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Comment by ssprang | Hacker News Reader

He was ticketed for starting during the flashing "Don't Walk" signal. That seems more like a yellow light to me. In other words, there's still plenty of time to cross if you're a fast walker. Don't walk too fast though, you might get a speeding ticket.

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Flashing green light for cars means stop if you are safely able to( again laws in Europe ).

Not sure for pedestrians but by logic this applies to them as well. Logically a flashing don't walk signal to someone who hasn't started walking over the crossing means Stop. What else could it mean?? Run over the road or cross as fast as possible. Definitely not as that would increase accident probability.

http://www.walkinginfo.org/faqs/answer.cfm?id=16

When pedestrians have accidents they get a bit flustered and apologise. When cars have accidents people die.

It's not that unreasonable to have a different law for cars than for pedestrians.

When pedestrians have accidents they get a bit flustered and apologise.

Ask yourself with what object do fast late crossing pedestrians have the most problems with? ( hint: it's heavy )

Flashing reds are based entirely off of how long it takes an "average" person to cross. As a relatively tall young adult, I walk much faster than the "average," so I can frequently make it across by walking even if it's been flashing red for a few seconds. Furthermore, the "Don't Walk" sign becoming solid is timed to correspond to the yellow lights appearing for the parallel traffic, so the opposing traffic won't start moving for a few seconds after the "Don't Walk" signs appear.

(Disclaimer: This is based on Raleigh, NC's traffic lights. I don't know what level this is standardized at.)

Unfortunately observing lights will not always provide the correct rules, it's easier to read the rulebook.

http://peds.org/resources/pedestrian_right_of_way/

Start reading at: Pedestrian control signals

Also:

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/secti...

http://www.durham.ca/print.asp?nr=/departments/works/roads/t...

There's often a countdown timer as mentioned in the article. You know exactly how much time you have until it's a solid "Don't Walk". Usually, I will pass several people already in the crosswalk at my normal walking speed.

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