Police car didn't stop at zebra crossing

[Makeitgoaway]

I'm not annoyed or complaining just wondering if they should have or if they are exempt?

I was out for my run, stopped to cross at the zebra. The first car approaching was a police car, not with lights or anything, just doing their slow patrol.

They didn't stop. No big deal, I waited a moment and the next car stopped. I'm just curious, in these times of boredom, whether in those circumstances, normal rules should have applied?

I think that it would have been courteous for them to have stopped for you, but apparently the highway code says cars aren't obliged to stop unless you have already started to cross, ie your foot is on the road, rather than waiting on the pavement for cars to stop.

If you were still on the pavement then drivers dont need to stop.

They don't have to stop if you are not on the crossing yet

I think it's a dickish move though

Is there not a difference between if it has the flashing lights or not?

So you are supposed to step in front of the car before it has stopped??

They don’t have to stop; no car does.

Oh, now you mention it I think knew that but as a driver I always stop and as a pedestrian I wouldn't dream of stepping out until I know they're going to stop!!!

I would expect police officers to be following the Highway Code though, not just complying with the bare minimum required by the law.

I think the police are doing a wonderful job and is not stopping to let you cross really worth getting upset about. Would you mention it if it was just a normal lcar and not the police.

Didn't I make the point repeatedly that I'm not upset, just bored and pondering?

If it were a normal car, I would know the answer.

I would expect them to stop but right now I would struggle to be annoyed about it.

A couple of months ago, my dh had to stop sharply at a narrow (one car width) bridge near where we live. We had priority (according to the signage) but the car coming the other way failed to stop and wait (they weren’t already on the bridge and could have stopped in time). It was a police car, no blue lights or siren on. It was annoying but I guess everyone misjudges things occasionally. No one’s perfect!

They could have been on their way to a call out. Not all calls need blue lights

www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/road-safety-children-under-seven

It is slightly confusing though as I was taught (as most of us were as children) to wait until cars had stopped before starting to cross the road. I still do this now, and most car drivers do stop to let pedestrians cross if they are waiting on the pavement at a zebra crossing.

From the website above:

Pedestrian crossings

You might feel that pedestrian crossings are safe, but they can still be dangerous for children if they don't take care.

Remember to:

• explain that pedestrians have to wait on the pavement until all the traffic coming from both directions has stopped - only then is it safe to cross

They should have stopped but sadly (as with the rest of the population) there are a number of dicks in the police force. I have complained about police cars driving badly a couple of times. Once very aggressively up .my arse when I had no where to go. He had to write me an apology. My BF growing up was hit by a police car that was driving badly always made me cross since then.