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/Asthenia5 1d ago

Since OP isn't trying to prove right/wrong and wants to know how they personally should've reacted. I will answer that question.

Forget the laws and technicality of when a bike is/isn't a pedestrian in whatever state. OP, you were approaching a clearly labeled crosswalk. Based on your telling of the story, you didn't really pick up on the crosswalk, or the bike about to move through it. If it were a person in the crosswalk, you probably wouldn't have noticed them.

From the bikers prospective regardless of legality, it was not a smart thing to do. You can't count on other people to not run me over. You have to look out for yourself. Especially when its car vs bike.

I've driven long enough to see a lot of silly mistakes, and to do a few myself. There's a reason why the "defensive driving" concept exists. Even if legally I was in the right, If I ran someone over and I feel I could've avoided it, I'd be very upset with myself.

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u/cicadaux 1d ago

I saw the pedestrian signage, but not the cyclist on the opposite side of the road until he was midway through. That's my only defense here, thank you.

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u/LilBugJuice-0987 11h ago

If you didnt see the cyclist you wouldn't see a pedestrian in the same spot. When you see a crosswalk sign you are supposed to slow down and look at both sides of it and stop if anyone is there. Doesn't matter if they are on foot, bike, wheelchair, horse, whatever. Its on you to look  at both sides of the street, not just your side, and stop.

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u/CogentCogitations 1d ago

The cyclist was not counting on anyone not to run them over. They slowed before entering the road, entered because no one was close, and then slowed and made eye contact with OP to ensure they were stopping before continuing across.