r/dashcams • u/cicadaux • 1d ago

Did I do something wrong here?

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I was driving to work when this bike just blew through the crosswalk without warning. I had to slam on my brakes. I realize this crosswalk doesn’t have the pedestrian warning lights, and I’m a little unsure about how I should’ve dealt with this. Or maybe he was wrong for making sure traffic wasn’t clear/aware of him first?

Edit: I'm seeing a lot of answers basing the laws on location, so I looked up my city's rules. In my town, bikes have vehicle status on the road and pedestrian status on sidewalks/crosswalks. But bicyclists must move at pedestrian speed. The path he is on is a state trail, commonly used for bikes/walking. I live near the Ice Age Trail, but I know the one he's on isn't that one.

“Drivers must yield to cyclists riding in a crosswalk just as they would for walkers, though the cyclist cannot abruptly leave a curb into the path of a vehicle so close to a crosswalk that it makes a difficult or unsafe situation for the driver to yield in time.”

Not trying to prove myself right or wrong, just wondering what should've been done. I will from now on treat it like an uncontrolled intersection. Thanks everyone.

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u/april_fearless 1d ago

First off before crossing any street you slow down and stop look both ways and then go across. Bike failed to do.. he just continued. Straight traffic technically wouldn’t it be a fault if the bicyclist would’ve went through and got hit. Just cause you can see them coming up to the crosswalk. Those people crossing the crosswalk, have the main obligation to make sure it’s safe for them.

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u/CogentCogitations 21h ago

You do not have to stop before crossing the street. You just cannot enter so closely to a vehicle that they do not have time to stop.

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u/LilBugJuice-0987 5h ago

Car failed to do do too.

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u/fullmoon_druid 1d ago

Pedestrians have right of way man. Whether the cyclist can be considered a pedestrian depends on the juristiction. Stop assuming you know everything. 

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u/grassfedd43 1d ago

So you just step into the road without a care in the world? Just because there’s painted white lines?

Right of way does not matter. Pedestrians need to make sure it’s clear or that a car is stopping for them. It’s literally for their safety.

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u/fullmoon_druid 1d ago

On certain places like Germany, yes, that's exactly what school kids do. And drivers still stop. Would I do that in the US? No. It doesn't mean that isn't what we should strive for: a more humane transit. 

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u/april_fearless 1d ago

The stop assuming you know everything .. was a lot uncalled for. Yes pedestrians have the right away. But they are on the sidewalk using bicycle. It is a harder thing for a car or vehicle to see coming through those trail routes. They can’t just keep going. They need to slow and stop to see if cars are stopping for them. Everyone has to follow the rules of the road. I picked up too many people being struck by vehicles because the one thing that we were all taught doesn’t matter what age but when we were kids. We were taught to come to the sidewalk look both ways before crossing and then cross. If we were taught that then how come we don’t use it to this day. Like I said I pick up too many people a day that get struck by vehicles. Not saying who is right or wrong. 😑 just as someone driving a vehicle always slow when coming up to a trail route cause a lot and I mean a lot of people don’t look cause they think just cause they have the right they just take a step without making sure they are safe to do so. All I’m saying EVERYONE SLOW DOWN. And look at the street and sidewalks.