Sidewalk Bicyclists at Crosswalks

Question

Traci asked: If a bicyclist is riding on the sidewalk and comes to a crosswalk are they required to stop or yield before proceeding across the road?

Answer

Bicyclists on the sidewalk or crosswalk have the same rights and duties as pedestrians. Pedestrians are not required to stop before entering a crosswalk. Please see this post.

http://flbikelaw.org/2016/10/dismount-in-crosswalk/

However, a pedestrian or bicyclist must not leave the sidewalk if other traffic is so near as to present a hazard.

s. 316.130Pedestrians; Traffic Regulations

(8) No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

Once the cyclist has safely entered the crosswalk, other traffic must yield.

(7)(c) When traffic control signals are not in place or in operation and there is no signage indicating otherwise, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian 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. Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

3 Comments on “Sidewalk Bicyclists at Crosswalks

  1. if there are pedestrian controlled crosswalks, the pedestrian must yield and enter upon command, this also includes bicyclists. bicyclists upon a sidewalk, cannot consider themselves the same as being on the roadway or bicycle lane. it is not the same thing. the smart thing to do, is all bicyclists and pedestrians yield and look both directions before entering a crosswalk. would you teach your kids to just walk out into a crosswalk, because, this post suggests that pedestrians and bicyclists have the right of way over vehicles? really, look at the answer to this post. putting the answer this way “pedestrians are not required to stop before entering a crosswalk” is going to get someone killed. it makes the pedestrian or bicyclist, reading this post, to possibly think they have the utmost right of way. granted, there is a bit of warning after the initial answer, but, there are stupid pedestrians and bicyclists out there, as well as automobile drivers. jeez

  2. Randall,
    On this site, we are not telling people what to do. Rather, we are trying to state the laws. Obviously, people will do whatever they want. Sometimes to their own detriment. Speeding, texting while driving, DUI, etc.

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