Thanks- this has always been a bit confusing to me. I'm not exactly sure why there needs to be a law to stop for people in a crosswalk. If you don't stop when someone is already in the crosswalk, wouldn't you kill them? Which is already against the law. So then that leads me to assume that this law means to stop for people who are about to enter the crosswalk.

Before I get downvoted, I'm just trying to understand the purpose of the law.

You have to stop if someone is in the crosswalk and not directly in front of you.

For example in Carytown if someone is crossing and in the left lane but you are in the right you can't just wizz by them, you need to stop even though you won't hit them.

The way I understand it is that it legally establishes right of way to assign fault to the driver in case of an accident.

Thanks! Didn't know that.

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.

Right, if they are IN the crosswalk, all lanes have to stop, and passing the stopped vehicle is illegal

It also stipulates that a pedestrian can't ignore traffic, interestingly.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

At almost every pedestrian crossing in Richmond you have to be IN the crosswalk(toe over the curb at minimum, but typically a parking space width) just to see traffic around parked cars. Cars should be stopping more often.

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.

City needs to install crosswalk lights, plain & simple. Saw these implemented around Univ of Mary Washington a few weeks ago.

And I also think pedestrians need to be reminded/encouraged to GO to crosswalks at lights when they're available. I'm guilty of just rambling across a street rather than go to a corner because I didn't want to go 150 feet further and wait for a light to change, but I should know better.

Thank you. I’m no longer in Richmond, but the number of cars that just chill at an intersection when I’m clearly not crossing makes me so uncomfortable as a pedestrian. And they won’t drive even when I wave them on, exasperated.

I don’t want to cross. I don’t trust any vehicle ever as a pedestrian. I wish cars would follow the law and be predictable rather than try to aggressively courteous to the point where it becomes an issue.

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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“She may not survive..”

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….

Just stop for pedestrians and don’t speed past cars stopped at crosswalks? Pay attention while you’re driving, especially in pedestrian heavy areas (hint: these are areas with lots of crosswalks in which other vehicles may stop in order to let people cross).

You do not know how many times I could not see a car approaching because of the cars that are parked on the side of the street. I live off of Cary, so I walk or sometimes scoot to classes considering how conveniently close everything is. The worst thing about living in the city without a car is definitely having to worry about the cars as a pedestrian/scooter.

EXACTLY. I've encountered this 'aggressive kindness' as a pedestrian too and yeah, if I have my kid with me especially, I will cross when I feel safe.

Like going beyond the law, even with good intentions, is literally breaking the law. People don't seem to get that.

I think the crosswalk light thing is the actual only solution to this.

Car=people surrounded by safety equipment and steel/aluminum/car structure material and able to injure/maim/kill humans even at low speeds

Pedestrian=people exposed to the elements, vulnerable to injury/maiming/death from cars/trucks/busses even at low speeds

Sure, traffic should flow and be predictable, but cooling your heels in your comfy car for a few seconds is not a great tragedy. I'd rather people in cars defer to pedestrians whenever possible.

Of course, but were not talking about cooling ones heals.

Specifically, we are talking about Cars stopping to decide when people are walking, rather than yielding to people walking.

In my neighborhood, as a pedestrian and as a driver, I never assume that any traffic law is being obeyed. I've lived in lots of different places and this is the least predictable area traffic-wise that I have experienced (and I am an early genXer).

This is perhaps the strangest worst take I’ve ever read about something.

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)

Sometimes, the multi lane, multi light crosswalks are even more harrowing. Even a simple intersection like Grove and Thompson? Turning cars never look. People specifically gun it to make it through a red. I look five different ways before crossing there because I have almost been hit there from every direction. I can't even speak about the "crossing" of Thompson/Floyd that's on the highway side. I agree everyone should be predictable and respectful of the ways of the road, but these crossings need major help

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So, in heavy traffic, pedestrians are just supposed to stand there indefinitely? Or, they are supposed to risk their lives by actually stepping into the crosswalk (and oncoming traffic) hoping cars will stop?

What do you think the law says?

What do you think it says?

Well if pedestrian can't disregard incoming traffic, I'd say they would have to wait to cross. If it was that high of traffic, they could wait there indefinitely. Or, they could walk towards a stoplight and using the crossing light, there.

Yes. You wait until it’s safe.

THIS.

I'm from Boston, and.... What?!

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