OK, been going down to pea island, past the refuge center here lately. There is a crosswalk there. Is this a mandatory stop, when people are wanting to cross? It's hard to stop sometimes, being a 55mph stretch, with a line of cars behind. I've stopped before and ticked some people off behind me. Does anyone know?

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OK, been going down to pea island, past the refuge center here lately. There is a crosswalk there. Is this a mandatory stop, when people are wanting to cross? It's hard to stop sometimes, being a 55mph stretch, with a line of cars behind. I've stopped before and ticked some people off behind me. Does anyone know?

I am so glad you asked that question. Even after reading the North Carolina statutes, I am still confused. I live in Kitty Hawk, and there are many many crosswalks on the beach road in KH,KDH and NH. I always stop and yield if there are pedestrians waiting to cross a crosswalk, but I can imagine how much more difficult this must be in a 55 mph zone. I hope a law officer or lawyer will chime in and clear this up. I have stopped many times, thinking that a group of people was waiting to cross when they were not; they were just chatting beside the road. Does the law mean that you must yield if they are just waiting or if they are already in the crosswalk?

Click to follow link...:~:text=According%20to%20NC%20General%20Statute%20§%2020%2D173%2C%20where%20traffic,at%20or%20near%20an%20intersection.

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I have written to this organization and asked them to comment on this thread.

Click to follow link...

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The law says you must yield to pedestrians IN the crosswalk. It’s that simple.

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Unless things have changed since we moved away five years ago you have to stop if pedestrians are in the crosswalk. My advice is to just slow at crosswalks because the people crossing don’t know that and just start across.

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I do stop at all crosswalks, but the 55 zone and people giving me down the road, thought I might be missing something.

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We were headed south on 12 today when I read your post. Hubby says vehicles have to stop, but both of us think that there should be a warning sign earlier on to make vehicles aware of the upcoming crosswalk. I mean...55 MPH. A lot different than driving through the villages and encountering pedestrians. Very dangerous IMO at Pea Island.
Great question!!

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Thanks Bent, warning signs might eliminate a few fender benders.

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Saw an Incident yesterday in Kitty Hawk. What is the definition of IN? The Crosswalk Stripes start at the edge of the pavement. If you are STANDING ON THE STRIPES at the edge of the road, proceeding to cross, Is That In? A driver going probably over 40 MPH did not stop, but made an instant U Turn and came back to tell the people DO NOT STAND IN THE ROAD. The Driver argued IN is not necessarily IN unless you are away from the curb and walking across. What you say? I err on the side of Courtesy.

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I err on the side of Courtesy.

^^this^^ AND keep an eye on the driver behind you...so many times I'll begin to brake for a crosswalk, check my mirrors only to see the the top of the head of the person trailing me (and folks are in the crosswalk or close enough and walking clearly to the x walk). I'll start my stop with tapping my brakes just to get the person behind's attention.

But, Pea Island can be kinda dicey as you just don't know if the person is crossing NOW or waiting for another walking behind them. So, do as Pickle said, be courteous, be kind and keep your head on a swivel.

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Following this thread closely! Too often I have stopped at one of the crosswalks where two young boys are holding their boogie boards and appear anxious to cross the road to hit the beach. I stop and the cars behind me power brake to a halt only to have the boys stand there, refusing to cross and looking over their shoulder at Mom, Dad and Grandma - a 100 yards away, trudging along, loaded down like pack mules with beach gear. Maybe more signs as Bent suggested would help, but a button to push that would activate a flashing light would prevent the confusion over whether the pedestrians are ready to cross or waiting for others. I know, I know - mo money - mo taxes......

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If you are STANDING ON THE STRIPES at the edge of the road, proceeding to cross, Is That In?

That's a firm IN in my book. I think if you are on the crosswalk paint, you're in.

Pea Island is sketchy and I will always slow to about 45 entering the curve until I have a clear view of the parking lot and dune to make sure no one is starting to cross. There's no way in hell I'm stopping there for someone just standing on the side of the road even if they look like they'd like to cross because too many people haul arse down 12 and I don't want to get creamed.

