Crosswalks: How Do They Work?

[Longhorn85]

Seems like a simple question, but it seems to be different in various states and countries. I just spent the last few weeks in the US and Canada, where most pedestrians watch and wait until traffic stops or clears, then they step out onto the crosswalk. Approaching cars stop or slow down if there are people already using it.

In Portugal since I have gotten back I have to be careful not to run someone over because here they step out even with cars approaching fast because they expect you to stop when you see them. They step out like they were protected by some kind of force field, sometimes without even looking.

Which way is correct? I say it is the first way, Mrs Longhorn says the second way is correct.

 

[AAP]

The Frogger method.

 

[Longhorn85]

Frogger method = Death Race 2000

 

[blueta2]

In Toronto, it's the law to stop at a crosswalk and cars will stop no matter what. Here in Quebec, we don't and will run anyone over if they walk in the street.
I like the Toronto way better

 

[vixensghost]

I say option #2.

Your school monitor option takes me wayyyy back!The crossing guards I experienced 99.9% of the time were blinder and meaner than a rabbid bat!!! I'm surprsied us kids were not road kill stats in monitor training classes.

 

[Longhorn85]

I say option #2.

Your school monitor option takes me wayyyy back!The crossing guards I experienced 99.9% of the time were blinder and meaner than a rabbid bat!!! I'm surprsied us kids were not road kill stats in monitor training classes.

Now I know where the term throw yourself in front of the bus came from

 

[Longhorn85]

School monitors rule here, where are the risk-takers?

 

[Smurfy]

living in the DC area is my first real experience dealing with pedestrians on a regular basis. nobody walked anywhere when i lived in the far south suburbs of chicago among the corn fields. so i had to train myself to actually stop before the crosswalk lines so as to avoid running into pedestrians. also, i had to learn to wait until they crossed to drive through when turning right or left. kind of annoying because im impatient behind the wheel and im always mumbling for people to hurry to fuck up

 

[Cutiebaby]

They are supposed to have the right away here in mass, and they are supposed to use a cross walk..What I hate most is the jay walkers who just walk out in front of you and expect you to stop, meanwhile there is a nice cross walk with the button right next to them that they don't use. In mass it depends where you live, some places it is easier to cross others you have to sit there forever and take a risk. If you ask me my opinion the cross walks should be mandatory and people should only have a short amount of time to move across the street. I feel what smurf was saying I get so pissed off sitting there waiting for assholes to cross!

 

[Longhorn85]

living in the DC area is my first real experience dealing with pedestrians on a regular basis. ... kind of annoying because im impatient behind the wheel and im always mumbling for people to hurry to fuck up

I was in DC last week, in Crystal City. As I was making a left turn at a traffic light some dude stepped out in front of me and expected me to stop. I let him go but I made eye contact with him and pointed to the "walk/don't walk" sign. He looked. It had a big ass red hand saying "stay your ass on the curb, chump"

 

[Smurfy]

I was in DC last week, in Crystal City. As I was making a left turn at a traffic light some dude stepped out in front of me and expected me to stop. I let him go but I made eye contact with him and pointed to the "walk/don't walk" sign. He looked. It had a big ass red hand saying "stay your ass on the curb, chump"

did you honk>? i would have honked?

 

[Longhorn85]

Nah, I don't really like to honk. I prefer giving the stupid look.

 

[SaladFork]

Depends on where you live really. I live in downtown Seattle, and you don't dare step off a sidewalk unless you have the 'walk' signal. And I hate the slow fucks that take their sweet time crossing while your trying to turn.

 

[digimon7068]

my town has "yield to peds in crosswalks" signs all over the place. . .i believe that the sign means that if someone is standing AT the crosswalk, you're supposed to friggin' stop and let them cross. . .

most of the pea-brained rednecks in town seem to believe that it means that you have to yield if someone is already IN the crosswalk. . .

i don't think that you need a sign to tell you that you're not allowed to RUN OVER YOUR FUCKING NEIGHBORS. . .thus, i believe that my interpretation is correct. . .

until the LE starts enforcing it, it's just another fucking bright yellow sign. . .

 

[ponyfitness]

Crosswalks here in TO have the lights that go off if you press the button. The only problem is most of the idiots here don't press the button, you don't see them and they walk out in front of your car.

And it also drives me nuts when people use crosswalks at 6am when there is no traffic. Just freaking jaywalk already instead of holding up the one car on the road.

 

[javaguru]

I always stop and look, never know when a driver might not be paying attention and the human body doesn't do very well against a Suburban @ 25 MPH.

 

[Longhorn85]

my town has "yield to peds in crosswalks" signs all over the place. . .
most of the pea-brained rednecks in town seem to believe that it means that you have to yield if someone is already IN the crosswalk. . .

That is, after all, what the sign suggests, isn't it?

 

[digimon7068]

That is, after all, what the sign suggests, isn't it?

anybody that can not read between the lines should have their fucking license revoked. . .period. . .

 

[Longhorn85]

Why depend on reading between the lines when the English language can send a precise message?

It was worded poorly, which obviously leads to confusion. Instead of expecting people to be mindreaders, why don't they just change the sign to read what you say it means: "Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks"

Or, maybe, they meant in crosswalks, which is what most people selected in this little poll.

 

[digimon7068]

Why depend on reading between the lines when the English language can send a precise message?

