To think that drivers should have more patience near zebracrossings

[cuteboots]

Ok heres goes. This really anoyed me. The school day had just ended and we were trying to negiotiate the busy main road. Some drivers stop and some dont so you take your life in your hands on most days. This combined with trying to get a small child across is not good. This women came to a halt but this was clearly a bit of a struggle as she was going too fast!! She then proceeded to rev her engine and mouthed the words " Hurry up" I am normally a calm person but I did return a few sware words at her very loudly which didnt help as my son heard along with 2 of his mates! Grrrrrrrr

[PaisleyLeaf]

That'd make me stop and tie my shoelace I think.

[GoldenBeagle]

YANBU.

And at traffic lights with crossings drivers should not take the amber light flashing as their cue to drive forwards through pedestrians still on the road. As I understand it the flashing amber means that if there are pedestrains crossing or who wish to cross, they have right of way. And that cars may only proceed if there are no pedestrians wanting to cross.

I am a driver (and of course a pedestrian), and I am horrified at the lack of consideration many drivers show to pedestrians.

[PaisleyLeaf]

Or set up something like

[Sportsmum]

And I am sick of the pedestrians who don't bother to acknowledge the drivers who have stopped for them - particularly when the pedestrian has walked out without checking to see if there is car anywhere near. Have always thanked drivers who stop as have both of my children - right from very small. GRRRRR

[cuteboots]

One day someone is going to be killed on the crossing near where I live. It really scares me that some people just donT even stop or stop but not completely! Its also right outside the school which is even worse!! I also drive but its not until you are trying to get across one of these it makes you realise how vunerable you are!! The lady who does the job of lollipop person has already been knocked over!!

[Abcinthia]

I always thank the drivers who stop for me. It's just unbelievable the amount who either don't stop at all or who OVERTAKE the cars who have stopped at the Zebra Crossing.

[GoldenBeagle]

Sportsmum - why should pedestrians thank drivers who stop for them? It's a normal part of the Highway Code, not a special favour! Do you thank drivers who stop before coming out of side roads as you pass? of course not - they are just observing the normal right of way. Pedestrians who wish to cross have right of way at a zebra crossing.

The mindset that you should be thanked for doing so has a whiff of the arrogance of drivers over pedestrians.

[cuteboots]

People before cars and all that!! I unfortunately never thank anyone that stops for me at a zebra crossing as I always thought thats what they were supposed to do and Im normally battling to get my little boy across anyway!! He does give them a little wave as he toddles across!!

[HecateTheCrone]

sportsmum - drivers aren't doing pedestrians a favour by stopping for them. they are required to do so. it would be like thanking a driver for stopping at a red light.

[BetsyBoop]

ditto what goldenbeagle said :)

the lack of consideration some drivers show pedestrians is crap

[Sportsmum]

They are only required to stop to prevent them from damaging their cars - when you get dopey brats that turn a corner and step onto a road where they can't be seen with out checking first the driver is doing them a favour. Acknowledging the driver is common courtesy - but I assume that some people are just too common to say thank you - or they haven't been brought up properly - and this is then reflected in their own driving and the brats they then attempt to bring up.

Next time I won't bother stopping.

[hmc]

Sportsmum

You sound totally unreasonable! Are you having a bad day?

[crunchbag]

Sportsmum, we are talking zebra crossings here!

[GoldenBeagle]

I drive in London.

I am horrified by the number of drivers who pull across a pedestrian crossing so that it is blocked when the Green Man light comes on, hoot at drivers who leave the pedestrian crossing clear in traffic jam, plough through pedestrians crossing on a flashing amber and hoot at drivers who allow pedestrian to cross while the amber light is flashing.

The attitude to pedestrians is terrible.

[BetsyBoop]

so sportsmum answer the question - Do you thank drivers who stop before coming out of side roads as you pass? - or are you too "common" for that?

[HecateTheCrone]

highway code

194
Allow pedestrians plenty of time to cross and do not harass them by revving your engine or edging forward.

195
Zebra crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing

?look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross
?you MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing
?allow more time for stopping on wet or icy roads
?do not wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians across; this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching
?be aware of pedestrians approaching from the side of the crossing

[GoldenBeagle]

Sportsmum - yes, when people step off kerbs texting or just not looking for traffic and don't acknowledge a driver that has stopped for them, that's reasonable - but you comment was following the OPs comments about ZEBRA CROSSINGS.

[Desperateforthinnerthighs]

I think it is a case of common courtesy - I always say thank you to drivers who stop at zebra crossings for me and my DS does too......it may be a highway code requirement but plenty dont bother stopping and I think it's only manners to thank those that do.

When I was a kid my mum told me that if anyone knocked someone over on a zebra crossing and killed them they had to pay for their funeral - I believed it for years

[UC]

Actually there are lots of legal cases in which the pedestrian is treated as being the less protected party, and therefore the car driver should watch out for them. If in doubt, the judge would probably err on the side of the pedestrian, who is not protected by metal...

Where there is a pedestrian crossing, and a driver runs someone over on it, as I understand it, it is a strict liability offence - i.e. there is no excuse in the eyes of the law. Cars are REQUIRED to stop for pedestrians waiting to cross.

[BetsyBoop]

FWIW I always thank drivers who stop ahead of the give way in side streets or in slow moving traffic to let me cross, etc - they technically have right of way & are showing me a courtesy, which I return - in the same way as a driver I give a cheery thank you wave to people who let me move out into traffic or wait to let me pass an obstacle first.

However as a pedestrian or a driver I don't thank drivers who are simply following the rules of the road whether that be stopping at a red light, a give way or a zebra crossing....

[Poppet45]

Not long before Sportmum's kids get to see a 'real live' dead pedestrian killed by mummy, methinks. Well done lady, road rage is of course so terribly well-bred and not common and chavlike at all.

[blackeyedsusan]

i particularly like rule 244 re parking on pavements and pushchairs... shame it doesn't give you the right to scrape your pushchair all the way down the side of such cars.

Zebra crossings are a nightmare, never quite sure cars are going to stop. Have seen accidents where someone went into the back of another as one stopped and the following one didn't....