Originally Posted by
sauerwald
Not claiming that I am completely blameless, but here is video from part of my commute in to work earlier this week. In the video, I enter an intersection on a yellow light, which turns red just before I exit the intersection. At the instant that the light turns red, two pedestrians step into the crosswalk in front of me. I was travelling at about 15 mph, and was able to avoid them, but had I been travelling at the speed that Mr. Buchere was going, I probably would have hit one of the pedestrians. I don't know all of the facts in the Buchere case, but I can understand how a cyclist could hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
I think this is in the category that light timing is not based on 15 mph bicycle speed but on what the speed limit is for the road. So cyclist entering on a yellow at lower speeds that the post speed limit could easily hit the cross walk as people are crossing. which means cyclists should be extra careful to stop...unless they are fast.
I know that under CA vehicle code you are legal as long as you enter the entersection under the yellow, but as best as I can tell that does not give you a right of way if people start legally in the crosswalk.... things like reckless driving can be considered.