It was worded poorly, which obviously leads to confusion. Instead of expecting people to be mindreaders, why don't they just change the sign to read what you say it means: "Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks"

Or, maybe, they meant in crosswalks, which is what most people selected in this little poll.

the picture on the sign shows the ped standing on the friggin' curb. . .they drew a fucking picture for the illiterate drivers that somehow still managed to pass a written driver's license exam. . .which brings me to another point. . .if you get your hands on the driver's license exam for your state, i'll bet you'll find out that there's a LOT of laws that require you to be able to read between the lines. . .

also. . .in PA. . .it's ALWAYS BEEN ILLEGAL TO RUN OVER PEDESTRIANS IN THE CROSSWALKS. . .sign or no sign. . .if you hit a person in a lined crosswalk in PA YOU'RE FUCKED. . .

 

[Powerbuilder333]

I always look all ways before walking. Doesn't matter if it's at a cross walk, in a parking lot, or I'm jaywalking.

 

[Sub-Zero]

i adhere to the "reality" method in all things in life.

if you talk shit to someoen bigger/better at fighting than you, and he whoops your ass, thats what you fuckin get.

if you step out in front of a heavy as fuck fast moving vehicle, and get hit, thats what you fuckin get.

so that being said, i still dance around making fun of people bigger than me and better at fighting, as long as i have good backup, or a good plan, so i dont get fucked up,

just like if a cars moving fast towards me, i wont get in front of it...ill wait untill i can get across the street WITHOUT getting killed

 

[Longhorn85]

1) the picture on the sign shows the ped standing on the friggin' curb. . .

2) it's ALWAYS BEEN ILLEGAL TO RUN OVER PEDESTRIANS IN THE CROSSWALKS.

1) i see, so it wasn't the "Abbey Road" version.

2) I always knew PA was a compassionate state.

 

[RottenWillow]

Beginning in '05 our state government (Ga) started erecting small stop signs at all heavily used crosswalks with warnings that it is state law to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. The signs arent clear about someone approaching the crosswalk, but I've mostly seen drivers treat them like a yield sign in those cases and slow down and look at people who may be near the crosswalk. In downtown Atlanta though it's basically a fucking free-for-all though.

 

[digimon7068]

1) i see, so it wasn't the "Abbey Road" version.

2) I always knew PA was a compassionate state.

sorry. . .you accidently hit on one of my pet peeves. . .i live in a smallish town (approx. 15,000) and i'm involved with the downtown revitalization committee. . .we meet once a quarter to discuss what's been going on with various downtown construction and renovation projects and to discuss things that need to be done to make the downtown more user friendly. . .i've consistently offered the following suggestions:

1. make motorists yield to pedestrians who are waiting to use the crosswalks,

2. make motorists obey the 25 mph speed limit,

3. turn down the fucking car stereos and

4. no jake braking within the city limits.

all of these things are extremely intimidating and/or annoying to the general populous and a couple of them are downright dangerous. . .if it's not good for the majority IT'S NOT FUCKING GOOD. . .period!

imho, until you do these 4 things, all the other bullshit is just an expensive attempt to polish a turd. . .

 

[KillahBee]

I've never seen anything like here in SoCal. Downtown, everybody waits until they get the white "free to walk" hand signal to cross. Seriously - there could be ZERO cars on the road and everybody will still stand on the corner and wait for the signal.

I'm in awe at it.

 

[digimon7068]

I've never seen anything like here in SoCal. Downtown, everybody waits until they get the white "free to walk" hand signal to cross. Seriously - there could be ZERO cars on the road and everybody will still stand on the corner and wait for the signal.

I'm in awe at it.

ba-a-a-a-a-a-a

 

[digimon7068]

Beginning in '05 our state government (Ga) started erecting small stop signs at all heavily used crosswalks with warnings that it is state law to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. The signs arent clear about someone approaching the crosswalk, but I've mostly seen drivers treat them like a yield sign in those cases and slow down and look at people who may be near the crosswalk. In downtown Atlanta though it's basically a fucking free-for-all though.

just curious. . .how long do you have to wait at the corner before someone (d00d) stops to let you cross?

 

[RottenWillow]

just curious. . .how long do you have to wait at the corner before someone (d00d) stops to let you cross?

It's just like yielding for an oncoming car when you have a yield sign, meaning no set time. Judgement call.

 

[digimon7068]

It's just like yielding for an oncoming car when you have a yield sign, meaning no set time. Judgement call.

no. . .i meant when your hawt little self is standing on the corner waiting to cross. . .do you have to wait long, or does the first d00d that comes along flat-spot his friggin' tires to get it stopped before the crosswalk??

 

[Longhorn85]

Beginning in '05 our state government (Ga) started erecting small stop signs at all heavily used crosswalks with warnings that it is state law to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. The signs arent clear about someone approaching the crosswalk

That seems to be the case in most places in the US. The traffic laws aren't really protecting the pedestrian until he/she has stepped out. The assumption is that it is clear as you are doing the stepping out. The stop sign is a good idea, here in Lisbon some of them are lighted as well, but not nearly enough of them.

 

[heatherrae]

Technically, pedestrians have the right of way in the crosswalks, but that is a good way to get run over, as a practical matter...lol.

 

[Longhorn85]

Seriously - there could be ZERO cars on the road and everybody will still stand on the corner and wait for the signal.

Now that's discipline