Cars that pull too far into the intersection
 

Lately I’ve experienced a few situations where cars will pull too far into the intersection and sit right on top of the crosswalk. I use that crosswalk to get across the street on my commute since it connects directly to a (protected) path on a bridge across the freeway. Usually the driver looks at me and feels stupid (as they should), but they cannot back up due to the car immediately right behind them. So this forces me into the cross traffic to get around the car. Most of the time I have to cut right in front of the car and try not to get hit as I do that.

Any tips to avoid this? Would you just sit through the light and wait for the next crosswalk light? Ask the police to pay closer attention to that intersection (since it is a freeway off ramp)?

In Texas, at least, if you ride across a crosswalk and you are hit, the motorist can’t be charged. Only pedestrians are allowed in crosswalks. Compared with some of the other products of the state legislature, not the worst law… they’ve set a pretty low bar.

I have one intersection on my commute where I have to cross 5 lanes. I know the timing and when someone blocks the crosswalk I either go in front or behind them on foot. It doesn’t cost me any time. When I get across I set up to follow the motor vehicles after light turns red. I get a nice long empty stretch and sets me up well to take the lane at the next light where most traffic turns but I stay straight.

I gitcha Bro...

I usually cut them some slack if they look up to realize they have moved in too far.

You know how it is... A/C going full blast in 100° F weather, music blasting away, and those urgent cell phone texts that need to be addressed...

Who's got time to pay attention to a cross walk... Ha

No magic one size fits all solution, just do what you think is safe under the circumstances. That's got to vary by the amount of traffic, how far the car invaded the crosswalk, visibility at the intersection, etc.

Sometimes, it's ok to go out of the crosswalk and proceed, other times you might need to wait for the crosswalk to clear.

The nastier drivers will make it ambiguous if they're actually staying put or about to start up again in this situation, btw. They're usually pushing a right on red like it's our job to get out of the way of that.

Not sure if it would work in your situation, but I've made it a habit to dismount and walk across in the x-walk. Being pushed out of the x-walk stinks, but you don't have much choice. Either in front or in back of the protruding vehicle, each of which has its' own perils. On foot, you can jump out of the way if someone doesn't see you and starts to drive at you.

Know your state laws for crosswalks. And if your municipality in that jurisdictions says anything too.

Don't assume what talks about pedestrians applies to cyclists, runners or other people that aren't simply walking as pedestrians.

And realize there are a lot of people out there that didn't have to do much to get their drivers license. Probably taught by a parent that also was taught by a parent. Usually such things don't involve anything but the actual mechanics of driving to learn the skills. Not much on laws or common sense.

Not that I really think high school drivers ed course are that much better. They have issues too.

Cars that block the crosswalk endanger pedestrians too. They also have to walk around it with some people into the moving traffic while others behind the offending car.

If enough people just put their grubby hands all over the offending car while trying to cross, maybe it'll eventually stop.

On what could be a long down hill run on one of the MUPS, there is a driveway out of a grocery store. Cars are always blocking the trail. They never look to the right in this instance where I am coming from. I am getting really close to getting one of those really loud horns.

I use the traffic lane as often as possible, even if I'm going to exit it to a side path once through the intersection. Depending on the situation, this may not always be practical so that may mean just waiting for the next light.

I'm almost always in the street and almost never in a cross walk yet the latter is the only place where I was hit by a car. I did the math and choose to avoid them.

OP is in MN. Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same "rights and obligations" in crosswalks there.

Does that matter to me? Or does it invalidate what I said?

Take a trials bike riding class!

Why so defensive? I think LDL was merely posting helpful info for the OP.

This is the internet. I thought that was a prerequisite to participation.

Well I'm trying to find out if I need to be defensive of my comments or not.

Usually, if a persons quotes some other, they are in disagreement with something said. So a response is expected I'd think.

Sometimes people use another's comment to build on a thought.

However, in this case, I'm not even certain why my comments would be used to provide that information that was added to the conversation. They stand well on their own without any need to quote anyone else.

For the OP's question though, I think livedarklions summed up my actual unvoiced thoughts in reply #4.

You told the OP to know their state laws, so yes that state law would actually pertain to your advice. I would think that if you're telling the OP it's important to get accurate information, including that information should matter to you, yes.

Did I imply that I was trying to invalidate what you said? If anything, I was just augmenting it.

And now that you ask, actually, knowing what the law says really doesn't have much use in answering OP's question--obviously, the car isn't supposed to be in the crosswalk regardless, and the law isn't going to affect whether or not it's safe to go around the car.

I quote people I'm in agreement with a lot. I had no idea why my response to your quote provoked such a hostile response. OP didn't bring up the state law, you did, so that's what I responded to.

Trust me, if I'm overtly disagreeing with you, you'll know. I am not known for my diplomacy around here.

