Originally Posted by
OMEN!
Trying to stay on topic - what Christophe said here is kind of what I was getting at. Surprisingly, I am allowed to ride without dismounting, on the sidewalk (I always believe this to be illegal). Does that mean I could have, after yielding to the pedestrians, crossed without dismounting in the 'zebra stripe' crosswalk rather than in the bike lane and been within my rights? Not trying to be a wise-a**, but I feel like I have more questions now. How does this impact when a red light isn't triggered - would I have to press the button and then walk across?
Generally, towns can say that riding bicycles on the sidewalk is illegal.
That is, the local towns are allowed to override what the state says about bicycling on sidewalks.
If you are on the sidewalk (and it's legal to ride there), you can enter the crosswalk.
It's always (and clearly) legal to walk your bike in the crosswalk (or sidewalk). Whether you are allowed to ride there is going to be ambiguous. That is, even if the law doesn't make it explicit, it doesn't mean the cop isn't going to tell you not to.
Generally speaking, the only way to be a "legitimate" user of a crosswalk is by entering the crosswalk from a sidewalk.
It's not at all clear that, when you are riding in the road, you can ride over to the crosswalk and ride in the crosswalk.
The most reliable/legally-safe options are:- Just stay in the bike lane and follow the traffic lights (like you are supposed to).
- Get off your bike and walk over to the crosswalk and walk your bike across.
Most riders are going to take the first option.