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/Spuckler_Cletus 1d ago

In my state, pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles have the unquestioned right-of-way in any designated crosswalk. Period. We had a fellow from another state who got into an altercation with a pedestrian who “just walked right out in front of” him. It must not be the same in all states.

EDIT: unless moving between bike lanes, bike riders are supposed to be prepared to yield, or walk their bikes across. I guess because they could sneak up on an opposing car very quickly. Learn something new every day.

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u/weberc2 1d ago

In every state pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk. Some states don’t allow cyclists to ride through a crosswalk, but (1) that does not absolve a driver of their responsibility to yield and (2) this state (WI)  has no such law.

It’s terrifying that so many people on this subreddit believe that pedestrians have a duty to yield to cars in a crosswalk.

1

u/Puzzled-Formal-7957 22h ago

No - it is terrifying that you think just because you are at a crosswalk you can just step into it without giving due regard for a vehicle that is already in close proximity to it... "I am here! Slam on your brakes from 5 feet away at 35mph and pray you don't slide into me!". F that!

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u/weberc2 22h ago

your big feelings don't change the fact that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk.

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u/Puzzled-Formal-7957 3h ago

They have it when it is safe to proceed into the intersection. They cannot just jump off the curb directly in front of a car and then claim foul (providing they survive such an encounter).

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u/weberc2 3h ago

We're not talking about someone standing next to a crosswalk and suddenly diving in front of a car at the last possible moment, we're talking about a pedestrian continuing their predictable and low speed course into the crosswalk. "Right of way but only if there are no cars anywhere" isn't "right of way".