Crossing the street? Raise your hand first says a new bill passed on Thursday

Statesman Journal--

Senate Bill 573 passed on Thursday would require drivers to stop for pedestrians who raise an arm to signal that they intend to enter the crosswalk or cross at a street corner.

"It improves communications without actually putting your body in the crosswalk ..." said Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland,

Burdick indicated that the hand signal would reduce confusion between pedestrians who were not sure whether a driver would stop and drivers who were not sure that someone is going to cross the street.

State law now says drivers must stop if a pedestrian is in a crosswalk. However, someone still on the curb may be hesitant to take the first step out into a street full of fast-moving vehicles. And as long as pedestrians aren't in the crosswalk, drivers don't have to stop.

The bill would require drivers to stop at both marked and unmarked crosswalks. Failure to stop could mean a fine of up to $360.

"The driver of a vehicle commits the offense of failure to stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian if the driver does not stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian when the pedestrian is waiting on the curb or shoulder of the highway at a crosswalk and raising a hand and arm toward oncoming traffic."
{ Summary Senate Bill 573}--

Mark Lear, traffic operations manager for the city of Portland, says "we think it sends a positive message to pedestrians that they need to leave a safe distance for the car to stop."

The Senate voted 18-8 to approve the bill.
another law on top of another law.
What I see coming out of this is the same people who already step out onto the street without looking in both directions (as we were taught as a child) for cars coming, to boldly go to intersections with their arm held high expecting cars to stop for them at a moments notice.
I'm sorry folks, but what happened at common sense?
Pedestrians -- you wait to cross a street until it is safe to do so.
Motorist -- stop at the stop signs and red lights and follow traffic laws.
There! Now can we all just get along?