Yesterday I was over near Fairfax hospital stopped at a stop sign. I looked right and left before continuing on my way. At the last second a cyclist blew through the crosswalk at high speed and I almost hit him. He flipped me off and yelled something. If I had nailed him with my little truck would he be at fault or me?

That's on him. They are supposed to use the roadway and follow traffic laws.

If his travel lane had a stop sign no you would not be at fault. If his travel lane had the right of way he is like another car and you must not pull out in front of him so you would have been at fault pulling into traffic (unless he was going way over the speed limit).

One part of your story seems to indicate you are merely a troll. You said you looked both ways while stopped - why did you not see him approaching. Its unlikely he was going faster than 20mph so with any line of sight he would have been visible just a few meters away.

depends Wrote:
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> If his travel lane had a stop sign no you would
> not be at fault. If his travel lane had the right
> of way he is like another car and you must not
> pull out in front of him so you would have been at
> fault pulling into traffic (unless he was going
> way over the speed limit).
>
> One part of your story seems to indicate you are
> merely a troll. You said you looked both ways
> while stopped - why did you not see him
> approaching. Its unlikely he was going faster
> than 20mph so with any line of sight he would have
> been visible just a few meters away.

He left out the part where he checked his phone.

Although negligent, I don’t think its illegal - checking phone, that is.

Bicycles have to obey the same rules as cars. It's consider a vehicle in VA.

If you are intoxicated on bicycle you can be charged with DUI.

causeican Wrote:
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> Although negligent, I don’t think its illegal -
> checking phone, that is.

Not illegal in Virginia (yet?). My point was, that would explain the "not seeing". OTOH, if it had been a dump truck, he'd be a lot sorrier...

Crosswalks are for pedestrians only. A cyclist walking his bike is considered a pedestrian. A cyclist riding on the sidewalk or in a crosswalk is in violation of the law and is just asking to be mowed down.

what about a cyclist on the Rt 123 bike trail? Is it legal for them to ride through the crosswalks (with a green walk light)?

my tacoma Wrote:
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> Yesterday I was over near Fairfax hospital stopped
> at a stop sign. I looked right and left before
> continuing on my way. At the last second a cyclist
> blew through the crosswalk at high speed and I
> almost hit him. He flipped me off and yelled
> something. If I had nailed him with my little
> truck would he be at fault or me?


You would be in the clear provided your drug screening and cell records were good. Cyclists don't deserve to live anyway and you would have done the rest of us a favor by crushing him with your truck.