What you say? I err on the side of Courtesy.

I will, but only if I am the only vehicle on the road or if the group has kids, pets, or generally isn't making eye contact with me. When courtesy goes against the laws of the road that's when mistakes happen. Other drivers may not expect you to yield when you have the right of way.

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“When courtesy goes against the laws of the road that’s when mistakes happen.”
Very true!
Stop waving me on at 4 way stops if you were there first and have the legal right of way. I won’t go and will sit there all day until you do. Otherwise I’ll be the one in trouble if an accident happens.

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We were headed south on 12 today when I read your post. Hubby says vehicles have to stop, but both of us think that there should be a warning sign earlier on to make vehicles aware of the upcoming crosswalk. I mean...55 MPH. A lot different than driving through the villages and encountering pedestrians. Very dangerous IMO at Pea Island.
Great question!!

NCDOT should really make the speed limit 35mph 500ft before the cross walk in both directions. I also thought the 55mph at the cross walk there was crazy

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We were headed south on 12 today when I read your post. Hubby says vehicles have to stop, but both of us think that there should be a warning sign earlier on to make vehicles aware of the upcoming crosswalk. I mean...55 MPH. A lot different than driving through the villages and encountering pedestrians. Very dangerous IMO at Pea Island.
Great question!!

NCDOT should really make the speed limit 35mph 500ft before the cross walk in both directions. I also thought the 55mph at the cross walk there was crazy

Like folks would "follow" it...there's a stretch of road (Old 12) north of the Jug Handle round about that has now been amended to 25 MPH. Have a few folks we know up there and will visit from time to time. It's pretty cool...now a cul de sac, kids riding bikes in the road, dog walking, skateboards ...very "neighborhoodish" .....then some azz hat has to run through there at 60...one state in particular, I'm told, has the hardest time figuring it out (it's not NC) ;)

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Our neighborhood has warning lights at crosswalks. You push a button when you want to cross, it activates flashing lights to alert drivers and you cross. Sounds like something like this would be good for the Pea Island crosswalk.

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I invited the sheriff to chime in:

Dear Sheriff Doughtie,

The outer banks connection discussion board is having a discussion about crosswalks in Dare County. Here is a link to the thread. Perhaps you could clarify some things with a comment from your department.

Click to follow link...


Respectfully,
[ezbuckwheat]

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All your ideas, plus a few warning rumble strips wouldn't hurt.

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I never have understood why the Rt. 12 approach to the Pea Island Visitor's Center is 55 mph.
As stated by some of you, keep an eye on your 6 when stopping at crosswalks. I stopped at one
in Avon in May and was rear-ended, causing $2,500 to my truck and totaling the offending Buick.
Thank god I kept my foot on the brake until the pedestrian passed.

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Our neighborhood has warning lights at crosswalks. You push a button when you want to cross, it activates flashing lights to alert drivers and you cross. Sounds like something like this would be good for the Pea Island crosswalk.

I dunno...shifting sands/winter weather and all that kinda stuff make it challenging...the solution would literally have to be water/salt/wind/sand resistant beyond most systems capabilities. Just the cross walk "button" alone would be a huge challenge to keep "workable"

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I had a somewhat different experience a couple weeks ago. Was southbound on the beach road, a Friday afternoon and plenty of folks around, so I was doing about 30, and paying attention to the crosswalks. Ahead I saw what appeared to be a local guy, on a bicycle, crossing towards the beach. He pulled right out in front of me. I really didn’t slow down, as it appeared that he would clear my lane by the time I got up to him. Anyway, as I went by him, he turned around and yelled at me and pointed back down at the crosswalk.

I wanted to turn around and tell him “Hey genius, you’re not a pedestrian. On a bicycle, you are considered a vehicle. Walk your bike in the crosswalk next time.” Or something like that, but I wasn’t interested in a confrontation so I kept going.

