Town of Pinedale update: Bike and Pedestrian safety
by Municipal Judge Ruth Neely
June 5, 2015
First thing this week, the Town of Pinedale sends a huge "Congratulations" to all of our Pinedale High School graduates!
And now, as summer approaches and the weather becomes nicer, more and more people, including our graduates, will be walking and riding bicycles rather than driving. And with school soon to be over for the year, many more of our kids will be enjoying our great outdoors.
So drivers – be on the lookout for pedestrians, bicyclists, and that loose ball that finds its way into the street, unannounced. Be courteous, and remember you’re bigger than they are and can’t stop sometimes as quickly as you’d like.
Bicyclists – remember you’re supposed to follow all of the same rules of the road as do cars and trucks – including to ride on the right side, not the left. Those "R’s" go together. Ride on the right. Ride with traffic, not against it. As with cars and trucks, you also need to stop at all stop signs, and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks. And speaking of crosswalks, please remember to walk your bikes, not ride them, while in a crosswalk.
And pedestrians – If you’re in a crosswalk, marked or not, you have the right-of-way. That being said, always keep an eye on approaching traffic. Don’t assume those drivers see you. Some don’t. Remember , you too have a responsibility when entering a crosswalk. State statutes says, in part, "No pedestrian shall leave the curb and walk into the path of a vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard." So judge the distance away of the oncoming vehicles, waiting at the curb for a break in the traffic adequate enough for both you and the approaching vehicles to manage your crossing safely.
Be alert, and stay safe. And congratulations again to all of our graduates!
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