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Original poster

How are the new Highway Code going?

46 replies

HardStareBear · 02/05/2022 03:50

I almost had a car go into the back of me and was then sworn at and had a horn blared at me when I stopped to let a pedestrian cross (who was already in the road) on the junction of a road I was turning into. Because of this, I haven't dared stop for anyone waiting on the pavement, despite the new law that says I must.

Anyone else had a crap experience of the new law, so far?

OP posts:
Original poster
HardStareBear · 02/05/2022 03:53

That thread title should say 'Highway Code rules' 😳

OP posts:
Feckingfeck · 02/05/2022 04:16

DD now thinks its fine to just throw himself into the road and then proceeds to tell the cars its his right of way 🤦‍♀️

Original poster
HardStareBear · 02/05/2022 05:04

Feckingfeck · 02/05/2022 04:16

DD now thinks its fine to just throw himself into the road and then proceeds to tell the cars its his right of way 🤦‍♀️

That sounds stressful in a completely different way!

OP posts:

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Driving & parking
pinkstripeycat · 02/05/2022 05:35

I am a driving instructor and have not had a problem myself and stop to let people cross all the time.
If you are looking in to a street before you turn and going slowly enough to check for pedestrians waiting to cross you can stop early enough without anyone beeping from behind.
Most drivers just keep driving and don’t even try to stop. I don’t think they’ve even seen the pedestrians and don’t know the rules anyway. I’ve seen a few people leap back on the path.

Ifailed · 02/05/2022 05:42

As the chance of being charged with breaking any motoring law is pretty well zero, I see the same level of selfish, incompetent & dangerous driving now as I did last year.

User7493268965 · 02/05/2022 05:57

Fine, I live on one of those type of roads where people just cross, often without looking, it's also on a route from a busy school so I am used to having to stop anyway on my way home to let people cross

camelfinger · 02/05/2022 06:02

For me it’s about 50:50. The people who were always good drivers anyway will look into the road ahead and stop for me as a pedestrian. The ones who put their own progress ahead of others’ safety don’t bother stopping, or even accelerate slightly to avoid having to stop. Because of this, I find myself having to take longer to decide whether to cross, as you can never be sure.
It is a good move though, it will just take a few years for this to be part of our culture like it is in other countries, to be slightly less selfish.

CorsicaDreaming · 02/05/2022 06:09

At the moment it feels like something I'm not going to rely on as a pedestrian. It feels a dangerous assumption to make that a driver has
(a) read the rules
and
(b)
is going to obey them.

As for the cycling ones - my DH got run off the road by a white van overtaking him then swerving in and braking due to traffic the other way the day after the rules came in. He had my son on the back on a Weego at the time. So I'd say they aren't going great either!

Florrey · 02/05/2022 06:15

I nearly went in the back of someone who stopped abruptly for a pedestrian. In general I’m finding that pedestrians are tending to wait as they always did and not step out. It’s an absolutely stupid rule that puts pedestrians at risk.

ohidoliketobe · 02/05/2022 06:25

I would say that most drivers would certainly fail the hazard perception portion if they had tonre do their test.
Had several instances where me and my kids have been waiting to cross a side dtreet but seen a car coming indicating they're turning intonthe street , obviously we don't cross until we're confident they've acknowledged us. I'd say aboit 10% are following the new rules, slowing down and gesturig tonus they've seen us and its ok (from their perspective) for us to cross. And the rest it's 50/50 between ones who drive straight into the junction (so are ignorant to or are ignoring the change) or the ones who suddenly clock us, seem to remember, slam on their breaks and usher us across

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/05/2022 06:38

I honestly think it's mad. The domain of the pedestrian is the pavement and the domain of the driver is the road. To get from pavement to pavement the pedestrian needs to cross the drivers domain. Official crossings are provided for this purpose, and they can also cross unofficially but this method should be used when the road is clear enough to do so.

Cars having to stop every turn for people waiting on the pavement for a safe moment to cross is batshit.

Ifailed · 02/05/2022 07:14

The domain of the pedestrian is the pavement and the domain of the driver is the road
You are completely wrong. Bar motorways, pedestrians (and riders & cyclists) have a right to be on the road, motorists don't, they are given a license which can, and should, be removed if they don't obey the rules.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 02/05/2022 07:22

People seem to be giving cyclists more space.

The college students wandering between the college and shop are still completely oblivious to cars as they were before so I'm still stopping... (they walk in the road not the pavement, but its a cul de sac for cars so very few vehicles).

Alexandra2001 · 02/05/2022 07:32

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz Thats completely wrong and why we still manage to kill 1800 people on our roads each year, inc approx 300 children, according to UN figures, thats more than the Russians have killed in Ukraine :(

You are driving 1.5 tonnes of metal, try having a bit more consideration for other people, stopping to allow someone to cross the road isn't going to ruin your day.

