Ask RMCyclist: Crossing a Road on a Multi Use Path

When biking eastbound on  the 128/Abernathy MUP I often wonder when crossing a major st. such as 216, 224, 232 etc. whether a cyclist is required to obey the walk signal or the green light for cars. I usually obey the walk signal but most cyclists do not, from my experience. Cyclists have plenty of time to cross on the green – the obstacle of course being cars facing the same direction (on the opposite side of the road) and wanting to make a left in front of cyclist not expecting to see a cyclist moving in the same direction as a car whether the cyclist is crossing with the walk signal or the car green light. Legally I wonder if the cyclist is hit whose fault would it be? 

Please confirm if as a cyclist I should follow the car traffic signal or the walk signal. More specifically at 224 st. crossing – after the turning light has finished can I then obey the car green light?

Sigrun, Maple Ridge

We forwarded this question to the Ridge Meadows RCMP, who sent us the text of Section 183 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act as well as this reply:

Basically, a bicycle rider is required to operate in the same manner a motor vehicle.

Just to clarify, the police do not deal with “fault” per say but rather determine if an offence has occurred in relation to a statute.

Jackie adds:

Neither Maple Ridge nor Pitt Meadows have specified in their Highway and Traffic Bylaws that cyclists are not required to dismount when riding on a crosswalk with elephant feet, so both municipalities need to post signs at each crosswalk with elephant feet. If an intersection would not have elephant feet and a sign, a cyclist would have to dismount and cross as a pedestrian (and obey the pedestrian light). 

It’s important to note that many drivers do not know that cyclists are supposed to obey the car traffic lights when riding on multi-use paths. They’re also less likely to watch for cyclists going in the direction opposite to car traffic. So caution is advised when crossing at intersections.

(Image: The High Fin Sperm Whale, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)