Riverside protesters struck in hit-and-run

[Xithras]

44. While the belief is common, I don't know that the law ever actually said that.

21950. (a) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to
a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or
within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise
provided in this chapter.
(b) This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of
using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly
leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path
of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a
marked or unmarked crosswalk.

...

21954. (a) Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than
within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an
intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the
roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard.

A quick search shows that 21954 has been cited in cases going all the way back to the early 1960's, so it's been around for at least that long. And I was personally cited for violating 21950 (impeding traffic) during a Redwood Summer protest, which was nearly 25 years ago.

Both of those laws have additional clauses requiring drivers to exercise due diligence, but the law doesn't actually give pedestrians any particular right of way outside of crosswalks.