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foureyeswithbeard t1_jea2gel wrote

From a legal perspective, I think you're correct here but that pedestrian could choose to step into the crosswalk at any point; I think it is totally appropriate to preempt that in a car.

Even if they ARE in the crosswalk and I stop in my car, I would still be blocking the view of them from cars in other lanes; they should be driving slow enough and aware enough to perceive what is happening and react in time.

The onus should be on the folks wandering the city in multi-ton metal boxes to be as safe and cautious as possible.

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EmergencyYoung OP t1_jea3eg9 wrote

But, The law says the pedestrian can't disregard traffic.

I see pedestrians standing there, who didn't feel comfortable crossing, now feeling compelled to cross busy street, because some guy in a tahoe stopped.

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adhforiwnabfit t1_jea4qir wrote

I think the point is that many people don’t know the law. Trust me, I can’t count the amount of times a friend has just jutted out in traffic while saying “don’t worry, they have to stop!”

From the perspective of a driver going through a dense area with lots of walkers, the risk of hitting a pedestrian just seems too great. Even if the law by definition is on your side, is that really going to comfort you if you do hit, injure, or kill somebody?

Also, I think some drivers stop to let people cross simply because there is a line of cars behind them and they think they are being polite.

So yeah, you’re not incorrect, but I really don’t foresee things changing the way they are.

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Impossible_Bill_2834 t1_jebl2b9 wrote

I agree about the safety aspect, but on the flipside, there are some intersections I would never make it through without a kind soul specifically stopping for me. (Looking at you, Dock Street)

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EmergencyYoung OP t1_jea5teh wrote

The politeness thing, if the pedestrian isn't ready, or comfortable crossing yet, then they end up crossing before they want to, also out of politeness to the driver who stopped, and maybe disregarding better judgment about traffic flow that day.

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rainbowbeluga t1_jeajr95 wrote

Regardless of how legally correct I think this is, I share this opinion—not due to concern over traffic flow but for the safety of the pedestrians. I don’t trust drivers behind me to notice that another car has stopped to let pedestrians to cross. The pedestrians would be semi blind to an adjacent lane because of the stopped car, and a careless, speeding person driving up that lane could easily hit them.

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foureyeswithbeard t1_jea5m2n wrote

"The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously."

From https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title46.2/chapter8/article16/

And yes, I agree it says that pedestrians should not disregard oncoming traffic, and I agree there is mutual responsibility here, but again, the onus is on the multi-ton vehicle operator because if something bad happens, the potential for damage/death is SIGNIFICANTLY higher at their mass and velocity.

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Cactuscouch757 t1_jea5tcs wrote

The person going around the Tahoe would be breaking the code you reference. Also the vcu police post a slightly longer version of the code you listed. Their B: says you cannot pass a car stopped at a crosswalk.

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EmergencyYoung OP t1_jea6ijq wrote

Correct, issue is, especially in some parts of Carytown, is this person just stopped to park? or are they letting someone cross. Because, every few seconds a car is just stopping in Carytown, particularly to make a right, and waiting on that side crosswalk to open up.

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