Discussions

To the guy on the bike at 18th and McTavish Ave today. I saw you pushing the button to cross the street at the crosswalk while sitting on your bike. You are not a pedestrian when you are on your bicycle,you are considered a vehicle. I only stop for pedestrians.

If they take the time to press the button and wait I will stop. Yes they are on a bike but I would rather they scoot across on their bike than take 2-3 times as long to walk it across. Would it have been alright to get off the bike, press the button, then have you stop, then get on and ride across?

I would stop for anyone that pushes the button, whether it be a bike, pedestrian, scooter, wheelchair etc. Life is too short to be angry and petty.

^^ Actually though

CarolynJ said "To the guy on the bike at 18th and McTavish Ave today. I saw you pushing the button to cross the street at the crosswalk while sitting on your bike. You are not a pedestrian when you are on your bicycle,you are considered a vehicle. I only stop for pedestrians. "

Once someone presses the button at a crosswalk it really shouldn't matter what their mode of crossing is (wheelchair, scooter, bike, walking, whatever). I would take it just as a way for anyone to cross safely and all vehicles are required to yield since the flashing lights indicate the vehicle must stop for the crossing regardless of the mode. I do agree that cyclists at any other crossing need to get off and walk their bike and if they are riding on the road they definitely need to obey the traffic laws. I ride often and always ride to traffic laws and sometimes I'll be patiently waiting at a stop sign for traffic to clear and people end up stopping as if I'm expecting to be treated as a pedestrian which is very frustrating! The grey area works both ways you see so why not just proceed with caution and know that the person on their bike at a lighted crosswalk has taken the time to proceed safely!

if your on a bike your a vehicle and should be in the lane of traffic to cross.  
 
but in reality any one in a cross walk no matter what the mode of transportation is I think drivers should be stopping.  
 
does it really make a difference if they are sitting on the bike seat holding the bike down from floating away or planning on walking it across the intersection.  
 
crosswalk, marked or unmarked, the pedestrian is supposed to have the right of way. But dont take it unless it's given to you.

a person ON a bike is not a pedestrian. That bike rider is a vehicle and does not have the right to use pedestrian right of way. He wants to be a vehicle then act like a vehicle. He wants to be a pedestrian then he better get off the bike and walk it through the crosswalk.  
 
And pedestrians-definitely wait until you know it is safe to step out into the street but for heavens sake-when a car stops for you don't stand there and look at it! Get going and cross the street. Yes, do check the next lane but check and then keep going.

Just curious, would a person in a wheel chair, or one of those electric mobility devices be considered a pedestrian, at a pedestrian cross walk. I hoping they are. I'm sure there's a law out there that defines it all, but as for myself, I don't care whether your walking, on a bike, in a wheelchair or on roller blades, if you push the button and the lights come on I'm going to stop, hope others do as well.  
 
As President Putin said to President Trump, "don't worry, be happy".

I sure hope you're joking about questioning people in wheelchairs. I promise if I could walk, I'd be walking. However, the whole paraplegic thing makes that problematic ...  
 
Edited by Sylv, 2017-06-03 14:22:52

If they're at the crosswalk pressing the button, who cares if they ride or walk it. I'd rather see them ride across if they do it safely, it means I don't have to stop as long.

are people comparing wheel chairs and motorized scooters to bikes? one is a necessity to be mobile and the other is a mode of chosen transportation. Not even close to the same thing.that being said as much as i agree on the use of a cross walk by bikes, id still stop...mainly because im thankful they are at least being respectful and aware of the vehicles on the road. some bicyclists dart out in traffic, blow through intersections, and screw around swerving all over the road. positives/negatives in everything i suppose

It was 33 degrees on the day the OP posted this. The crosswalk at 18th and McTavish is on of the busiest streets in town to try to cross. Why wouldn't people overlook their issue about the person being a cyclist and instead look at them as a human being, likely hot as h*** just trying to cross the street? How much time does it take out of your day to just be kind and stop for the flashing lights, regardless of whether you think they are worthy?

When I was talking of wheel chairs and electric scooters I was not really thinking of those who are confined to both of these, but more along the line of those who use them as mobility aids. I know people who can walk but use a electric scooter to get around, and the same as if one gets injured and a doctor tells you stay off your feet, and you use a wheel chair as a mobility aid.  
Part of this rant had to do with the cyclist not getting off the bike to cross the crosswalk, and I had hoped by mentioning the scooter and wheelchairs was trying to make the point that would we want the users of such things to get off them and walk across the crossing.  
My mistake was forgetting of those confined to a scooter or wheelchair, sorry for that.  
 
Edited by don brown, 2017-06-03 22:16:21

I am a biker myself. But depending on what time of day it's safer to use a crosswalk then to wait for traffic. I been hit 3 times already 2 by mirrors and one turning into me cause I wasn't quick enough turning into a off street. Luckily for me they used their car to nudge my back tire. Anyways who cares if they use the crosswalk to cross a busy section or not. maybe they consider it a safer alternative to play frog with a bike.

