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AIBU?

who had right of way

18 replies

whoneedssleepanyway · 23/07/2011 06:48

OK so this isn't a major deal but has really got on my nerves.

I was walking home with my girls yesterday and we were on the pavement on the left hand side of the road (so walking in the same direction as the traffic on our side). We got to a crossroads, looked and stepped out to cross straight over, as we did a woman had pulled up alongside us at the crossroads indicating to turn left, she honked her horn and called me a stupid cow.

AIBU to think that actually I had right of way as a pedestrian, we had stepped out before she had reached the crossroads and started her manouvre....

Just really got on my nerves to the extent that I mouthed Fuck off (didn't say out loud at least as had the DDs with me) at her which is really unlike me (am a little bit ashamed of that and clearly need to chill out a bit)

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howabout · 23/07/2011 06:53

YANBU
This annoys me all the time. You had right of way. I sometimes wonder if anyone but me applies the Highway Code anymore.

Last time I gave someone an earful for this on the walk to school half a dozen other parents plucked up the courage to join in, so I think self absorbed driver may have learnt something and if not certainly made me feel a whole lot better.

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SydSaid · 23/07/2011 06:54

Unless there is a pedestrain crossing then she has right of way.

And I'd be very very careful to make sure your children know that too. Cars can do much more damage to people than people do to cars.

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itisnearlysummer · 23/07/2011 06:55

I don't know about right of way, but in that drivers position I would stop and wait. I have on occasions honked the horn if the pedestrian hasn't looked and has just stepped out in front of me Hmm

As a pedestrian I make damn sure that there are no cars coming and tend to give the cars the benefit of the doubt as they are on the road and the road is for cars.

Was she indicating when you looked? If so I'd have waited because as a driver I'd assume that the pedestrian had seen I'd intended to turn and would wait.

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SydSaid · 23/07/2011 06:56

(For my answer I should have stated that it might not be Highway Code correct, but it is the sensible way to proceed as the more vulnerable of the two)

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Grockle · 23/07/2011 06:56

I don't know but I'd have looked behind me, seen the car coming up the road and waited to see where it was going.

We've got loads of crossroads here and people ALWAYs cross the side steers without looking to see if a car is approaching from the main road.

Either way, I think both reactions were OTT

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whoneedssleepanyway · 23/07/2011 06:58

I had looked, and as I stepped out onto the road she pulled up intending to turn left and indicating. I hadn't seen her approaching when I looked her way (didn't look back over my shoulder to see if any cars coming up in retrospect maybe I should have done this)

If I was the driver I would have waited but agree about cars doing more damage to people...

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CogitoErgoSometimes · 23/07/2011 06:59

Highway Code 8 At a junction. When crossing the road, look out for traffic turning into the road, especially from behind you. If you have started crossing and traffic wants to turn into the road, you have priority and they should give way (see Rule 170).

Rules aside, it's common courtesy to let people cross. I witnessed a driver behind the Waitrose in Stevenage a few weeks ago race her car up to an elderly couple crossing an empty road (one using a walking frame), and start honking and shouting at them out of the window. They finished crossing and she roared past them. Must have added a full ten seconds to her obviously very important journey. Hmm Arseholes, sadly, exist everywhere.

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CogitoErgoSometimes · 23/07/2011 07:09

Highway Code Rule 170 ?watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way

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Grockle · 23/07/2011 07:21

Well, as a driver, I'd have waited and let you cross because you were in the road.

But as a pedestrian, I'd have looked behind and waited for the car to pass/ turn.

Please always look behind you when you cross and teach DC to do the same. I've seen 2 children (10 & 6) be knocked down by cars in the past couple of months because they didn't check behind them before they crossed.

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howabout · 23/07/2011 07:21

Surely if you are the one driving a potentially lethal weapon it is you who should take more care or do we really now live in a society where might is right.

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Loonytoonie · 23/07/2011 07:24

This whole issue infuriates me. UK driving is appalling and I regularly see examples of poor driver behaviour on our roads. One of my pet-hates is when I pull out of a junction safely and legally, and the car in the distance speeds up aggressively to 'challenge' your manoeuvre, almost like they feel you've slighted or insulted them by pulling out.

Also, I quite often allow elderly people, children, mums with prams to cross at a certain spot on my route and often get gestured rudely for it. Unbelievable Angry. There's always slow-moving traffic at this spot and my letting vulnerable pedestrians through makes NO difference to their journey's. Too much aggression on our roads IMO, from males AND females.

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squeezemebakingpowder · 23/07/2011 07:25

If she was turning onto the road that you were already crossing then you definitely had right of way!

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SydSaid · 23/07/2011 07:32

howabout, might isn't necessarily right, but the burden of taking care should be equal - why would you take LESS care because you are more vulnerable?? A car might not have time to stop if someone steps out in front of it, the care there is with the pedestrian to be vigilent.

Obviously this is not the case for the op, but I would always, when with children, be more cautious rather than less. They need to be taught just how important it is to take care when crossing roads.

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AmazingBouncingFerret · 23/07/2011 07:57

I remember this happening to me when pregnant. I was waddling walking across and was halfway over when a car approached and wanted to turn in. The driver had the cheek to say I should get out of the road... Hmm yes because I'll just fly over the next road shall I?

I politely told him to fuck off because it was my right of fucking way and he should read the fucking highway code.

(in my defense I was overdue)

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catwoman2011 · 23/07/2011 08:25

Yes you were right and yes, next time you should look in all directions. If by the time you have started crossing the road there is a car approaching, you have right of way.

We live on a one way street and on more than one occasion we are having to look both ways for cyclists! Not only that but they seem to think it is ok to ride on the pavement! There is actually a section in the highway code which gives you the exact penalty for doing this unless it is a dual use section.

It wouldn't IMO be such a bad idea to do a top up driving course after 5 years such as the pass plus and make sure children know the highway code with maybe a test and certificate at the end.

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WasSparklies · 23/07/2011 09:18

You were legally in the right..

.. although I do wonder what applies at traffic light controlled junctions especially with a pedestrian crossing attached. If the little man is on red, do pedestrians still get priority if they've started crossing before the driver needs to turn left/right?

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DeWe · 23/07/2011 09:52

"Here lies the remains of Ellie Cray
Who died maintaining her right of way
Her way was right
Her will was strong.
But she's just as dead as if she were wrong."

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HeidiKat · 23/07/2011 23:01

I was peeped at the other day by some wanker for daring to wait until a pedestrian was completely off the zebra crossing, not just the bit on my side of the road, I'm sure his journey was so life or death that an extra few seconds made all the difference Hmm.

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