Reply to If you enter the intersection while a pedestrian is crossing, where'd you learn to drive?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Your time to cross, typically coincides with the car's time to turn.  I work in the Farragut West area, if drivers waited for the cross walk to be completely free to turn, MAYBE one car could go with every light change.  Traffic would be even worse than it is now.

And for those who intentionally slow down, what is wrong with you? As long as the car isn't doing something illegal (like running a red light) quickly cross so everyone can get where they are going.

These are types of pedestrians who seem to want "But I had the right of way" printed on their tombstones.

[/quote]

Creeping your car up on someone is threatening.  If it’s too crowded with people then don’t drive your car there.[/quote]

DP.  I normally give pedestrians really wide birth, I always stop at mid-block crosswalks when people are waiting to cross, etc.  My only exception is when I’m trying to make a right turn on green during rush hour downtown.  I still keep a safe distance, but will creep forward into the crosswalk as I can in order to make the turn as soon as possible.  It’s really not about trying to hurry pedestrians, it’s about traffic being so wretched that drivers doing that to help more cars through the light can mean the difference between a five minute wait to make a turn and a 20 minute wait.  That’s meaningful when the person three cars behind you is trying to make a daycare pick-up deadline.

We can all stand to be a little kinder and more understanding toward each other.[/quote]

It's only a problem when that inching into the crosswalk is not giving people a wide berth.  Then you need to plan to leave earlier to make daycare pickup while driving in a crowded city.  Take traffic as a fact of life and plan accordingly.[/quote]

When pedestrians follow the law about only entering the crosswalk when the walk signal is on and stop entering the intersection once the don't walk signal is flashing, then I’ll worry about your “wide berth.”  Traffic wouldn’t be nearly as bad if pedestrians followed the law too.[/quote]
I don't know about Virginia but that is not the law in DC or Maryland.

And there are virtually no drivers in this area who are occupying any moral high ground when it comes to following the rules of the road - almost every driver I see is violating multiple laws almost continuously - it is not uncommon on my walks at almost every intersection to see a driver making an illegal right on red without stopping or using their turn signal while holding an active phone in their hand.[/quote]
DP. The DC government actually does say pedestrians cannot enter a crosswalk when the Don’t Walk light is flashing. “No pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of a “DON’T WALK” or “WAIT” signal.” https://ddot.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddot/publication/attachments/bike_ped_traffic_reg_summary.pdf[/quote]

That is a summary explanation.

The actual law says that pedestrians cannot enter on a solid don't walk signal and has no language prohibiting entry on a flashing signal.  If it were the case then the signals wouldn't have 3 phases.[/quote]

No, you’re completely wrong.  It says pedestrians may enter the crosswalk to the “walk” phase but not during the “do not walk” or “wait” phases.  See reg 18-2302.  Per the MUTCD (which DC has adopted), the flashing upraised hand (symbolizing “Don’t Walk”) means someone who already entered the intersection on the “Walk” may proceed to the far side, but no pedestrians may enter when the hand is flashing.[/quote]

The MUTCD is a guidance document not a legal one.

Please provide a citation in a District of Columbia legal document or handbook where it states pedestrians cannot cross on a flashing do not walk signal.[/quote]

DC regulations do not rewrite the MUTCD; they just adopt it as the standard (as required) with clarifying modifications (as is permitted). Those three modifications do not include what you are claiming.

[quote]
http://dcrules.elaws.us/dcmr/18-2100

2100.2 The District of Columbia adopts the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (2003 ed., rev. 1 Nov. 2004) (MUTCD), and all subsequent editions thereof , as the official standard for traffic signs, traffic signals, pavement markings, and traffic control devices in the District of Columbia, with the following exceptions:

(a)The centerline pavement markings on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 3rd Street, N.W., and 15th Street, N.W., shall be white rather than yellow as required by Chapter 3B, Section 3B.01 of the MUTCD.

(b)The countdown display on pedestrian crossing signals shall operate for the duration of the "WALK" interval for pre-timed traffic signals rather than operate only during the "DON'T WALK" interval as required by Chapter 4E, Section 4E.07 of the MUTCD.

(c)Lane control signs installed prior to January 1, 2008, shall be mounted along the side of the roadway rather than over the centerline of the controlled lane as required by Chapter 4J, Section 4J.03 of the MUTCD.
[/quote]

This is also addressed specifically in the following sections:

[quote]2302.2Pedestrians facing a “WALK” signal may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal and shall be given the right-of-way by the drivers of all vehicles.

2302.3No pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of a “DON’T WALK” or “WAIT” signal.[/quote]

No "unless it is flashing." It doesn't matter whether it is flashing or not: a "don't walk" symbol means "don't enter the intersection."[/quote]

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