# The latest on "Stop for Pedestrians" in Virginia



## mattotoole (Jan 3, 2008)

SB644, "Motorists to Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalks," has been delayed again. I've posted the details at http://www.vabike.org/sb644-delayed-again. The delay is frustrating but on the bright side we have another day to contact members of the House Transportation Committee.

Anyone in Roanoke, Richmond/Chesterfield, or Reston should call their delegate (Fralin, Loupassi, or Rust), to urge them to support SB644, Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalks.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

You've got to be kidding. In Virginia you can rundown a pedestrian- even if they're in a crosswalk?


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## capt_phun (Jun 14, 2004)

The law right now is yield, not stop.


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

There is also the question as to a cyclyst being a pedestrian. The law as I see it is unclear. It looks to matter if your on a bike path or a sidewalk. This assumes your riding and not walking. Not that the law looks to matter to the local police sometimes. They go from being well informed to completely wrong ( and hostle) regarding cyclists. Thanks for keeping us informed and working for all our bennifit


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## mattotoole (Jan 3, 2008)

homebrew said:


> There is also the question as to a cyclyst being a pedestrian. The law as I see it is unclear. It looks to matter if your on a bike path or a sidewalk. This assumes your riding and not walking. Not that the law looks to matter to the local police sometimes. They go from being well informed to completely wrong ( and hostle) regarding cyclists. Thanks for keeping us informed and working for all our bennifit


Actually it only matters if you're in _crosswalk_, where you have the same rights as a pedestrian. I don't have the law handy but that's what it says. Otherwise bicycles are considered vehicles on the road like any other.

Riding on sidewalks is not prohibited by VA state law but it may be by local law, and is in many towns.


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

Thats true if you walk your bike. If your riding your bike we have conflicting laws to consider and the issue of contributary neglegence comes up. Virginia law say bicycles have all the rights and responcability givin to motor veh . So if I am on a bike path (MUT) it is not considered the same as a sidewalk btw, and I come to a full stop and proceed to ride may bike across the cross walk am I a veh of a pedestrian?


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