Drivers not following Highway code

From my last post wanted to say there are some great drivers but I don’t think this system works well. I hang back to try to make it obvious for drivers not to stop. I can’t be sure often whether a driver is waving me across then they get annoyed. I don’t have a symbol cane because I’d likely drop it.

All the arguments about it not being safe to stop when turning off busy roads - presumably you’d stop for someone who has started to cross the road who is elderly or disabled, crossing with small children or for any other reason moving more slowly than average? You’d be able to do it in that situation, right? So why is this any different?

The difference is that in the old system, the pedestrian does a risk assessment, checking to see where nearby cars are going, and whether they have time to cross. So, unless the pedestrian is not paying attention, or it's a junction with poor sightlines, they are rarely in the road when a car is turning in, and so cars turning in rarely have to give way.

In the new system, the car will have to give way a lot more frequently. (Or would, if they followed this system...)

I’m a partially sighted pedestrian. I don’t trust car drivers as a whole to stop. Just recently had problems near my work. Big main road at a junction. Our green man is on while traffic on the other road can only go straight on. Twice had car turn into me. Luckily due to the direction I could see and avoid. I have a homonymous hemianopia. See under homonymous the Tyne Bridge as I do (though I can see left and not right. ) i just have to pray it doesn’t happen the other way.

If something be stops for me and I’m not ready to cross for any reason I just wave them on. Happens quite a lot as I have one kid who dawdles and another who races ahead.

I really don’t understand the fuss over this change - you’ve always had to give way to a pedestrian who has already stepped onto the road. All this means is you should also stop for someone who is just about to step onto the road.

All the arguments about it not being safe to stop when turning off busy roads - presumably you’d stop for someone who has started to cross the road who is elderly or disabled, crossing with small children or for any other reason moving more slowly than average? You’d be able to do it in that situation, right? So why is this any different?

Anyone turning into a side road should be signalling well in advance, slowing down appropriately and looking for any hazards on or off the road.

I frequently have to turn off a 60mph road onto a narrow driveway crossing a cycle path which has priority. It has to be approached at an almost standstill, and sometimes a stop while waiting for cyclists. No-one has ever rear-ended me because I signal early and brake gradually.

That's a better idea providing people aren't penalised by not being able to drive if there are delays. While the infrastructure is there, it can't cope with people trying to book a test now.

Maybe we should ask people to do a theory test/hazard perception test as a condition of renewing photocard licences?
Perhaps also make it a condition that we've had an eye test too?
That would just be once every 10 years until we turn 70 (as it would be daft to do it if you're only changing the name or address on the licence).
It wouldn't cost a fortune to do because it wouldn't need extra examiners and the licence renewal and theory test infrastructure are already in place. But at least it would make people read the latest Highway Code once a decade!

Considering most over 65s are still working I can see why it might be unpopular if people lost their licences!

I've never taken a theory test so I have no idea how I'd do but another reason I don't think it'll ever be brought in is it's hard enough to book a test as it is without adding even more people needing one.

Perhaps every three five years - there are slight changes in laws etc each year so need a few years so the rules have changed enough.
Insurance may even reduce if less accidents.

Not every year surely? Insurance is going up enough as it is without adding yet more costs!

If you can wait to turn in to a road off a 40/50/60 road if you are turning right why is suddenly dangerous to do it turning left?

To be fair I don’t live in a city and a lot of my driving is on 40/50/60 mph roads but yes. I wouldn’t give way to a pedestrian waiting to cross the road if I was driving off one of those - it wouldn’t be safe.

Pedestrians should look before they cross.

@enchantedsquirrelwood stop and hey rear ended or turn avoid the pedestrian and don't get rear ended

Cropped but this is what they've done, it's the only road through the main part of the city
You can see the shared space/what was the pavement
So you've got people crossing across the main bit in front of you, as well as each of the side streets and you can't move as well, you can't run them over!

@BlackberrySky nope, not joking. It's the main road through town which is one lane and one way. They've done everything possible to make it so nobody can drive in town now

No traffic lights. Before the traffic lights would let pedestrians across, and stop traffic and it was perfectly safe
It was an abnormally busy day around Christmas but I had to go to the opticians. I had edged forward a bit but the car in front of me was stuck too, all the buses get stuck in it..
they've labelled it a shared space which basically means pedestrians walk without looking and car drivers can't move

I don't think many pedestrians are aware of it either- everytime I stop to let them cross they either look at me like I'm a wierdo or thank me profusely. To be fair I also tell my kids to wait until it's clear and not to assume the car will stop. It's difficult!

Some of the driving I witness on a daily basis makes me wonder if we should rethink how should drive.

www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/aug/17/traffic-videos-chaos-removing-signals-shared-space

Let me get this straight:

You will put the lives of other people at risk just in case some other negligent driver dings your precious motor vehicle?

I've been stopping at junctions on side roads for 30+ years and never been rear ended, because I'm using my indicators and approaching at a reasonable speed for taking potentially blind corners at

Actually I've misquoted on the second part it doesn't say must it says:

"If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"

So the whole section is

You should: give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way

Was with all other shoulds and musts in the highway code one is advisory and the other is a rule that you must observe

I wouldn’t stop turning in to a side road for someone to cross, I’d run the risk of being rear ended. The onus should be on the pedestrian to not step in to the road without looking.

That said, I do think middle lane hogging should incur points. It’s some of the worst sort of driving imo.

The next sentence leads with must. That you must stop if they are in the road already. Which means there's no requirement to stop if they are just waiting.

Given that no distinction is made in that sentence between pedestrians who are waiting and ones who are already in the road, I wouldn't like to say that the 'should' here is supposed to be optoinal.