Austin Drivers Redux or Pedestrians Beware (Atlanta, Canadian: live, law, safety)

[sanmiguel]

Here is the situation: A pedestrian is crossing a wide and busy street in the clearly marked crosswalk. He is halfway across the street when a car approaches. Which of the two scenarios fits the current reality in Austin?

A) The driver stops and allows the pedestrian to cross before proceeding
B) The driver takes note of the speed the pedestrian is walking. Instead of stopping he speeds up slightly or slows down just enough to avoid hitting the pedestrian and continues driving.

When I moved to Austin, I was immediately made aware of what I considered to be a significant problem with jaywalkers. At first, I thought that people were just too lazy to walk a little distance in order to use a crosswalk. Now that I am walking more due to the gas crisis, I have come to the conclusion that walking in a marked crosswalk only gives one a false sense of security. Why bother? Austin drivers generally do not stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks. Has it always been this way?

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by sanmiguel

Here is the situation: A pedestrian is crossing a wide and busy street in the clearly marked crosswalk. He is halfway across the street when a car approaches. Which of the two scenarios fits the current reality in Austin?

A) The driver stops and allows the pedestrian to cross before proceeding
B) The driver takes note of the speed the pedestrian is walking. Instead of stopping he speeds up slightly or slows down just enough to avoid hitting the pedestrian and continues driving.

When I moved to Austin, I was immediately made aware of what I considered to be a significant problem with jaywalkers. At first, I thought that people were just too lazy to walk a little distance in order to use a crosswalk. Now that I am walking more due to the gas crisis, I have come to the conclusion that walking in a marked crosswalk only gives one a false sense of security. Why bother? Austin drivers generally do not stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks. Has it always been this way?

One fact has been left out of this scenario. Is this a controlled intersection, that is, is there a light at the intersection? And does the pedestrian have the light and the automobile is turning right, or is the pedestrian crossing against the light?

[sanmiguel]

I wasn't talking about drivers or pedestrians disregarding a red light. An example is the intersection of Red River with Park Blvd near HEB and the 24HR fitness. Red River is quite wide at that spot. There is a clearly marked crosswalk and a yellow sign with a watch for pedestrian marking. Prudent walkers would wait until there are no cars approaching before setting out to cross. Nevertheless, due to the width of the street, speeding cars and motorists turning out of the HEB parking lot onto Red River, it is the norm that the scenario I described occurs in which the pedestrian is only halfway across when the cars are virtually on top of him. It is one thing to have the right-of-way but no one wants to be "dead right". It is just very unnerving to freeze in the middle of the street and see a cellphone using driver blithely pass right in front of you without stopping. Sometimes I feel like a bullfighter in the middle of that intersection.

Anyway, having lived in a lot of different states and countries, I have come to the conclusion that Austin drivers by far are the worst in yielding the right of way particularly towards pedestrians.

[TexasHorseLady]

Ohhhhh. You do realize that the majority of the drivers in that area have been driving for three years or less, right?

[crux]

Originally Posted by sanmiguel

Anyway, having lived in a lot of different states and countries, I have come to the conclusion that Austin drivers by far are the worst in yielding the right of way particularly towards pedestrians.

Atlanta trumps Austin on lack of pedestrian patience.

[orngkat]

There is another "protected" cross walk further south on Red River near the hospital. Several times, I have seen medical personnel attempt to cross only to be caught midway with deer in the headlights looks as cars whiz right through. I can only assume that the drivers don't know the laws about pedestrians in crosswalks.

[iceshots]

Originally Posted by orngkat

There is another "protected" cross walk further south on Red River near the hospital. Several times, I have seen medical personnel attempt to cross only to be caught midway with deer in the headlights looks as cars whiz right through. I can only assume that the drivers don't know the laws about pedestrians in crosswalks.

For an out of towner (Canadian) will shortly become an Austinite, what exactly is the law regarding pedestrian crosswalk. I would assume that anyone in a protected crosswalk already has right of way over oncoming cars. Up here you stop until tehy have cleared the cross walk.

[czwdb]

Originally Posted by crux

Atlanta trumps Austin on lack of pedestrian patience.

That's funny that you say that because I moved to Atlanta a year ago, and will be moving to Austin in two weeks thankfully, and it's amazing how many pedestrians walk across the street without looking.

[TexasHorseLady]

Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 552: Pedestrians



§ 552.003. Pedestrian Right-of-Way at Crosswalk

2. The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway in a crosswalk if:
   1. no traffic control signal is in place or in operation; and
   2. the pedestrian is:
      1. on the half of the roadway in which the vehicle is traveling; or
      2. approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.
3. Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and proceed into a crosswalk in the path of a vehicle so close that it is impossible for the vehicle operator to yield.
4. The operator of a vehicle approaching from the rear of a vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross a roadway may not pass the stopped vehicle.

[iceshots]

Thanks for the info THL. In other words, USE COMMON SENSE!!!!!

Gonna have to get a hold of a driver's manual when I get down there so I will know which rules are similar and which are different. Don't want to give the Austin cops a reason to ticket a car with Ontario plates.