Great idea, Harald. I saw the signs early this afternoon while
leading a group ride on Badger. I would have done it had I thought about
it at the time. These signs are obviously illegal. Fitchburg Mayor Steve
Arnold watches this list and I assume he will quickly correct the
situation. In fact, I'll send this info directly to him.
Bill Hauda
On 9/23/2015 2:18 PM, Harald Kliems via Bikies wrote:
I think the company may have just made an honest error in placing the
stop signs. Obviously they meant to have them facing the roadway, not
the trail, so that their drivers and other people on Marketplace are
reminded of their crosswalk obligations. Maybe you or another trail
user should help them fix their mistake and just turn the signs 90
degrees... I'm sure they'll appreciate the help.
Harald.
On Wed, Sep 23, 2015 at 12:42 PM Clayton Griessmeyer via Bikies
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Has anyone else noticed the foldable stop signs placed on Badger
State Trail in Fitchburg where it crosses Marketplace. The signs
have a construction company name on them. Homburg. I have heard
it is because the drivers of the big dump drunks that take the
corner at high speeds are afraid they are going to hit someone in
the crosswalk. Basically, they are planning ahead for when they
injure or kill someone. They want to be able to use a foldable
stop sign to blame the pedestrian or bicyclist.
There is a marked crosswalk where the trail crosses the roadway.
I wish people would just slow and or stop their cars and trucks
for people crossing the roadway on foot and bicycle rather than
trying to place additional signs so when they violate the law,
fail to yield, and then kill someone, that they can blame the
person, and say there is a stop sign. Why do we have yield and
stop signs where paths cross roadways? Are walkers and bicyclists
unable to see that the path they are on is about to cross a
roadway with motor vehicle traffic and the only thing that alerts
them to this is a stop or yield sign on the path? Have we given
up on enforcing yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and rather than
try to enforce that law, just changed things so the pedestrian or
cyclist is the one who has to yield? If we get rid of stop and
yield signs along paths, will everyone start throwing themselves
in front of motor vehicles?
If we are going to have stop and yield signs to attempt to send a
message that cars have the right of way, then why even have
crosswalks in the roadways signaling right of way to pedestrians
and cyclists. What do you think the dump truck drivers think the
crosswalk at Marketplace means? When someone places a foldable
stop sign on the bike path does it make the drivers of the dump
trucks more careful or less careful?
A stop sign on the path sends the wrong message to drivers
considering there is a state law that requires drivers to yield to
pedestrians and cyclists in crosswalks.
Drivers in Wisconsin are already clueless regarding yield to
pedestrian and bicyclists in crosswalk laws. On Main Street in
Verona where Military Ridge Crosses, they recently installed
flashing beacons and signs in the roadway that say state law yield
to pedestrians. I recently pressed the button and began crossing.
Despite facing a yield to pedestrian sign in the roadway and two
flashing beacons, and seeing me crossing the road towards the
front of her vehicle, a driver yelled at me and gave me a dirty
look. If we can’t get people to yield with beacons and signs in
the actual roadway what else is there to do? I would think the
first thing that comes out of someone’s mouth after they hit
someone in one of these crosswalks is, “You had a stop sign,” or
“You had a yield sign.”
346.24 Crossing at uncontrolled intersection or crosswalk.
(1) At an intersection or crosswalk where traffic is not
controlled by traffic control signals or by a traffic officer, the
operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a
pedestrian, or to a person riding a bicycle or electric personal
assistive mobility device in a manner which is consistent with the
safe use of the crosswalk by pedestrians, who is crossing the
highway within a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
Sorry for the long rant. It is very frustrating for me to see and
I use this trail daily.
Clayton Griessmeyer
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