BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I'm not sure if I like having videos of cyclists getting 'hit' while going against the light…

That said, well done on the foot+bumper dismount!

The light is red, but the walk sign changes from orange to white, so the driver is def in error. I'm not sure about how legit riding instead of walking the bike in a crosswalk is though.

The light was red, but the walk sign was lit, so the driver ran a red light. Technically the cyclist should have walked the bike across the street, or at least not weaved between the gridlocking cars.

Riding in the crosswalk is legal IFF riding on the sidewalk is legal. Walking is better form if pedestrians are present.

The first commenter says He veers out of the crosswalk well before he reaches the middle of the street, he zigzags around a car rather than waiting for it to clear the crosswalk, he thus creates a blind spot with a trailing vehicle so the outside lane driver can't see him, he insists on riding his bike across busy Mercer Street instead of dismounting and walking (which would have given the driver who hit him time to both see him and stop -- in fact, the car who hit him would have been long gone before the walking cyclist ever got to that side of the road), all vehicles have the sun in their eyes.

And, he's riding on the sidewalk which is facing traffic instead of the one travelling with the flow of traffic, which creates its own problems. The driver is clearly in error (running the red light is illegal, the cyclist's screwups are just bad form -- except maybe for leaving the crosswalk), but this is a good example of the fact that most car/bike crashes are caused by errors on the part of both the motorist and the cyclist.

Great dismount, though.

It was easily preventable had he paid attention. The driver is in the wrong though and must not have been paying any attention to the traffic lights or all of the congestion.

Hm. Actually, Google Maps shows that there is no crosswalk on the other side. The driver had the sun in her eyes and maybe couldn't see that the light was red (which, IMO, means she was "driving too fast for conditions" but I seem to be in a small minority with this argument).

But, y'know, when there are two lanes of traffic, and only one is stopped, you have to be careful about what might be happening in the other one that you can't see.

Lyle - until recently, I'd be in the "too fast for conditions" boat right along with you. But had a bit of an epiphany - driving through a kind of park recently, around sunset, all of a sudden rounded a curve and it went from no issues (I was under the speed limit b/c I was looking for something), to being suddenly blinded (angle of the sun around a building type thing). I hit the brakes as I attempted to find a way to shield my eyes, but easily could have coasted through a crosswalk and pedestrian in the process had one been where I hadn't been able to see. Not saying that's always the case, but in a split second I went from borderline obstructing traffic too slow to "too fast for conditions", and I was unable to predict it.

Not saying there aren't many cases where it's clear black and white, but having experienced a gray recently, I'm less comfortable defining the line unless I was there. YMMV.

The only change in condition appears to be that somebody entered a crosswalk (who was visible from about four car lengths away) Doesn't look like she brakes until one car length away

The lady had her visor down. If you cannot see the traffic light, slow down. There's also other pedestrians around, another reason the lady should have been driving slower

Totally missed the crosswalk sign! Good catch there… Though I am sure 'drivers' watching the video may miss it too.

Glad it raised the crosswalk riding concern though. At the 'all walk' phases at several lights in the city, I will stop, give peds right of way, but then proceed if it's all clear and enough time left. I've seen cyclists just blow through these, I am guessing from routine and 'knowing' it is safe.

I suspect that everywhere there is an all-walk phase, that sidewalk riding (and hence crosswalk riding) is technically illegal. FWIW.

I should clarify, like most worthless internet opinions, my story above was shared without having actually seen the video in question (work hates youtubes). Just struck me as an aspect of "too fast for conditions" that bears consideration.

I suspect that everywhere there is an all-walk phase, that sidewalk riding (and hence crosswalk riding) is technically illegal. FWIW.

in pa. other areas may have different rules.

HV -- I actually just meant Pittsburgh, as wojty said 'in the city', but I have no doubt you are correct.

Good reasons to not use cleats.

#4

Reason #5: Your bike could be snatched by a pterodactyl, forcing you to quickly jump off or be taken away and fed to its young.

@ lyle. That 1/4 second saved has often come in useful for me.

Maybe in your fantasy world it doesn't.

Must be a very special place.

Ooops.

Double post.

Actually, Lyle, the added weight of the bike (still attached to the riders shoes at the pedal) makes the tasty morsel just too heavy for the hungry pterodactyl to haul away.

And so the skillful rider manages a smooth landing, and rolls away to bike another day.