I feel like I should start with the obligatory caveat. I did a quick search (without the quotes) for "bicyclists and traffic" and "bicycles and traffic." I found nothing, which seemed strange to me, as it's been a question I've had repeatedly since my arrival in Jan (it might also be a carryover from the various rant-like arguments to which people living in the Washington DC metro area are accustomed).
Bicyclists in Switzerland: which rules must they follow? Those of motor vehicles? Or those of pedestrians? Or some modification/combination of the two.
I ask because when I'm in a motor vehicle, I tend to treat them as motor vehicles (albeit with their own special lane, occasionally). I give space, as necessary, and try not to bump when passing ;-).
I treat people walking with their bicycles as pedestrians such that generally, (as I keep a keen eye on sidewalks as I approach cross walks), I only stop for pedestrians who have dismounted their bicycles in order to cross the street. If a bicyclist is still on his/her bike, I assume he/she will follow his/her requisite traffic law (stop sign, red light, no lefts from the right lane, etc.).
So far, so good. Though I'm still bothered by the bicyclists that weave to the front of a stop light, only to risk a bump from passing cars when the light turns green...
When I am a pedestrian, and as someone who's lived in numerous countries in which cars pay no attention to pedestrians, I won't even step into a cross walk until I'm sure that any 2-ton combination of metal, rubber, and glass hasn't seen me, slowed, and/or stopped. I then hustle across the road so as to repay that courtesy (those who casually stroll across, oblivious to the potential impact of that 2-ton combo to a human body, are the subject of a separate rant).
As this is Switzerland, and I've only been here for seven months, I can only think of one or two times where a car didn't stop. Though I'm unlikely to join the rest of the pedestrians here and just step out blindly...
However, I'm at a complete loss for what to expect from a bicyclist. I've yet to be in a situation where a passing bicyclist made any effort to adjust his/her speed as I entered a cross walk.
Though obviously not 2 tons worth of metal, I still respect the discomfort a passing bicyclist could cause if he/she hit me, so I give way. But, out of curiosity, if I did step forward blindly, expecting any and all vehicles to stop for pedestrians in a cross walk, and was hit by the passing bicyclist (injuring both of us), who would be legally at fault?
Bicyclists & Traffic Laws
Bicyclists in Switzerland: which rules must they follow? Those of motor vehicles? Or those of pedestrians? Or some modification/combination of the two.
I ask because when I'm in a motor vehicle, I tend to treat them as motor vehicles (albeit with their own special lane, occasionally). I give space, as necessary, and try not to bump when passing ;-).
I treat people walking with their bicycles as pedestrians such that generally, (as I keep a keen eye on sidewalks as I approach cross walks), I only stop for pedestrians who have dismounted their bicycles in order to cross the street. If a bicyclist is still on his/her bike, I assume he/she will follow his/her requisite traffic law (stop sign, red light, no lefts from the right lane, etc.).
So far, so good. Though I'm still bothered by the bicyclists that weave to the front of a stop light, only to risk a bump from passing cars when the light turns green...
When I am a pedestrian, and as someone who's lived in numerous countries in which cars pay no attention to pedestrians, I won't even step into a cross walk until I'm sure that any 2-ton combination of metal, rubber, and glass hasn't seen me, slowed, and/or stopped. I then hustle across the road so as to repay that courtesy (those who casually stroll across, oblivious to the potential impact of that 2-ton combo to a human body, are the subject of a separate rant).
As this is Switzerland, and I've only been here for seven months, I can only think of one or two times where a car didn't stop. Though I'm unlikely to join the rest of the pedestrians here and just step out blindly...
However, I'm at a complete loss for what to expect from a bicyclist. I've yet to be in a situation where a passing bicyclist made any effort to adjust his/her speed as I entered a cross walk.
Though obviously not 2 tons worth of metal, I still respect the discomfort a passing bicyclist could cause if he/she hit me, so I give way. But, out of curiosity, if I did step forward blindly, expecting any and all vehicles to stop for pedestrians in a cross walk, and was hit by the passing bicyclist (injuring both of us), who would be legally at fault?
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