Originally Posted by
Buzzatronic
Yeah I agree, problem is in Washington state much of the bike access is based on the assumption that bikes will ride in the crosswalk and freely move between the two. The thing I specifically won't do is use the crosswalk to get by a red light when I was in the road when the light turned. However, if I'm on the sidewalk it's expected that I will use the crosswalk as if I were a ped and it's also expected that there are times where I'll move back into the road from the crosswalk.
It's weird around here and quite honestly the lack of consistency makes it more dangerous in my opinion. I think you're right though, drivers get made when bikes cherry pick between being a vehicle and a pedestrian when the driver thinks it gives the bike an unfair advantage.
Yup, the problem with absolutes is there is no "absolutely in every situation". There is black and white obvious stuff and then there is safety trumping cookie cutter rules. I don't have any issue with what you did, in fact what you did WAS safer than doing it completely as a biker OR a pedestrian. And those situations, you have to use your head in them. My situation was a similar one, I decided that in one area it was safer to be in the crosswalk and sidewalk area(a busy street crossing) and the block after, I got back out into the street to ride. Something I had done 1000x before and did after that even. I guess I would rather get a ticket than be dead, KWiM?