prathmann

There are some restrictions. California Vehicle Code:
21955. Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk.

And local authorities (cities/counties) can legally impose additional restrictions, CVC:
21961. This chapter does not prevent local authorities from adopting ordinances prohibiting pedestrians from crossing roadways at other than crosswalks.

SHBR

Heh, must be a 1ST world problem, Here they get out of their cars and walk on the freeway if traffic is stopped.

Walking is the oldest form of transportation, and its unlikely to go out of style anytime soon.

tarwheel 

I see it all of the time and it baffles me to. I passed a jogger the other morning who was running in the middle of the street in low light conditions. There was a sidewalk beside the street. I understand that a lot of joggers run on streets rather than sidewalks because they find the surface more even and forgiving. But why run down the middle of the street? Anyone driving down that street would have been forced to move all the way into the opposing lane of traffic or risk running him over.

jon c. 

I never see that here and I wonder if it isn't due to a historical absence of sidewalks outside the city center. When they put in a new sidewalk, people use it.

tigrpal

I can't imagine the street being a better place to walk or jog than a sidewalk. The street is crowned. One leg will be hitting it at a lower point than the other. That would hurt my knees eventually.

One reason for street walking in my village is the dogs in the yards. You walk by a yard and a dog is jumping and barking just inches from you on the other side of a hedge or old fence. That can be scary.

mgw4jc

Road camber. The middle is the most level part.

I run in the middle of the road sometimes, or just left of the middle. It depends on the road and traffic conditions. But if I'm doing this, I'm well aware of when a car is coming from in front or behind. And being in the middle allows me to move to either side of the road depending on where the car is coming from.

Now a cyclist with no lights could possibly sneak up on me from behind. But so far I don't recall any close calls or incidents. There aren't many cyclists in my area at 5am.

tigrpal

A Prius or other electric car might be able to "sneak up" on you also.

mirfi

+1, streets are smooth and lot better maintained than the sidewalk, never know what to expect on the sidewalk.

rumrunn6

well, whatever it's called

Jaywalking

my point was, if they have the right of way, why can they be ticketed? I dislike laws that make no sense
[h=2]Fine or Other Penalty
$1 for the first, second and third offenses in a calendar year
$2 for fourth and subsequent offenses in a calendar year[/h]

KonAaron Snake 

Apparently all the justification needed for some is that it's a better option for them.

cobrabyte

yes, yes, by now we're all well aware you fancy yourself an agitator. "Freak out the squares, man!"

Seems a bratty way to make a point, but I doubt you'll be swayed until you get hurt or hurt someone else. Of course, you may feel justified and blame whomever you eventually cause injury to.

I jaywalk sometimes, too. Sometimes it's quicker, sometimes it's even safer than some intersections. I wouldn't go so far as to say I "love" doing so. What's there to love? Are you that passive aggressive?

cobrabyte

With regard to peds on the roadway. I would only venture to guess some do it for the same reason cyclist sometimes avoid sidewalks. Other times it's a matter of perspective. Are they concerned with your convenience? Should they be? Courtesy is not universal, unfortunately.

locolobo13 

Maybe I've missed it but joggers have told me that concrete is bad for the feet, asphalt is OK. Many joggers believe that. IDK if true or not.

As for peds walking? Too many variables. There is a perfectly fine bike path. No bikes on it. Why not walk on it? Oh? Was there a sign, "Bicycles"? Missed it.

Here in Phx many sidewalks are too narrow. You have the street vendors on their vending trikes riding on a sidewalk that will barely allow 2 peds to slip by each other. Even with a bike path right there on the street. Then you have groups of youngsters that want to walk 3,4,5 abreast. I've seen 2 on the sidewalk, 2 on the bike path, and 1 in the street walking abreast that way.

alan s 

This is an uninterrupted 2 mile stretch, with the bike path separated from the road in different ways depending on where you are: plastic bollards, grass, and double line. Plenty wide to ride 4 abreast in most places, clean and smooth. The road, OTOH, is in very bad shape with cracking pavement, potholes and patches, and the traffic generally moves at 40-45 mph, and is very windy and narrow with no shoulder so you have to ride in the lane.

