Emphasis can breed confusion

I applaud the emphasis patrols performed by our various law enforcement agencies. Lately, city, county and state police have announced crackdowns on driver shortcomings including speeding in school zones, speeding in general, driving under the influence, left-lane driving, and crosswalk courtesy (or lack of it).

To me, any process that educates drivers is worthy. However, many drivers have told me that the abundant attention spent to get drivers to stop for pedestrians could be creating confusion. Additionally, one reader feels that drivers may be taking publicity about restricted left-lane travel too literally.

The purpose of crosswalk emphasis patrols is simply to get drivers to scan ahead, spot, and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. The first element of confusion is that there are marked and unmarked crosswalks. The marked ones are obvious, but there are also unmarked legal pedestrian crossings at every intersection unless an official sign prohibits such crossing. These are the only places on the roadway that a pedestrian should be afforded the right of way.

Reader K.K. observes, “I have regularly seen drivers stop in the middle of a block on busy streets to allow pedestrians to jaywalk. I have seen drivers stop at green lights in order to allow pedestrians to cross in front of them. I don’t know if these drivers are trying to be courteous or if they really think they are obligated to stop anytime someone on foot wants to cross the street, regardless of where it is. This of course is very scary on multiple-lane streets. On the pedestrian side, some apparently think that the crosswalk enforcement allows them to cross wherever and whenever they please (jaywalking, crossing against signals) and to expect traffic to come to a screeching halt for them. Do they have a death wish?”

Those comments from K.K. echo concerns I’ve heard from many drivers. As noted, drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks, but here are some of the remaining pedestrian rules as set forth in the Washington RCWs.

RCW 46.61.240 reads:

•”(1) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

•”(2) Where curb ramps exist at or adjacent to intersections or at marked crosswalks in other locations, disabled persons may enter the roadway from the curb ramps and cross the roadway within or as closely as practicable to the crosswalk. All other pedestrian rights and duties as defined elsewhere in this chapter remain applicable.

•”(3) Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

•”(4) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.

•”(5) No pedestrian shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic-control devices; and, when authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic-control devices pertaining to such crossing movements.

•”(6) No pedestrian shall cross a roadway at an unmarked crosswalk where an official sign prohibits such crossing.”

And 46.61.235, “(2) No pedestrian or bicycle shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk, run, or otherwise move into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop.”

But (I hope this doesn’t create more confusion), RCW 46.61.245 reminds drivers, “Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this chapter every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway.”

Pedestrians, please learn these laws, and don’t let emphasis patrols make you overly bold. Whether you are right or wrong, you will still lose if you turn your crossing into a contact sport with traffic. And drivers, please remember the destructive potential of your vehicles.

Reader D.S. thinks that some drivers take the “stay-right-except-to-pass” rule too much to heart. He wrote, “I am routinely annoyed by drivers who so strictly adhere to the “drive right/pass left” rule that they stay in the right lane too long and return to the right lane too soon. That is, as they overtake me they end up following too closely before going around, and then as soon as they are even slightly clear, jump back into the right lane, and baffle me by cutting me off.”

That is certainly an annoying practice, D.S., and maybe those drivers are overly programmed to stay right; but I believe that you give them too much credit. I suspect that their behavior simply exhibits lack of skill, insufficient concentration and discourtesy.