SB 73 is ready for the governor’s signature. It is primarily concerned with railroad crossings – making it an infraction for failing to obey the instructions of a railroad flagman to stop the vehicle and requiring a motorist to stop at a railroad crossing upon the approach of on-track equipment. But, it also has a law of more general concern – what to do with those flashing pedestrian walk signs.
Flashing “don’t walk” means a pedestrian may not start to cross the roadway in the direction of the signal. A pedestrian who has already started to cross on the “walk” signal shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island. If a countdown pedestrian signal indication is also shown, a pedestrian may cross if the pedestrian is able to proceed to the sidewalk or safety island by the time the steady “don’t walk” signal is shown, and a person who drives a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian.
This is pretty much the same instruction given for the “don’t walk” signal. Sometimes you wonder if the whole traffic code should be scrapped for a one line statute that says “be careful.”
Actually, I think there is a meaningful distinction. The new law seems to say that if there is a “flashing don’t walk” on a signal that does not have a countdown clock, then the pedestrian may not enter the crosswalk (actually, this is what the old law said, but it’s still there). If there is a countdown clock, then a pedestrian can cross if he has enough time to make it to the other side, even if the signal also is showing a “flashing don’t walk.” In other words, if I approach a signal with no clock, and it turns into the flashing red hand, and there is no clock, then I have to stop no matter what. If the same thing happens but there is a clock that says, e.g., 15 seconds, then I can enter against the “flashing don’t walk” as long as I can make it in 15 seconds.
Yes, and people are also supposed to make an effort to stop their vehicles at lights that turn yellow before reaching the intersection, slow and proceed with caution at flashing yellow signals, drive at or below the speed limit, yield right-of-way when making left-hand turns, yield to pedestrians, obey standard traffic laws on their bicycles, and otherwise try to be courteous on the roads, whether operating a vehicle or on foot.
Driving today I witnessed at least 3 people blow through yellow lights, at least 50 people driving more than 5 mph over the speed limit, and a pair of ladies who waited for traffic while they had the right-of-way and then proceeded to casually stroll out in front of me as my light turned green. I’ve never seen anyone slow at a flashing yellow unless they are inebriated or vision-impaired (in which case they generally stop). Also, a friend I was riding with the other day nearly drove over someone on a bicycle who rode straight across an intersection that we were turning right onto as he was riding on the wrong side of the road and paying no heed to us. Finally, when was the last time someone was courteous to you, let alone on the road?
If laws were actually enforced, the city would have such a budget surplus, we could ship it off to the State to help with their issues. We need to deputize some volunteer traffic officers, IMHO, to help either raise more money through violation fines, or at least put a stop to all the madness by at least frightening people back into obeying laws intended to provide citizens safety. Either that or we should just make people spend $100 a month to simply do as they please on the roads and stop enforcing laws. Let the insurance companies sort it all out. (That last line was sattire.)