s/o Question about stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks

[Anonymous]

Obviously if there's a pedestrian already *in the road* in a crosswalk, the car has to stop and wait for the pedestrian. But when there is a pedestrian hovering on the curb waiting to go into the crosswalk, but still on the sidewalk/curb, is the car obligated to stop? I'm never sure of the right thing to do, and on a busy and fast street like Connecticut Avenue, I'm often afraid of getting rear-ended if I stop for someone not actually in the street yet. What's actually required by law? And what do you do?

[Anonymous]

Good question. I posted in the other thread about pedestrian's having the right of way if they are legally crossing but I'm not sure about this.

In my experience - people don't stop. I have to wait for a break in traffic and start crossing. Sometimes people stop when I am in the crosswalk - and sometimes not. I've had a couple of city buses stop when I was waiting on the curb and let me walk - but I had to be careful because cars coming up in lanes next to them may not see me coming.

I've actually had cars who see me in the crosswalk and they speed up. Smart huh?

[Anonymous]

Not required to stop in MD for so
Wine still on the sidewalk. I do stop if I thinkbit will increase a pedestrian's safety.

[Anonymous]

I always stop if I see them on the sidewalk waiting. ALWAYS! I lived in VA and IL and in both states it's the law.

[Anonymous]

As a pedestrian, I NEVER assume they will stop and cross only when no cars are coming.

[Anonymous]

In DC a motorist does not have to stop at a signalized crosswalk when the motorist has the right of way and a pedestrian is waiting to cross. However, at an unsignalized crosswalk a driver must stop if a pedestrian is waiting to cross. If the law were simply that a motorist must stop for a pedestrian in a cross-walk, it would make no sense. A driver always has a duty to avoid a pedestrian, whether the pedestrian has the right of way or not. And most pedestrians are unwilling to step into a crosswalk in a roadway unless they are assured that drivers would stop.

Fellow readers, this is an important safety law, particularly in a walkable area like metro Washington -- please carefully obey it. Similar laws are almost second nature in places like California or Maine but drivers here mostly do not comply. It will probably take some driver arrests and sadly, more pedestrian deaths for more drivers to pay attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In DC a motorist does not have to stop at a signalized crosswalk when the motorist has the right of way and a pedestrian is waiting to cross. However, at an unsignalized crosswalk a driver must stop if a pedestrian is waiting to cross. If the law were simply that a motorist must stop for a pedestrian in a cross-walk, it would make no sense. A driver always has a duty to avoid a pedestrian, whether the pedestrian has the right of way or not. And most pedestrians are unwilling to step into a crosswalk in a roadway unless they are assured that drivers would stop.

Fellow readers, this is an important safety law, particularly in a walkable area like metro Washington -- please carefully obey it. Similar laws are almost second nature in places like California or Maine but drivers here mostly do not comply. It will probably take some driver arrests and sadly, more pedestrian deaths for more drivers to pay attention.

Do you talk like this in real life? I mean, I agree with you point, but why do you "talk" this way? Are you a lawyer? YOu sound like one.

[Anonymous]

Right. The are supposed to stop for you, but a lot of drivers don't. I try to make a point of making eye contact with the driver before I cross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not required to stop in MD for so
Wine still on the sidewalk. I do stop if I thinkbit will increase a pedestrian's safety.

Do you have a Maryland Drivers License? Because you absolutely have to stop at a crosswalk for a pedestrian.

You can download the drivers manual where it explains it to you in detail on page 27
http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Driver-Services/RookieDriver/maryland-drivers-manual.htm

Now I don't think you have to stop in Virginia. I used to work at the FxCo Government Center and thought (silly me) that all cars had to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, but I almost got run over a couple times (by police officers) because I made the mistake of believing they were going to stop.

But Maryland Drivers - you must stop.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely! Drivers Ed 101. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten honked at and practically hit trying to cross roads in cross walks here. It's too bad cops don't set up sidewalk stings here like on the west coast - they make tons of money and save lives!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not required to stop in MD for so
Wine still on the sidewalk. I do stop if I thinkbit will increase a pedestrian's safety.

Do you have a Maryland Drivers License? Because you absolutely have to stop at a crosswalk for a pedestrian.

You can download the drivers manual where it explains it to you in detail on page 27
http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Driver-Services/RookieDriver/maryland-drivers-manual.htm

Now I don't think you have to stop in Virginia. I used to work at the FxCo Government Center and thought (silly me) that all cars had to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, but I almost got run over a couple times (by police officers) because I made the mistake of believing they were going to stop.

But Maryland Drivers - you must stop.

VA law requires the driver to stop for a pedestrian at a crosswalk. Unfortunately many drivers don't know this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: If the law were simply that a motorist must stop for a pedestrian in a cross-walk, it would make no sense. A driver always has a duty to avoid a pedestrian, whether the pedestrian has the right of way or not.

Actually, the law could make sense. Just because someone may be in a crosswalk a couple of lanes over from where you're driving, it doesn't mean that you couldn't keep driving and safely avoid them. So in that scenario you wouldn't be in a position of "avoiding" the pedestrian because they may not have gotten to your lane yet - thus the law requiring drivers to stop ensures that the pedestrian has a clear, safe path across the road. That is different from simply avoiding hitting them.