What's so important that you can't wait two seconds for someone at a crosswalk. God damn people are impatient these days

https://www.mpi.mb.ca/en/PDFs/AdultsCyclingBooklet.pdf  
 
I think a lot of people in Brandon could read this....

Can't believe this is a argument. You lose 20 seconds of getting to where you're headed. 1st world issues hey people...

What a miserable life you must lead for this to bother you....

Scooters and wheelchairs are supposed to be on sidewalks therefore are accorded pedestrian status. Bikes are to be on the road. I've seen kids use good riding knowledge by getting off their bikes and walking across at the crosswalks. I very rarely see adults obey road rules while on their bikes sadly. There are some crazy riders out there with a death wish it seems. It's not a matter of being mean but the rules are put in place to avoid misunderstandings and perhaps a tragedy.

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters fall under pedestrian rules-not vehicle rules. It makes no difference who is riding them or why-they are pedestrians. If they are on the street they should be travelling on the left side toward oncoming traffic-wheelchairs for sure and I believe that is the case for mobility scooters as well? Not sure why anyone would lump them with bicycles and suggest the user should get up and push them through crosswalks?

rules of the road. Drivers need to be more careful of their driving to ensure they don't kill or injure bikers or pedestrians. Too many people are distracted while driving, biking or walking.  
 
Don Brown, I knew what you were getting at

cyclists need to learn the rules and drivers need to learn the rules around cyclist.  
Brandon isn't a friendly city for cyclist actually manitoba doesn't come in the list of the 10 most friendly places in canada.

don brown said "When I was talking of wheel chairs and electric scooters I was not really thinking of those who are confined to both of these, but more along the line of those who use them as mobility aids. I know people who can walk but use a electric scooter to get around, and the same as if one gets injured and a doctor tells you stay off your feet, and you use a wheel chair as a mobility aid.   Part of this rant had to do with the cyclist not getting off the bike to cross the crosswalk, and I had hoped by mentioning the scooter and wheelchairs was trying to make the point that would we want the users of such things to get off them and walk across the crossing.   My mistake was forgetting of those confined to a scooter or wheelchair, sorry for that.     Edited by don brown, 2017-06-03 22:16:21"

As I mentioned I was merely comparing "modes" of transportation, not the necessity or choice of the mode. What about rollerblades for example....would you expect the person to take them off at the crosswalk and walk? The point I was making is that everyone, regardless of how they do it, has the right to cross a busy street safely and the best way to do that is to push the button at a lighted crosswalk. A cyclist shouldn't have to risk their life in traffic just because they're a cyclist. Yes, according to the rules they should get off and walk their bike, and in a perfect world they would. If they don't then who's getting hurt? Like someone else said it just gets them through the intersection faster for the driver.

roller blades do not count as a vehicle?. You are just being ridiculous because you do not believe cyclists should follow the rules?  
 
Why is it so difficult to follow the rules????

Probably nobody will answer. By the logic of the majority of posters on here, it would be fine to drive a little car on the sidewalk on 18th Street. going north from Richmond to Princess Ave's when it's super busy; it would be faster, right? There's no logic to cyclists wanting their rights as a vehicle - as they're entitled to - then wanting to be "pedestrians" when it suits them. Crosswalks care just that; crossWALKS.

Thank you for that!! That is probably the very best answer anyone could ever post!!! You are so very right!!

MDG said "Probably nobody will answer. By the logic of the majority of posters on here, it would be fine to drive a little car on the sidewalk on 18th Street. going north from Richmond to Princess Ave's when it's super busy; it would be faster, right? There's no logic to cyclists wanting their rights as a vehicle - as they're entitled to - then wanting to be "pedestrians" when it suits them. Crosswalks care just that; crossWALKS. "

thats what i was thinking too but you beat me too it, cyclists can wait for traffic like any other vehicle.  
 
ps you can cross a pedestrian corridor when the lights are flashing as long as the pedestrians have left the crosswalk so yes it does matter. The reason bikes are vehicles is because they move like one, safe roadways rely on predictability, if drivers cant predict how others are going to act then the road becomes unsafe, so like it or not everyone should follow the rules

MDG said "Probably nobody will answer. By the logic of the majority of posters on here, it would be fine to drive a little car on the sidewalk on 18th Street. going north from Richmond to Princess Ave's when it's super busy; it would be faster, right? There's no logic to cyclists wanting their rights as a vehicle - as they're entitled to - then wanting to be "pedestrians" when it suits them. Crosswalks care just that; crossWALKS. "

That would be hazardous for pedestrians.  
 
What hazard is caused by waiting for traffic to stop, then riding a bicycle across instead of walking it?

~BooBoo~ said "https://www.mpi.mb.ca/en/PDFs/AdultsCyclingBooklet.pdf     I think a lot of people in Brandon could read this.... "

Many drivers need to read this document. I can't remember the last time a driver recognized the hand signal for movement within the lane.

not only cyclist should read the Bike Safety book but also drivers because a lot of drivers do not give enough space passing by a cyclist and they cut you off very close making their right turn.  
This city isn't friendly at all for cyclist even city buses drive by me fairly close too close I find, a quick long and tall vehicle/truck drive by you gives you a sudden narrow illusion which makes it scary to bike straight