101. – Required obedience to Traffic Code.
It is a violation of this Traffic Code for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this Traffic Code. (Ord. 016, 2003 §1)
— The first statement in the Fort Collins Traffic Code
Sometimes we forget the rules of the road and need a little refresher. Today’s post is a bite sized bit of legal refreshment. But legalese can be really hard to wade through. So I’ve paraphrased the Fort Collins Traffic Code to make it a bit easier to understand and to add a wee bit of emphasis when needed.
604. (1)(c)(I) When you come up to a red light, stop behind the line. If there’s no line, then stop behind the crosswalk. It might be tempting to edge forward right into the pedestrian zone. But only nitwits do that. Don’t be a nitwit. And bicyclists, this goes for you too. If you’re stopped at a red light, don’t block the pedestrian zone. People shouldn’t have to walk around you.
701. (1) If two vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the right has the right of way. This is true whether the vehicle is a car or a bike. If you’re on the left, wait. If you’re on the right, go. Don’t go waiving someone through that’s to your left just because they’re on a bicycle. That’s just going to confuse everyone else at the intersection. Stick to the rules and it’ll end up being safer for everyone.
703. (4) If you’re approaching a yield sign, slow down enough that you can safely navigate that section of roadway. If slowing down isn’t enough to keep you from colliding with someone else, then stop. Sometimes yielding means stopping.
709. If you’re at an intersection and you have a green light, but there’s not enough room on the other side of the intersection that you can cross and not have your tail end hanging out into the intersection, then don’t cross. Just wait. The world will not end just because you’re standing still in front of a green light. Be patient. Sing a song. Eventually things will clear up and then you can cross the intersection.
710. (1) If you’re driving through an alley and you’re approaching the street, don’t come flying out of there like a bat out of hell. For all you know there’s a pedestrian, or a kid on a bike, or someone’s dog on the end of a leash on the sidewalk just before that street. And if you speed out of the alley at the same time they pass in front of you… well things are going to get ugly. And the few seconds you were about to save by zipping out of that alley are all going to be lost when you have to give a police report as they haul someone away on a stretcher. So chill. Alley driving should be a slow, thoughtful time when you contemplate the meanings of back doors and alley art. Enjoy the ride and be extra careful as you approach the sidewalk.
That’s enough traffic code for today. Stay tuned. More PedalFC versions of the Fort Collins Traffic Code will be coming again soon.