Agree on the Pea Island issue. You just gotta be careful there and anticipate. I have a friend who was towing a boat going through there. A state trooper happened to be coming the other direction and stopped for some folks who weren’t even close to the crosswalk, but were heading towards it. He couldn’t stop in time anyway and went through. Ticketed, needless to say.

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I had a somewhat different experience a couple weeks ago. Was southbound on the beach road, a Friday afternoon and plenty of folks around, so I was doing about 30, and paying attention to the crosswalks. Ahead I saw what appeared to be a local guy, on a bicycle, crossing towards the beach. He pulled right out in front of me. I really didn’t slow down, as it appeared that he would clear my lane by the time I got up to him. Anyway, as I went by him, he turned around and yelled at me and pointed back down at the crosswalk.

I wanted to turn around and tell him “Hey genius, you’re not a pedestrian. On a bicycle, you are considered a vehicle. Walk your bike in the crosswalk next time.” Or something like that, but I wasn’t interested in a confrontation so I kept going.

Agree on the Pea Island issue. You just gotta be careful there and anticipate. I have a friend who was towing a boat going through there. A state trooper happened to be coming the other direction and stopped for some folks who weren’t even close to the crosswalk, but were heading towards it. He couldn’t stop in time anyway and went through. Ticketed, needless to say.

That’s very interesting. So he got ticketed, even though the pedestrians were not in the walkway yet. That is all the more reason for the sheriff to chime in on this thread and clear things up for us.

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That is all the more reason for the sheriff to chime in on this thread and clear things up for us.

I'm thinking Chief Doug won't touch this place w a 10 foot poll

But, individual requests/questions? The man is incredibly communicative; a very refreshing trait in today's world of "no comment"

EDIT: if you don't know him, seriously call/meet him...dude you are 1) ex USCG (an institution, as you know, around here and a helo aviator at that) and 2) I think you were also a rescue swimmer? Might be getting you mixed up with another guy? ASTs are a special breed. Heck, part of that program exceeds that of Coronado's BUD/S program.

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Dude was a rescue swimmer? That's impressive right there. It would be great to have real clarification on this from law enforcement. That is a tricky crosswalk. We used to stop there to walk over to see the remains of the old steam engine that's out in the service. As a pedestrian using it, I was always leery of it never knowing if cars would actually slow down. Perhaps having the speed reduced to 45 for a half-mile on either side of that would be good?

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That is all the more reason for the sheriff to chime in on this thread and clear things up for us.

I'm thinking Chief Doug won't touch this place w a 10 foot poll

But, individual requests/questions? The man is incredibly communicative; a very refreshing trait in today's world of "no comment"

EDIT: if you don't know him, seriously call/meet him...dude you are 1) ex USCG (an institution, as you know, around here and a helo aviator at that) and 2) I think you were also a rescue swimmer? Might be getting you mixed up with another guy? ASTs are a special breed. Heck, part of that program exceeds that of Coronado's BUD/S program.

I didn’t really expect the sheriff to join the group and post. I thought maybe he could read the comments and then respond to me or have one of his deputies comment. I think if he reads the posts he will see that there is confusion and concern coming from numerous people and with that in mind, I think he should comment.

I was an H3 helicopter pilot with the Coast Guard for almost 9 years. I was never a rescue swimmer. The rescue swimmer program came out in about 1985 and I left the Coast Guard in 86. The program made operations much safer for everyone involved. Rather than hovering over a wildly pitching mast in the pitch black of night, you could just have your rescue swimmer jump out and get everything all set up with a trail line.

One of the reasons the rescue swimmer program came along, was because after the retirement of the H3, there would be no more amphibious helicopters. So I flew the last of the military amphibians that actually made water landings. But we were limited to landing in 4 foot seas or less. I suppose there are still some Navy H3s flying around, but they have not done water landings in decades. Same goes for the Marine H3s that have amphibian hulls and fly the President around. It’s amazing that they still fly the President around in such an antique.

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