JanMM

The OP needs to provide some information about what the heck he is talking about. Not enough information.

Machka 

You need to clarify your situation.

groverdill

Well, I certainly opened up a can of worms with this one! That wasn’t my intention, although it led to some informative discussion. My original post was in regards to a recently developed bike/walking path that goes from one end of our small town to the other. It’s fully paved and crosses some bridges, parking lots, alleys, and (get ready: here it comes) busy streets. I’ve seen cyclists waiting to cross while still in the saddle, and I’ve seen them dismount and wait to walk their bikes across. There is no traffic light there, but there are signs that state “traffic must yield to pedestrians in crosswalk”. And by the way, I’m coming at this from a motor vehicle operator point of view. As I approach the crosswalk in my car, and a cyclist is still seated on the bike, I will stop for them. But I often wonder if they’re supposed to dismount and walk, or if it’s ok/legal to ride across a marked crosswalk.

Now that I’ve clarified my original post and reread it, most likely it varies state by state. Maybe. I think.

Mike

sumgy

You can't get a reasonable answer, basically because every State in your country seems to have different laws (ridiculous in a country with 52 tiny States).
Where I live, I can ride wherever I like (roads, footpaths, crossings, shared paths, on-road bikelanes) with the exception of Motorways.

KraneXL

California's economy is 5th largest in the world. That make it larger than the UK. In more ways that one you might want to rethink the term "tiny"states. Also, for the record, there are 50 states, but the laws are more alike than they are dissimilar.

sumgy

Economic size might be relevant IF we are talking about economics.
But we aren't.

wphamilton

I have never dismounted in that situation and there may be some local ordinances to clarify it. Various States are in relatively consistent about pedestrians and crosswalks, with some minor variations.

The big difference here is that the crosswalk is alongside a path, not a street, so there is no difference between riding in the crosswalk or beside it in the lane, as you would on a street. No motor vehicles can turn into it or out of it, which is the real danger. I'd be surprised if anyone could legally insist that you dismount.

Kabuki12

In the seventies(about 1976 or so) I took a cycling class at our local Community College. I was getting serious about cycling and my wife and I had recently given up driving for a few years. I was taught then that if you are on your bike you do not use cross walks or side walks. If you are walking your bike you are considered a pedestrian and can use crosswalks or side walks. It seems pretty simple really, but then humans are not simple so I guess anything goes! Now I don't see the same courtesy as often but then that is my perception. In Southern California where I live it is pretty densely populated so a lot of the time I just focus on my behavior , not others , unless it gets scary . Joe joesvintageroadbikes.wordpress

KraneXL

So what exactly are we talking about? Population? Square km? If compared to the UK for example, the result would be no different. Texas is also large than most European countries. I hope you leaned something today and will use better adjectives from now on.

Nope, you were taught correctly. Its just that some people here will do and say and make any irrational argument they can to make themselves appear right. Of course once you dismount, you become a pedestrian and are afford all those rights and privileges. In a world full of irrational people that's just not the best position to take, especially when you know they're doing it wrong. If you see something, say something.

mr_bill

You are in Pennsylvania. It's legal to ride in a crosswalk (marked or unmarked), but you must yield to pedestrians.

However:

"Automobiles are not required to yield to bicycles being ridden across a crosswalk (at a trail crossing for example) as the bicycle is treated as a vehicle. A better choice is to dismount and walk your bike across."

-mr. bill

sumgy

You have 50 States (sorry, I must have included Greenland and whatever other country President Fanta-face thinks he can buy this week), 48 of which are within a land mass the size of Australia where I live (which has 7 States and 2 Territories).
According to previous posters each of those 50 States have different road rules that road users need to be aware of.

That was the basis for my comment, not your ramblings about how California has a great economy, or how great you think the USA is.

I hope that you learned something today, and will learn to ask questions to clarify when you don't understand a comment in future (rather than doing an incredibly poor job of puffing out your chest and attempting to belittle others.

sumgy

What do you mean?
Are you saying you should police others?

KraneXL

I stated all facts. How that was interpreted by you is your limitation. And just so you know, I criticize the U.S. and its policies everyday. What did they teach you at your school? I was tough its your civic duty to report crimes, and common decency compels me to speak up when I see a wrong. What would you do if you saw a parent abusing their child? Turn a blind eye and walk away and convince yourself its not your business? If something like that happens around you it is your business, and the law supports your reporting it. This is what I'm saying.

wolfchild

Policing other cyclists is something that doesn't even enter my mind. It's not my job to police other cyclists for petty little violations.

bobwysiwyg

This is an Ann Arbor intersection of Maple Rd. and Jackson Rd. I pass this frequently on one of my favourite routes.

No offense, but I find absolutes like this at best peculiar. Without any knowledge of local specifics regarding intersections and the approaches they baffle me. I much prefer the road, but sadly we have a few intersections where it would be foolish to attempt this. Fortunately, these six lane death traps are guarded by pedestrian controlled signals. Once beyond them, I gladly hit the road again.

KraneXL

And yet this website (and society) exists, and filled with people who are doing just that. What makes them different? Superior knowledge? Wisdom? Morality? You might want to rethink that philosophy.

sumgy

100% agree.
Bloke obviously has fantasies about being a cop.

MikeyMK

I have walk mode. It's when I'm perched on a bike but moving at walking speed, sometimes slower. Kinda like mobility scooters.

Remember I'm sat upright, with platform pedals, and other such practicalities.

Digger Goreman

Usually ride across after being (sometimes) ridiculously (sp?) sure about approaching drivers both ways. Yesterday's close call was because I ​​​​​​​made sure it wasn't a back page headline.

As stated before, in another thread, you have to drive for them too... even if rolling on two wheels/walking....

starchase

Man, I miss Ann Arbor . . . in the Spring, Summer and Fall.
John

bobwysiwyg

.. but not winter?

starchase

as you may imagine!

Before we moved to Savannah we lived 3 miles from work at what used to be Edwards Brothers, a book manufacturer, close to State and Ellsworth, and I could bike to work, but not in Winter. One time I left work in a blizzard and waited too long for my bus to come that would take me right by my domicile, but it never showed. I was dressed for sitting in a fairly warm bus and running to my door, not for slogging 3 miles in a raging blizzard through a foot of snow, wind in my face! It was a life changing experience!
John

wolfchild

I committed some serious violations today. I rode my bike through about 15 pedestrian crosswalks, Anybody wants to come and arrest me ??

Padgett

The official rules on my college campus state you can not ride your bike on the crosswalk, you must dismount and walk. Also, riding bikes on the sidewalk is "only allowed when no pedestrians are on the sidewalk." However, this rule is ignored all the time and we all ride around like crazy. The only bike racks are adjacent to sidewalks with heavy traffic, so it creates quite a dilemma. Another dilemma occurs when some designated bike paths are only accessible by sidewalks. Quite a muddy situation.

KraneXL

Many college campuses have the no bike riding rule on heavily traveled paths. Others (smaller college) restrict riding anywhere on the campus -- except roadways of course. Larger college campuses with dormitories are more liberal for obvious reasons.

Still, USC just removed a chunk of their previous bike path through the center of campus for safety. That includes skate boards and scooters (although there are still vehicles on the path).

Anyway, the VA campus has a similar rule, and like in your case there is zero enforcement by police or security. When I see someone riding on the sidewalk I remind them to obey the signs. The moment I step on the sidewalk, I dismount.