Comments on: La Jolla Jaywalkers Beware: Police step up pedestrian citations in hope of saving lives http://www.lajollalight.com/2013/03/12/la-jolla-jaywalkers-beware-police-step-up-pedestrian-citations-in-hope-of-saving-lives/ Enlightening La Jolla since 1913 Wed, 22 May 2013 04:21:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Sherman Oaks http://www.lajollalight.com/2013/03/12/la-jolla-jaywalkers-beware-police-step-up-pedestrian-citations-in-hope-of-saving-lives/#comment-261866 Sherman Oaks Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:12:12 +0000 http://www.lajollalight.com/?p=103051#comment-261866 Serge is right, pedestrians may cross the street between uncontrolled intersections, although when they do so, they must yield to traffic in the roadway. So on quieter streets without lights or stop signs at intersections, you can cross in the middle of the street if you like, but you do not have the right of way. It is important to note that most crosswalks are unmarked. Pedestrians do have the right of way and may cross at any intersection, controlled or uncontrolled. Serge is right, pedestrians may cross the street between uncontrolled intersections, although when they do so, they must yield to traffic in the roadway. So on quieter streets without lights or stop signs at intersections, you can cross in the middle of the street if you like, but you do not have the right of way.

It is important to note that most crosswalks are unmarked. Pedestrians do have the right of way and may cross at any intersection, controlled or uncontrolled.

]]> By: Serge Issakov http://www.lajollalight.com/2013/03/12/la-jolla-jaywalkers-beware-police-step-up-pedestrian-citations-in-hope-of-saving-lives/#comment-261842 Serge Issakov Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:30:24 +0000 http://www.lajollalight.com/?p=103051#comment-261842 The captions for the photos in this article are inaccurate and misleading. The man in the top photo is not "jaywalking". The pedestrian in the smaller/lower photo DOES have the right of way. Neither is in violation of CVC 21955 (see my previous comment) or any other statute in the CA vehicle code. Both are legally crossing the street, have the right of way, and others must yield to them. The captions for the photos in this article are inaccurate and misleading. The man in the top photo is not “jaywalking”. The pedestrian in the smaller/lower photo DOES have the right of way. Neither is in violation of CVC 21955 (see my previous comment) or any other statute in the CA vehicle code. Both are legally crossing the street, have the right of way, and others must yield to them.

]]> By: Serge Issakov http://www.lajollalight.com/2013/03/12/la-jolla-jaywalkers-beware-police-step-up-pedestrian-citations-in-hope-of-saving-lives/#comment-261841 Serge Issakov Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:25:18 +0000 http://www.lajollalight.com/?p=103051#comment-261841 " Jaywalking: Walking in between two controlled intersections — an intersection controlled by traffic lights or signage. (That can include walking across the middle of the street between two intersections.) " I don't think the part in the parentheses is accurate - unless both intersections are controlled by traffic signals. This is CVC 21955: 21955. Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21955.htm So, unless the mid-block place a pedestrian is crossing the roadway is "between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices", it's not jaywalking, and it's not illegal. I live in La Jolla and travel all over it by car, motorcycle, bicycle and foot. Believe me, the problem is not the pedestrians. The problem is motorists speeding and unwilling to yield to others. I can walk and bike without issues, but I know my legal rights (including what is and what is not "jaywalking") and how to safely assert them. If motorists weren't speeding and were more courteous, that level of knowledge and assertiveness would not be required to walk and bike in La Jolla safely and comfortably. ” Jaywalking: Walking in between two controlled intersections — an intersection controlled by traffic lights or signage. (That can include walking across the middle of the street between two intersections.) ”

I don’t think the part in the parentheses is accurate – unless both intersections are controlled by traffic signals. This is CVC 21955:

21955. Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21955.htm

So, unless the mid-block place a pedestrian is crossing the roadway is “between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices”, it’s not jaywalking, and it’s not illegal.

I live in La Jolla and travel all over it by car, motorcycle, bicycle and foot. Believe me, the problem is not the pedestrians.

The problem is motorists speeding and unwilling to yield to others. I can walk and bike without issues, but I know my legal rights (including what is and what is not “jaywalking”) and how to safely assert them. If motorists weren’t speeding and were more courteous, that level of knowledge and assertiveness would not be required to walk and bike in La Jolla safely and comfortably.

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