Bikeracer2009
03-04-2021, 09:54 PM
The Crosswalk at Magnolia Plaza (New Publix)
The crosswalk is located at the eastern side of Magnolia Plaza and crosses the road used to exit the parking lot on to Marsh Bend Trail.
The Publix opened today and this evening I went to check it out. When I was leaving I decided to leave the parking lot out of the east exit onto Marsh Bend Trail. From the back of the parking lot I spotted a golf cart approaching the stop sign that is located at the entrance to the crosswalk. I watched the golf cart come to a stop and remain there as I entered the long road that exits the parking lot. I wondered why the cart just sat there and so I approached with caution not sure of why the cart never crossed the road in the crosswalk. It’s well lit by street lights and I didn’t see anything in the crosswalk as I approach it so I proceeded on through the crosswalk and came to a stop at the stop sign controlling traffic entering Marsh Bend Trail. Because the stop sign is only about 15 feet past the crosswalk my speed was maybe 5 mph as I went through the crosswalk. As I came to a stop I heard what sounded like an elderly man yell “You’re supposed to stop at crosswalks!”. I was pretty sure the law states that a pedestrian only has the right of way while in the crosswalk and not prior to entering it. I decided to look up the traffic code for Florida and I was correct. Here is the code and what it states;
The 2020 Florida Statutes Title XXIII Chapter 316 Motor Vehicles State Uniform Traffic Control 316.130 Pedestrians; traffic regulations.
(7) (b) The driver of a vehicle at any crosswalk where signage so indicates shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross a roadway when the pedestrian is in the crosswalk or steps onto the crosswalk and is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.
From what I comprehend a pedestrian does not have the right of way until he/she enters the crosswalk. I see pedestrians walk on the paths around the villages all of the time and sometimes they’re close to a crosswalk. They walk past the crosswalk or they walk towards it but traffic doesn’t come to a stop just in case the pedestrian decides to enter the crosswalk. The pedestrian must step into the crosswalk to get the right of way.
While traveling in my golf cart on this same path and crossing this crosswalk I’ve always yielded to traffic using this exit. On occasion, I’ve had the approaching vehicle stop before the crosswalk and wave me through. IF that’s what they want to do with their right of way then that’s fine but it will confuse golf cart drivers that assume the traffic must yield to them as this gentleman did tonight.
Part of the Florida statute 316.130 states the following;
(7) (a) The driver of a vehicle at an intersection that has a traffic control signal in place shall stop before entering the crosswalk and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian, with a permitted signal, to cross a roadway when the pedestrian is in the crosswalk or steps into the crosswalk and is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.
This part of the traffic code is for stop lights and for a red stop light where the pedestrian has a signal for crossing the street. This is not the case for this particular situation.
If I have failed to understand the law in question then please chime in and explain it.
Thanks
The crosswalk is located at the eastern side of Magnolia Plaza and crosses the road used to exit the parking lot on to Marsh Bend Trail.
The Publix opened today and this evening I went to check it out. When I was leaving I decided to leave the parking lot out of the east exit onto Marsh Bend Trail. From the back of the parking lot I spotted a golf cart approaching the stop sign that is located at the entrance to the crosswalk. I watched the golf cart come to a stop and remain there as I entered the long road that exits the parking lot. I wondered why the cart just sat there and so I approached with caution not sure of why the cart never crossed the road in the crosswalk. It’s well lit by street lights and I didn’t see anything in the crosswalk as I approach it so I proceeded on through the crosswalk and came to a stop at the stop sign controlling traffic entering Marsh Bend Trail. Because the stop sign is only about 15 feet past the crosswalk my speed was maybe 5 mph as I went through the crosswalk. As I came to a stop I heard what sounded like an elderly man yell “You’re supposed to stop at crosswalks!”. I was pretty sure the law states that a pedestrian only has the right of way while in the crosswalk and not prior to entering it. I decided to look up the traffic code for Florida and I was correct. Here is the code and what it states;
The 2020 Florida Statutes Title XXIII Chapter 316 Motor Vehicles State Uniform Traffic Control 316.130 Pedestrians; traffic regulations.
(7) (b) The driver of a vehicle at any crosswalk where signage so indicates shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross a roadway when the pedestrian is in the crosswalk or steps onto the crosswalk and is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.
From what I comprehend a pedestrian does not have the right of way until he/she enters the crosswalk. I see pedestrians walk on the paths around the villages all of the time and sometimes they’re close to a crosswalk. They walk past the crosswalk or they walk towards it but traffic doesn’t come to a stop just in case the pedestrian decides to enter the crosswalk. The pedestrian must step into the crosswalk to get the right of way.
While traveling in my golf cart on this same path and crossing this crosswalk I’ve always yielded to traffic using this exit. On occasion, I’ve had the approaching vehicle stop before the crosswalk and wave me through. IF that’s what they want to do with their right of way then that’s fine but it will confuse golf cart drivers that assume the traffic must yield to them as this gentleman did tonight.
Part of the Florida statute 316.130 states the following;
(7) (a) The driver of a vehicle at an intersection that has a traffic control signal in place shall stop before entering the crosswalk and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian, with a permitted signal, to cross a roadway when the pedestrian is in the crosswalk or steps into the crosswalk and is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.
This part of the traffic code is for stop lights and for a red stop light where the pedestrian has a signal for crossing the street. This is not the case for this particular situation.
If I have failed to understand the law in question then please chime in and explain it.
Thanks