All need to use caution near tracks

Q. One of your recent columns dealt with the fact that bicyclists are considered vehicles, not pedestrians. As a result, they have to obey different rules from pedestrians at places such as where the Illinois Prairie Path intersects with a road. You also mentioned that vehicles have to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. I've known for a long time that vehicles crossing railroad tracks have the right-of-way because they're not allowed to stop on the tracks. On President Street in Wheaton, there is a Prairie Path crosswalk right near the railroad tracks.

President Street gets very congested with long lines of moving cars, especially during rush hour.

Who has the right-of-way, the pedestrian in the crosswalk or the car that needs to clear the tracks?

--C. L., Wheaton

A. Not only are vehicles not allowed to stop on railroad tracks according to the Illinois Vehicle Code, but drivers bear even more responsibility.

"Basically, it's illegal to even attempt to cross railroad tracks until you, the driver, have determined there is enough room on the other side of the tracks for your car to get completely to the other side," said Deputy Chief Tom Meloni of the Wheaton Police Department.

"If necessary, a driver should stop before crossing railroad tracks to make absolutely sure there's enough room for them on the other side," Meloni said.

As a reminder, though, pedestrians should know that the Illinois Vehicle Code states that, "no pedestrians shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into a path of a moving vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard."

That being the case, a pedestrian should not enter the Prairie Path crosswalk on President Street in Wheaton when they see cars approaching from north on the other side of the tracks. True, there is a sign that alerts drivers to the pedestrian crosswalk, but the sign is posted right at the crosswalk.

Drivers from the north don't see it until very late because of a dip in the road on the north side of the tracks.

I went to check out the location you're talking about, and pedestrians using the Prairie Path are still able to see if cars are approaching from the north despite the dip in the road.