Pedestrians and drivers; sets out responsibilities at marked and unmarked crosswalks. (SB644)
Introduced By
Sen. Patsy Ticer (D-Alexandria)
Progress
√ |
Introduced |
X |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
√ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Pedestrians and drivers; responsibilities. Sets out the responsibilities of pedestrians and drivers at marked and unmarked crosswalks. Amends § 46.2-100 (“Definitions.”), § 46.2-821 (“Vehicles before entering certain highways shall stop or yield right-of-way.”), § 46.2-826 (“Stop before entering public highway or sidewalk from private road, etc.; yielding right-of-way.”), § 46.2-834 (“Signals by law-enforcement officers and crossing guards.”), § 46.2-835 (“Right turn on steady red light after stopping.”), § 46.2-836 (“Left turn on steady red after stopping.”), § 46.2-904 (“Use of roller skates and skateboards on sidewalks and shared-use paths; operation of bicycles, motorized skateboards or scooters, motor-driven cycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices on sidewalks and cros”), § 46.2-908.1 (“Electric personal assistive mobility devices, electrically powered toy vehicles, and electric power-assisted bicycles.”), § 46.2-925 (“Pedestrian control signals.”), § 46.2-933 (“When vehicles to stop for pedestrian guided by dog or carrying white, red-tipped white, or metallic cane.”), of the Code of Virginia. View Full Text »
Comments
Section 46.2-923.1. (Drivers to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks; pedestrian responsibilities) seems to make good sense. However, this bill also includes reference to numbers, or symbols meaning "Walk" or "Don't Walk". Can somebody explain exactly which numbers mean "Walk" and "Don't Walk"? Why numbers and symbols? The words "Walk" and "Don't Walk" seem clear and unambiguous.
pedestrian control signals do not use words any longer, they use symbols for the words. There has been court cases thrown out because of this
by numbers, i am guessing that they mean the countdown to the end of pedestrian phase that is provided on some ped signals.
I don't get it. Toscano goes to great lengths to distinguish marked from unmarked crosswalks, then lumps them together throughout the rest of the legislation (with one exception). If his intent is to treat marked and unmarked crosswalks equally, why bother separating them to begin with? And why bother marking crosswalks at all, if every intersection is going to be full of invisible, legally enforceable crosswalks anyway?