I did disagree with your post a little bit (I don't think the state law is particularly relevant to the OP's question, but I wasn't going to make an issue of that until you "challenged" me).

Say what Cupcake?

Why you, I oughta....​​​​​​

I've no idea why you or AlmostTrick thought this hostile:
I was perplexed because I didn't understand why that seemed to be directed at me.

I can agree that maybe my comment wasn't completely relevant, but the conversation was already headed that direction. And I still feel like your first reply was the best answer and up until I'd gotten to your reply, that was pretty much what I was going to say so I had nothing left but to recommend, know your state and local laws.

So if you quote me, I'm probably going to respond if I can't see exactly what you are getting at, or if I disagree. As I said, if you'd just put out the comment without quoting anyone, it would have stood on it's own.

Ive noticed that respondents in this section of the forum are often contentious, more so than other sections. Psychologists, get to work on why matters of safety raise hackles...

I mostly quote people I think make a good point, and maybe add another perspective. Why argue with someone on a forum? State your case and don't get personal. Opinions vary. If you think youre right and theyre wrong, so be it. Life's too short!

If they are insulting, it's more of a reflection on them than on you.

On foot there is one spot like this for me near home. I just make sure the right turn traffic sees me before I walk out in front of them. Basically I just walk around the car when the coast is clear otherwise.

Same intersection driving my car as I exit the Interstate and get to a crossing highway at a stop light. I want to turn right on red but without fail the car to my left (usually a monster truck, SUV, or some other huge vehicle it seems) is too far forward completely over the crosswalk and I CAN"T SEE past them to my left for approaching traffic. So even tho I could legally make a right on red I have to sit there waiting for a green light, then wait for the vehicle blocking my view to start moving before I dare to make my right turn.

On a bike I never find myself in this situation. But if I wait in car, I guess I'd be waiting on my bike.

Make no mistake about it. If I invest my valuable time in insulting someone, it is most assuredly a reflection on them.

I hate drivers who creep when they should stop. Driving deliberately is both safer and faster for everyone.

Honestly, I can't imagine why you wouldn't see this as hostile--
Quote:
Does that matter to me? Or does it invalidate what I said?



And given the context, I have no idea how you possibly could have been "perplexed" by someone actually providing the information you yourself said that the OP should familiarize themselves with. Frankly, if you had given about .5 seconds to looking at what I actually quoted, you should have figured it out.

I just think you have a weird attitude about getting quoted.

Ah Grasshoppah....you are very wise and observant. No place for you in A&S. This is where we make unfounded claims then fight to the death defending them. You would be very sad here.

Why not go behind them?? I do that LOTS. Maybe I'm on the road or lots of times I'm going along the sidewalk. If there are 3 lanes cars, then this won't work.
Lots of times if someone is waiting for only me, I'll wave and get out of the way and go behind. Or also because they just aren't looking my way.

your other option is to stop & wait for the car to move

related?: we have a new bike trail in my town with way too many road crossings. some particularly poorly designed & dangerous. I saw one boy, riding out w/ his sister & father, get hit by a car. sideswiped & he was OK. regardless, everyone in town is trying to get used to this disastrous new trail & it's terrible road crossings

early on, while driving to work, I came up on a blind intersection & stopped behind a car that stopped abruptly for car traffic traveling perpendicular to us. I was stopped blocking the bike trail. then a guy on a bike came along & didn't want to stop so he just started yelling at me. things happen in traffic & ppl need to realize this & be understanding. of course, now I am more mindful approaching this particular crossing & slow down a lot & look both ways & always leave that crossing free. but other ppl won't have had my experience there, including young drivers, who, in general, don't have the judgement based on a life of driving experience to know better

as far as us on bikes w/ these types of crossings we have no control over the situation. however, I find a front strobe helps stop cars approaching perpendicular to my travel while riding on the road. I don't use strobes on bike trails tho, so I just stop at road crossings & wait for the cars to yield for me

just occurred to me, if you are are riding on a sidewalk, you might consider walking across the crosswalk

If it was me I would be in the traffic lane and avoid the crosswalk.

If it is the kind of crosswalk where the traffic design has a sort of directional kink in order to get cyclists to stop before crossing and there is also a ramp down to road/crosswalk at right-angles, then I would prefer to check overtaking traffic while approaching and then take the wrong ramp down to road level and pass far in front of the crosswalk due to motorists continually parking on top of the crosswalk or just driving through it without looking.. This is way faster/smoother/easier/better than slowing up to make a cramped almost-turn in order to enter the planned crosswalk.

If both of those are unpalatable then I would enter the crosswalk as normal and roll up to the vehicle as far as possible and then just wait, moving forward as you are able, but be sure to act as a pacifist as there will be a wide range of driver reactions to rolling up close to the vehicle and then waiting patiently without remark or reaction. If there are several lanes of through and right-turning traffic, more than one of them may be annoyed but hey, the blocking motorist did it first.