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53 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, January 28, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 12, 2004 Since you asked Law says you must stop for pedestrians Over the years, I have seen many close calls at crosswalks where four lanes are involved. When a person steps off the curb and traffic in the curbside lane stops, frequently drivers in the fast lane don’t. While there is obviously a law covering that, more important is the safety of the pedestrian. To stop in that curbside lane, then have to watch the pedestrian step into harm’s way is frightening, but there’s little one can do when the other lanes don’t stop. For this reason, if I’m approaching a crosswalk and determine that the fast lane won’t stop, I also don’t stop. Question is, will a police officer understand why I didn’t stop? — Max M., Ashland No, most officers won’t understand, Ashland police Sgt. Bob Smith said. If you see a pedestrian step off the curb intending to cross the street and you can safely stop, you’re supposed to hit the brakes. Claiming that you failed to yield in an effort to save the pedestrian from the madmen in the fast lane won’t fly. Under a state law that went into effect Jan. 1, drivers must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and wait until the pedestrian crosses the drivers’ travel lane and the adjacent lane, Smith said. Overtaking a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk also is a violation. Just because drivers zooming by in the next lane are violating the law doesn’t mean you can, too. However, pedestrians also have an obligation to make sure the road they are crossing is clear, Smith said. They can’t just plunge into traffic, challenging cars to stop. Approaching vehicles must have ample time to see the pedestrian and come to a halt, or the pedestrian can be ticketed for failure to yield to a vehicle. If the pedestrian is waiting patiently on the sidewalk for a break in traffic, you’re not obligated to stop. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers