Pasadena Police to Conduct Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation Friday

Pasadena police will conduct a traffic safety operation Friday focusing on driver behaviors that endanger bicyclists and pedestrians.

The March 28 operation will target violations including speeding, illegal turns, failure to yield right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, and failing to stop for signs and signals.

“We all have places to be, and not everyone gets there by car,” Commander William Grisafe said. “Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the structural protections provided by vehicles. We should all be looking out for one another.”

The Department released safety guidelines for all road users.

Pedestrians are advised to be predictable and use crosswalks when available, practice due care while watching for approaching vehicles, and to avoid walking into the path of vehicles. (At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop).

• Pedestrians make every effort to should remain visible by wearing light colors and reflective materials, and carrying a flashlight at dawn, dusk or night. Extra caution is needed when crossing at night or on busy streets with multiple lanes and higher speed limits.

• Drivers are reminded not to speed, and to slow down at intersections, be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks and between intersections, avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn, and never drive impaired.

• Bicyclists must obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear helmets. They should travel in the same direction as traffic and follow the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle, avoid riding too close to parked cars (the “door zone”), use bike lanes when available unless making left turns, passing, or approaching right-turn areas, and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks.

The safety operation is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.