Walnut Creek Police want to remind you of the importance of vehicle and pedestrian safety.
There are a couple of sections within the California Vehicle Code that address right of way concerns in regards to pedestrians.
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- Section 21950(a), as we all know, gives pedestrians the right of way when they are in a crosswalk. Subsection (b), however, states, “This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.” This means that before a pedestrian can leave the curb, they must yield the right of way to any vehicles close enough to constitute a hazard. A pedestrian cannot simply walk into the crosswalk and expect approaching vehicles to yield.
- Section 21954(a) states, “Every pedestrian upon a roadway at a point other than within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard.” Again, this is pretty straight forward. If you’re crossing the road outside of a crosswalk, you have to yield the right of way to approaching vehicles.
Every year, police respond to far too many vehicle -vs- pedestrian collisions.
Some people walk away with minor bumps and bruises and some don’t survive.
They have a few common sense tips to help you get across the street:
1. Look both ways before crossing the street
2. Don’t enter the roadway just because you have the right of way; make sure you can make it across safely. Unfortunately “right of way” alone won’t keep you safe.
3. Move across the street expeditiously. Don’t lollygag in the crosswalk.
23 comments
Another common sense tip:
4. Get your face out of your cellphone.
5. Remove at least one earbud, or turn the volume down when crossing the street.
But alas, a lot of pedestrians with cellphones and earbuds are lacking in common sense.
Unless the volume is turned up unnecessarily and unhealthily loud one can still sounds around them when when wearing earbuds. It’s if the wearer is so absorbed in what they are listening to that they aren’t paying attention to what is going on around them that poses a hazard.
That should be (of course) “one can still *hear* sounds”. Miss the ability to edit posts within an hour or two.
I used to drive a lot through WC for an old job, it was not uncommon to see a baby stroller blindly appear in the middle of the street from between two vehicles with an oblivious adult behind it.
“Every year, police respond to far too many vehicle -vs- pedestrian collisions.”. Thanks for telling us whose side you are really on. Is this why the WCPD does nothing about the speeders and stop sign jumpers on my street? Along with the steady stream of cars ignoring the “no through traffic” signs”. We pedestrians are considered warned i guess. My response to the WCPD is “get the traffic under control”. It’s your job!
You are absolutely right, Jojo.
Slow down crazy drivers.
And stop at stop signs.
“Thanks for telling us whose side you are really on.”
You believe there are “sides” in this? How positively puerile of you.
Please post this on major street corners; especially in shopping districts.
Another way of putting it is it’s not a playground.
Thank you for addressing an ongoing issue of entitled pedestrian syndrome in Walnut Creek.. xo It’s a two way street!
The 3 “E”s for traffic safety – Engineering, Education, and Enforcement.
Which one do you think this tip falls under?
YES!! Everyone needs to be responsible for their actions.
Yes, Rollo, there are “sides”. And it’s not a childish thing.
I wonder if this is being brought up because of the red light runners on Bancroft Road at the CC Trail Crossing.
So a child, or bicyclist, crossing on the green is responsible for what happens to themselves when they cross on a green?
JJ,
This is not being brought up because of red light runners on Bancroft. If they run the light and you are in a crosswalk, then they are liable. However, you are dead! That’s why the law states: “This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety.
Common sense. Don’t cross the road in front of a speeding car, even if you have the right of way. Wait the extra 3 seconds and live to cross another day.
Yes, I am a cyclist but that’s not what I was writing about. At the North end of Walnut Blvd (where Cherry lane and Walden meet) there is a three way stop. Very rarely does anyone actually stop. I do, mostly to piss off the guy behind me who is likely cutting through Cherry lane on their way out east on Treat. Zooming through that narrow windy road. I avoid the crossing of Bancroft because of that recent horrendous crash. And because it is rare for a driver to actually get any punishment for killing a pedestrian or cyclist. Standard excuse of “I never saw them” is used often. See:
http://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-perfect-crime-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/
The perfect crime indeed.
@JJ:
Oh, well if you say so. Then it should be simple enough for you to explain, in a non-childish manner, who is on the two opposing sides. Or maybe it’s a triangle with three sides? Ooh – a polygon?!?! This should be fun!!
Jojo,
I know that area well. I used to live on Cedarbrook Ct. And I got hit head on by a car on Cherry when I was 6. This was before they had any bike lanes. But it was Mom’s fault because she told me to “Always ride AGAINST the traffic”.
Thanks Mom.
Simply, self-preservation. Maybe these vehicle codes should be posted at some Walnut Creek crosswalks for the pedestrians that are lacking common sense.
If you eliminate all of the pedestrians, then there will no longer be a problem. You’re welcome.
And don’t forget in Walnut Creek he with the most expensive car has the right-of-way. That’s how they seem to drive there.
My driver’s ed teacher once said that the train always has the right of way. So does the speeding car.
Stay alert, stay alive.
Back in the day everyone’s Mom told them to ride their bikes against traffic. Hey what were they all up too?
If that’s the “day” I’m thinking of it was because kids were expected to be mostly riding on the sidewalk and the against traffic plan made some sense. But more recently, bikes have become to be more considered as vehicles so that plan went out of style. Now days bikes are expected to ride on the right side of the road.
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