I didn't say I agreed with the practice, just that that is the rationale. Also, some WALK Robbie Webber
On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 10:46 AM, Troy Thiel <[email protected]> wrote: > Robbie, interesting explanation but gotta disagree...check the timing of > the "walk" at University Bay/Farley and University..or W Wash and > Fairchild..or quite frankly dozens of others...the walk sign is nowhere near > long enough for the intersections...again, to require it on pedestian and > cycling lane crossing or continue the dangerous practice of hoping drivers > "get it"..well just don't agree...at all. Pedestrians deserve a lighted > right of way just like cars. > > > > *From:* Robbie Webber <[email protected]> > *To:* Troy Thiel <[email protected]> > *Cc:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Wednesday, October 19, 2011 9:55 AM > > *Subject:* Re: [Bikies] Machinery Row Intersection Feedback > > A bit of a thread hijack, but.... > > Actually, although you can finish crossing the intersection when the DON'T > WALK is flashing, pedestrians - and bicyclists using the crosswalk - are > legally not supposed to start crossing when the light starts flashing. And > pedestrians aren't supposed to cross at all unless they get a WALK light, if > one is present. > > One advantage to being a bicyclist, instead of a pedestrian, is that we can > legally cross the intersection using the green cycle, and not need to wait > until we get a WALK. > > Of course, in the case of the John Nolen/Blair/Wilson/Willy/Path > intersection, bicyclists trying to follow the Cap City Trail from the East > Isthmus Path to the Lake Monona Path are on the wrong side of the street to > act like other vehicle operators, so the WALK cycle is much more important. > And yes, most of us find waiting for all the WALK lights a ridiculous way to > cross the intersection. > > And since we are on the subject of why WALK lights don't automatically come > on at all intersections, it's because the WALK light causes the red for the > cross traffic to be longer. That is, it lengthens the crossing time for > everyone - pedestrians, bicyclists, car drivers - in one direction and > delays the green for the cross traffic. That is because pedestrians need > more time to cross than people driving cars. The traffic engineers don't > want to mess up the timing on the streets by giving this long green all the > time, so it only comes on when the button is pushed. > > Whether that is a good reason to make pedestrians push a button to cross is > another question, but that is the reason the WALK light doesn't always come > on. > > Robbie Webber > > On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 7:17 AM, Troy Thiel <[email protected]> wrote: > > I know "Pedestrians have the right of way when in crosswalks...even with a > don't walk sign"...legally... > > > >
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