Should cyclists get off their bikes to borrow a pedestrian crossing? The highway code finally provides an answer.
The number of cyclists continues to increase in our cities and cycle paths and ground markings have flourished in recent years, not without sometimes posing some problems of cohabitation between motorists, bikers, cyclists but also pedestrians. The Highway Code is gradually attempting to adapt to these new practices and the development of our streets. However, it is essential that everyone, pedestrians as drivers, know the rules of traffic and priority that apply. If most are known and obvious, certain situations can be confusing. This is particularly the case for crossing pedestrian passages by cyclists.
First of all, remember that according to article R. 412-34 of the highway code, when a roadway is bordered by sidewalks or practicable shoulders, pedestrians are required to use them, excluding the pavement. In addition, article R. 412-37 specifies that pedestrians must imperatively take the planned passages for them, the famous “pedestrian passages” when there are less than 50 meters.
What about cyclists then? Can they also borrow pedestrian passages? The answer is no, except in a particular case. Note that according to the highway code, cyclists are assimilated to pedestrians when they drive their bikes by hand. In this case only, they can circulate on the sidewalk and cross on the pedestrian passages. Apart from these exceptions, cyclists must imperatively circulate on the roadway and respect the signaling as well as the priority rules in force.
However, some specific adjustments can be dedicated to them. This is the case of cycle paths or bands which sometimes run along the pedestrian passages. In this case, the highway code provides for an exception that few uses know. You can recognize this case by marking on specific ground: white strips near the pedestrian passage, framed by a marking on the ground with a bicycle drawing.
If this marking crosses the street and is right next to a pedestrian crossing protected by a fire, then the cyclists can pass on their bike. However, certain rules should be observed. Unless otherwise signed, cyclists are also required to respect the signaling lights adjusting the crossing of pedestrians, as stipulated in article R. 412-30 of the Highway Code. In other words, like pedestrians, they must stop if the pedestrian fire is red and can only bike if the fire is green.
Have you followed everything? We summarize: in the vast majority of situations, a cyclist must descend from his bike if he wishes to take a pedestrian crossing. He must then drive his bike by hand and cross while respecting the priority given by the lights. If there is a materialized cycling trajectory along the pedestrian passage, the cyclist can on the other hand stay on his bike but must imperatively stop in the red light and only cross green, like pedestrians. Here is what the highway code says on this situation. A advice all the same, in all cases, prudence and mutual respect between users, bikes, pedestrians as motorists, remain to guarantee serene cohabitation on our roads.