bicycles may proceed either way where signs or pavement markings on the sidewalk, bikeway or bicycle lane appear designating two-way traffic."

Yes, and I forgot to mention that I was cited for this! :o

talk about adding insult to injury.

I'm not certain of the meaning of this sentence or to whom it is directed, but for the sake of clarity I'll repeat what others have said. A cross walk should only be used by able bodied people for walking. Cyclists should dismount and walk their bikes across the crossWALK.

But if mounted on a bicycle, why use the crosswalk at all? It's safer and quicker remain on the roadway, to follow the rules of the road and continue to act like a vehicle.

I agree that cycling in the roadway at an intersection is generally safer than using a crosswalk, something I do daily, but if there's little or no pedestrian activity, and one proceeds with due caution, I see no reason for someone to dismount and walk their bicycle in a crosswalk. Here's an excerpt of my link in my previous post:

He proceeded to list seven common motorist excuses that don't hold legal water:

* "I didn't see you."
* "I didn't hear you."
* "I didn't realize you were going so fast."
* "You were going too fast!"
* "There's no bike lane here. You have to ride a bike lane or bike path."
* "Why aren't you walking your bike?" (in a crosswalk at an intersection).
* "Aren't you supposed to stop for me?" (when making a left turn)

Regarding the crosswalk, Gary informed us that "there is no law against riding a bike in a crosswalk." Likewise, "here is no law that says you must put your foot down to stop."

the 2 roads at the corner of my house are divided roads and I take the crosswalk then about 100ft of sidewalk and then a left onto the road I want to take.

i wait for the little OK to cross signal and then ride my bike across it.
it's extremely common to have vehicles cut in front of me as I am crossing.

the other day, another cyclist cut me off as he was making a right turn in front of me.
I was forced to take evasive action and make a complete stop. he then yelled something at me, which i didnt really hear well because I was too concentrated on not crashing into him.

am i supposed to walk my bike across or something? i seem to recall that mentioned to me as a kid, but not sure if that was a real rule or not.

that sucks. the cyclist was probably yelling something inappropriate at you