Got to say, car drivers do seem to be giving me more space when i'm out on my bicycle, maybe highway code or people driving more slowly due to fuel prices and hence reacting better.

gamerchick · 02/05/2022 07:35

Feckingfeck · 02/05/2022 04:16

DD now thinks its fine to just throw himself into the road and then proceeds to tell the cars its his right of way 🤦‍♀️

I'm getting a lot of this from young people. People just cross, don't even pause or look to see what's coming so I'm extra alert to it.

dubyalass · 02/05/2022 07:45

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/05/2022 06:38

I honestly think it's mad. The domain of the pedestrian is the pavement and the domain of the driver is the road. To get from pavement to pavement the pedestrian needs to cross the drivers domain. Official crossings are provided for this purpose, and they can also cross unofficially but this method should be used when the road is clear enough to do so.

Cars having to stop every turn for people waiting on the pavement for a safe moment to cross is batshit.

I think this is one of the most ignorant, ill-informed and concerning things I’ve read on here, not least because I suspect the majority of drivers would agree with you. Driving a car is not a right, it’s a privilege, and as @Ifailed says, the simple fact that you need a licence to do it should tell you all you need to know.

Antarcticant · 02/05/2022 08:19

As a pedestrian (non-driver) I've been surprised recently by the number of drivers stopping to let me cross - I just thought they were being nice Grin

Searchfornessie · 02/05/2022 08:24

Antarcticant · 02/05/2022 08:19

As a pedestrian (non-driver) I've been surprised recently by the number of drivers stopping to let me cross - I just thought they were being nice Grin

Me too. I’m a driver but mainly walk locally (London zone 2) and I’ve had mainly good experiences so far, both as a pedestrian and also no issues on the few occasions I’ve been driving.

I'm finding the most annoying thing is pedestrians loitering so I stop to let them cross but there’s actually just waiting around and don’t want to cross.

Duettino · 02/05/2022 08:30

Nothing appears to have changed here. A few people did it at first but now it seems that no one else was doing it so they stopped. I failed to stop for someone the other day as it was a blind corner, I could've slammed my brakes on erratically but I knew that would be dangerous. Felt awful for the pedestrians as they knew I should have stopped. When I'm a pedestrian, no one stops ever.

megletthesecond · 02/05/2022 08:31

I'm a (mostly) pedestrian and don't cross when there are cars around. I don't expect them to stop and let me cross either.

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 02/05/2022 08:36

I nearly went in the back of someone who stopped abruptly for a pedestrian.

You were driving too close or too quickly then.

I'm a bit bemused but this new rule though. Is it a re-introduced rule? Back in the last century my school took part in a county quiz about the Highway Code and, because I've always been able to memorise things easily, I was on the team. I distinctly remember being wrong in a practice (thus jeopardising my place on the team!) about pedestrians having priority over turning traffic: I thought they didn't and the teacher/code said they did.

Anyway it seems like common sense to me surely? You turn into a road, especially if it's a blind corner, going slowly enough to stop if your way is blocked by anything, whether it's a cyclist, a pedestrian, a hole in the road, a dog...

gogohm · 02/05/2022 08:38

Nobody stops here for you, I think you have to actually be crossing for cars to have to stop rather than loitering by the kerb wanting to cross. It's chance if they stop at a zebra crossing!

I'm a driver too and the only difference I've noted is an increase in selfish cyclists riding 2+ abreast on country lanes so you can't pass

xraydelta · 02/05/2022 08:40

Nearly knocked down the other day while crossing the road by a supermarket delivery van and a car, both of which failed to stop even though I had left the pavement and they weren't anywhere to be seen signalling.

I stop to let people cross all the time, but I think this is the minority.

balalake · 02/05/2022 09:01

I am not someone in a household with a car. My experience as a pedestrian has not changed. There are those who drive badly and dangerously (usually men in BMWs and Audis who probably cannot satisfy a woman in the bedroom) and those who are considerate. The latter have on occasions done as the Highway Code suggests, long before it did. I make a point of always thanking them, hope others do the same.

HalfwomanHalfcookie · 02/05/2022 09:22

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/05/2022 06:38

I honestly think it's mad. The domain of the pedestrian is the pavement and the domain of the driver is the road. To get from pavement to pavement the pedestrian needs to cross the drivers domain. Official crossings are provided for this purpose, and they can also cross unofficially but this method should be used when the road is clear enough to do so.

Cars having to stop every turn for people waiting on the pavement for a safe moment to cross is batshit.

As much as you begrudge them, pedestrians ARE road users as well.
They are NOT crossing roads unofficially as you seem to think. They have every right to be there.