Saturday, July 5, 2008
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Tracking Virginia’s General Assembly
since 2007.
HB1478: Pedestrian control signals; abide by words or symbols displayed thereon.
Chief Patron
Del.
David Toscano (D-57)
David Toscano
(D-57)
Charlottesville, VA
Served: 2006–
Progress
 |
Introduced |
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Passed Committee |
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Passed House |
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Passed Senate |
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Signed by Governor |
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Became Law |
Status
03/07/2008: signed by governor
Summary
Pedestrian control signals.
View Full Text »Video
Votes were cast on this bill on the following dates for which Richmond Sunlight has video: 01/25/2008, 02/07/2008, 02/07/2008, 02/08/2008, 02/08/2008, 02/11/2008, 02/12/2008, 02/25/2008, 02/26/2008, 02/26/2008, 02/28/2008, 02/28/2008, 03/07/2008 and 03/07/2008.
Poll Results
5 votes
Tags
Bill Text
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Comments
This bill resulted from the case of Charlottesville's Gerry Mitchell, who was badly injured in this traffic accident last month:
I'm not so sure I feel comfortable substituting "numbers or symbols" that mean "walk" for the word "walk". How am I supposed to know what number means "walk"? How many different symbols will they come up with? Why not just a single consistent standard of signals that say "walk" and "don't walk"?
There are models of pedestrian control signals that produce sound to indicate whether or not it's safe to cross, with the visually impaired in mind. I'm curious how somebody blind would be subject to existing law or this modified law if they were to cross against those signals.
Why not introduce a bill requiring safe driving lessons for police in response to the accident instead of a bill that would have made the ticket Mr. Mitchell got legal? Do we want to be able to ticket people who are hit by police cars or do we want police officers to be more careful in their driving so they don't hit pedestrians? Sheesh.
I thought people might also be interested in HB1270, on which I am a co-patron. The bill provides greater protection to pedestrians who enter a marked crosswalk by requiring drivers to stop and yield. Present law now requires them only to yield.
Good bill, should help a lot. I still think we need safe driving lessons in the police academy though and perhaps required traffic school for police who have an accident involving a civilian.