Motorist Gets Crossed Up by Pedestrians Using the Crosswalk

Dear Street Smart:

I was stopped by a police officer in Newport Center and issued a citation for driving through a crosswalk while people were crossing. The road had three lanes in either direction, and the people were on the opposite side of the street from my car.

Now being cautious, recently I stopped at a red light and was going to turn right, but two pedestrians had just stepped into the crosswalk (on the corner) opposite of my car. I would not make my turn, as a police officer had just cited me for driving through a crosswalk with pedestrians in it. Needless to say, I got an angry gesture and horn honking from the car behind me.

What’s the answer?

Joan Lambe, Newport Beach

All traffic on a street doesn’t have to come to a complete halt just because a pedestrian steps into a crosswalk. Cars must yield for nearby pedestrians, but those a reasonable distance away may continue on, according to Newport Beach Police Sgt. Andy Gonis.

So why were you cited, since you say your car was nowhere near those pedestrians. Perhaps you passed another car on your side of the street that had stopped for a pedestrian. It’s illegal to pass a car that’s stopped for a pedestrian, and that could be why you got a ticket. If not, then perhaps you have grounds to protest your citation.

In your right-turn situation, it was perfectly acceptable to turn. Again, you need only yield to pedestrians when they are close to your car.

How close is close? It depends on the situation. For example, a driver may speed up to get through a crosswalk before pedestrians approach, Gonis said. The car may miss the pedestrians by a good margin but still get a ticket because it failed to yield to those on foot.

A good rule of thumb for drivers is to always stop if you are uncertain, Gonis said. That might save you from a getting ticket or injuring someone. As for pedestrians, they do have the right of way when in crosswalks and at intersections, but the vehicle code warns them not to suddenly dash into the street.

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Dear Street Smart:

I am concerned why we have no call boxes on Laguna Canyon Road. There is one close to where El Toro Road meets Laguna Canyon Road but not on the long stretch between there and the San Diego Freeway. That is a long walk when there is an accident or car trouble. Who should be contacted to put in some call boxes?

Mrs. Tommy Ayres, Laguna Beach

The Orange County Transportation Authority oversees the installation of call boxes in Orange County, and the agency has looked into putting them along Laguna Canyon Road in the past.

The big problem was that the cellular phones used inside Orange County’s call boxes didn’t work well in the canyon, since the surrounding hills blocked phone transmissions, according to Todd Murphy, OCTA’s Special Projects Manager.

Murphy said the agency will run another test to see if cellular phones are working any better out there in the canyon, as might be the case if a signal relay station has been moved or added to provide better phone coverage.

Give OCTA a couple of weeks, then check with Murphy at (714) 638-9000 to find out if reception has improved. If it’s bad news, try contacting Laguna Beach. That phone near El Toro and Laguna Canyon roads that you mentioned was installed by the city, Murphy said. It uses regular phone lines to relay messages, and perhaps the city might get involved in installing more non-cellular phones along the canyon.

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Dear Street Smart:

On Lakeview Avenue, just north of the Riverside Freeway in Anaheim, there are three traffic lights within one-quarter mile. Traffic backs up here during rush hour, and it’s not uncommon to get stuck at every light. Isn’t there a better way to time the signals so that this doesn’t happen?

Patrick J. Cooper, Newport Beach

As a matter of fact, the city of Anaheim has just finished re-timing signals along Lakeview from the freeway, as well as along parts of Santa Ana Canyon and Nohl Ranch roads. The city is in the process of fine-tuning these signals, and you should see some improvement shortly.

The work is being done through a Caltrans program called FETSIM, for Fuel Efficient Traffic Signal Management. The FETSIM program helps cities synchronize traffic signals by giving them both technical and financial assistance.

“The idea is by providing this type of training and support, cities have experience to follow,” said Jim Paral, an Anaheim traffic engineer who oversees traffic management and signal operations.

That experience may translate into an ability to coordinate more traffic signals, which is good news for frustrated drivers like yourself.