KonAaron Snake 

I believe that punching people who irritate me is good for my health and a positive stress relief outlet. Unfortunately the person I'd like to punch gets a say too. And there are laws about that.

Like most things...a little common sense and basic courtesy goes a long way. Jog in the street...ok...but do it during low traffic times, don't use headphones (be aware of your surroundings) and when you're in a narrow bike lane, or your choice impacts traffic, jump out of the street.

gregf83 

You mean the driver would need to put down his coffee and look up from his iPhone and move the steering wheel a couple of inches?

I really don't understand this attitude that the runner or cyclist is somehow causing a motorist an inconvenience when he has to move off his straight line of driving.

KonAaron Snake 

I really don't understand this attitude of people making decisions for what should irritate others.

In an area/situation where all the person has to do is move to the left to pass...and there is space to do so...I don't think anyone is upset. It ain't that simple in all areas/situations. When there is a runner in my little bit of lane, and he HAS A SPACE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR HIS USE, and it forces me into traffic...yes...I'm going to get annoyed. It happens frequently and that movement out of my bike lane can put me unpredictably in traffic. So his convenience is impacting me.

Cyclists who back up traffic are going to irritate traffic. We can have a disproportionate affect given our small numbers...and saying "they shouldn't be annoyed" is the height of self important egotism. I do my best to avoid impacting others...and I rarely have problems as a result. Again...it's basic manners and common sense. Sometimes I slow someone down and I'm not going to kill myself to stop that from happening, but I'm also going to avoid roads where I have to take a lane and ride in traffic during rush hour. I'm also not going to tell someone else how they should FEEL about something. Action is another matter.

I am well aware that many of our self important contingent disagrees with me...believing that everyone should accept and kao tao to their choices. And like it! The driver isn't even entitled to irritation.

mgw4jc

Maybe, but even the noise of car tires rolling on asphalt is loud enough to hear. And most of my running is pre-dawn, so I'm seeing the headlights - or the light from those headlights - well before I hear them.

kickstart

Walking/running on a residential street is different from doing it on a 4 lane state highway. If its not causing any problem or there isn't any other option, why worry about it?

no motor?

You and several others are missing the point of my question - I really don't care what they do as long as it doesn't bother me. But I do wonder why they would chose to avoid walking on a clean flat smooth uninterrupted sidewalk when they walk on the dirty uneven street.

And perhaps part of the issue here is personal bias. I find that bicycling tends to stimulate my senses and make me more aware of things around me. Which makes me think more, I'm sorry if that offend some who want to go through life thinking less.

spare_wheel

Call me weird but I love crossing the road efficiently and safely when there is no oncoming traffic.

yankeefan

I jaywalk quite often and I agree at times its safer and more efficient. The problem is that NYers jaywalk like f***ing dumba**es. They listen out for a car, and if they don't hear one coming they take it as an invitation to jump out from behind a parked car and into the bike lane, and when they get hit, they say "OMG the cyclist just came out of nowhere and he was going sooo fast (fast = 10-12mph)! Its completely not my fault and that cyclist should braked and come to a complete stop in the 2-3 seconds I gave him to respond...!!!"

Or even worse, they are wearing headphones and step out in the bike lane and stand there waiting for cars to clear the street, completely oblivious to the fact they are obstructing traffic. When they get smacked flat they tell the cops "he didn't ring his bell" or "he should have swerved around me (and put himself at risk of getting hit by oncoming traffic so as to save my negligent a** )".

If you're going to jaywalk, stick your head out and look both direction before you enter the road. It makes it safe for everyone.

kickstart

People sometimes do silly things that make sense only to them, and will not be understandable through critical thinking.

fietsbob

WHY? Survey Them.. get a Clip board and a piece of paper and ask, then write it down , and report back.

SouthFLpix

I notice this early mornings on my Saturday rides. Since there is usually no traffic at those early hours I just ride around them and it's no hassle. I don't know why they do it, but ok maybe it's because dogs near the sidewalk can bark loudly and that might get annoying.

What's more puzzling to me is that there is a local park that I often ride through that has dedicated concrete running paths, a track, *and* a dirt / gravel running path and still some people run on the road. I can't figure that one out.