Crosswalk controled by crossing guard

[mysterion guy]

What is the name of your state? California
Is it ok to proceed through a crosswalk after you have yielded to pedestrians and they have moved a safe distance past your vehicle but while a crossing guard is still holding a hand held stop sign?

 

[moburkes]

What is the name of your state? California
Is it ok to proceed through a crosswalk after you have yielded to pedestrians and they have moved a safe distance past your vehicle but while a crossing guard is still holding a hand held stop sign?

Sure, I guess, but why are you in such a hurry that you would risk the pedestrians lives just in case one of the little kids darts back around the other way? Is it really worth it, for a few seconds of your time?

 

[mysterion guy]

Being in a hurry when I drive is a bad habit of mine I agree. (Typical California driver with a very fast car) However the reason for this question arouse after driving to work past a crosswalk and the crossing guard will hold the sign until the kids are halfway to school, not just out of the crosswalk. This is an exaggeration of course, but it makes my point. I have good view of the sidewalk on both sides of the street. So I can clearly see there is no one approaching the crosswalk and there is no possibility of a kid suddenly changing directions and coming back into my path. I just felt the crossing guard was being excessively safe. Thanks for your comments.

 

[The Occultist]

There is the possibility that if you were to drive while the crossing guard was in the middle of the crosswalk that you could be charged with Failure to Yield to a Pedestrian, depending on just how your local statutes are worded.

By the way, fine excuses. If you are ever taken to court someday, I definitely advise presenting your Cali/fast car defense to the judge.

 

[Zigner]

Now, for the *correct* answer. No, if the stop sign is up, you WAIT.

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

You have to wait.

Your logic: You are behind a school bus that stops to drop off kids and the stop arm is activated. You see a parent waiting on the right side of the road for their kids. The kids run up to parent. Parent exchanges a quick hello with the driver "Happy Easter." Because you have a fast car, you decide to zip around the bus, promptly running over the kids you failed to see get off the bus because you were too busy watching the little ones run up to their mom. Instead of just a ticket, you get charged with manslaughter.

 

[The Occultist]

you get charged with manslaughter.

Hooray! Oh wait, your post made it sound more joyous than it was...

OP, take that extra second and a half you're stuck at the crosswalk and smell some roses or something.

 

[CdwJava]

NO! You can NOT proceed through while the crossing guard still has their sign up. Most law enforcement agencies have zero tolerance in this, and many crossing guards will report the vehicle and driver immediately.

In my agency we show no mercy to drivers who pull this stunt or drive without due regard for the safety of our kids before and after school and you will get tagged for everything we can find. Oh, that was the policy in my last agency as well. I suspect it is similar where you are.

2815. Any person who shall disregard any traffic signal or
direction given by a nonstudent school crossing guard, appointed
pursuant to Section 21100, or authorized by any city police
department, any board of supervisors of a county, or the Department
of the California Highway Patrol, when the guard is wearing the
official insignia of such a school crossing guard, and when in the
course of the guard's duties the guard is protecting any person in
crossing a street or highway in the vicinity of a school or while
returning thereafter to a place of safety, shall be guilty of an
infraction and subject to the penalties provided in Section 42001.1.

- Carl