to actually start to hate car drivers? And yes, I mean ALL of them!

[Rhubarb0oooo]

I probably am being unreasonable as I'm sure many of you will point out but I used to think that the majority of car drivers were courteous and respectful, until I became a proper pedestrian.

I walk a mile to school with ds, then a mile back and again in the afternoon to pick him up. During this walk we have to walk down an A road, cross an entrance to a garden centre, cross a bypass and walk down a B road into the village centre.

Cars and lorries will often come speeding up the A road doing much more than the 40 mph limit and often spraying us both with water (the lorries) as they hurtle past.

Cars entering the garden centre think that it is their right of way and will often drive onto the pavement forcing ds and I to stop or back up and some have even swerved round us as we've been crossing ON OUR PAVEMENT.

Then we get to the bypass which has a pedestrian crossing. Drivers might be in a hurry to get to work but that is no excuse to run the red light whilst people are crossing. Or toot your horn (even though the light is red) or rev your engine. And the number of people on their phones, not looking at the lights, is scary.

Now for the B road into the village where the road is narrow and the pavement only allows for one single line pedestrians. It's a 30mph zone but I have been forced to throw ds onto the steep embankment as cars come flying down, clipping the kerb. I've also had cars hit his lunch bag that is over my shoulder (which gives you an idea of how close they drive to the pavement) and had horns blaring at us for daring to be on the pavement and in their way.

I'd like to think that these are isolated incidents, but this happens to us day after day. I've told the council who are not interested and the police say it is my word against the drivers (when I tried to report a van nearly ploughing into ds and I).

So what makes these reasonable people turn into arrogant bastards when they get behind a wheel and see a mother walking her child to school?

Such a shame that this thread has attracted so many people who are quite open about a. being aggressive drivers and b. not being fussed about causing injuries.

Thing is you are in a massive lethal lump of metal. The people you are scaring and bullying on purpose are not, it is just not nice to deliberately scare and upset them.

birdofparadise there was a similar case here recently and a small fine was levied. Things have not changed much.

I am sorry about your cousin.

I hate the drivers who when an old person is crossing the road start edging forward the second the lights go onto green - Grr it won't cause you any delay to wait a minute longer.

If a pedestrian acknowledges me when I stop at a crossing then great but I certainly don't expect it as the law says I have to stop anyway!

HitTheRoadJack Fri 04-Nov-11 17:04:37
I let all the kiddies take their own sweet time dwindling about in the road, it's quite sweet.

How stupid.

Will you be so smug when they are older and you're not with them and they get run over?

I remember being taught to 'look right,look left,look right again....if it's all clear then you can cross.

Quickly and safely without running.

SardineQueen on oage 3.

Sorry.

Sirzy

I don't exp[ect pedestrians to acknowledge that I have stopped for them. It's just nice if they do.

SQ. I'm not really!! But I am especially careful of children. The only thing that happens when one os an impatient driver is that you ruin your own day!

Sirzy most non-drivers know nothing about reversing lights, so person may not have realised you were reversing.

And Posies cyclists are entitled to take up space of small car on the road, so cycling 'in the middle of the road' is ok.

If they can't notice a car is moving backwards they shouldn't be anywhere near cars!

I think that everyone needs to exercise extra caution in car parks, drivers and pedestrians both.

This topic always sets me off as I feel so vulnerable when with the children, and i live in an area where an awful lot of drivers see the standard rules of the road as optional.

Sirzy most non-drivers know nothing about reversing lights

Really? I simply don't believe that. Its certainly something I taught my DD very young in life!

"The idea that you LIKE racing through villages at high speeds is one that leaves me shuddering. I hope that your children never meet drivers like you when they are walking to school."

It isn't my fault that the road is 60mph and I am in my legal right to do so.

reelingintheyears Fri 04-Nov-11 17:46:21
HitTheRoadJack Fri 04-Nov-11 17:04:37
I let all the kiddies take their own sweet time dwindling about in the road, it's quite sweet.

How stupid.

Will you be so smug when they are older and you're not with them and they get run over?

I remember being taught to 'look right,look left,look right again....if it's all clear then you can cross.

I meant this as a driver...not as someone walking with children, I let children take their time moving back and forth as there are no pavements in my village. Adults ought to know better, and I think it's safe to say that adults are being arrogant little fucks by dwindling.

I also hate pedestrians who see my reverse lights and decide to dance behind my car.

Posie- I hope the cyclist that "fell onto your bonnet" was wearing a helmet. Would hate to think he damaged your car-considering he was cycling with what is probably no insurance.

How is the cyclist wearing a helmet going to prevent him damaging the car?

HitTheRoadJack
GOSH!
for once,I'm lost for words.

Sardine, I was joking. I was being ironic-considering he could then sue for head injuries on the car holders insurance.

That's what it's there for though, isn't it? For cyclists to take the piss.

I thought you meant that wearing the helmet would lessen damage to the car which was why you hoped he was wearing one.

If a cyclist gets brain damage from being hit by a car, you see that as the cyclist "taking the piss"?

oh ignore Posie and Hit - they are just either being a bit controversially playful, or, are just a couple of webtwats. No really worth the time either way.

< one of my very favourite threads as a cycling warrior comrade>

Sardine, I see it as taking the piss, if he damaged his head trying to race a car and probably not using the cycle path provided.

You know, a few weeks back I refused to stop at a zebra crossing because I watched a cyclist get off the road, still mounted on their bike, to go to the crossing to cross while mounted. I couldn't get away with that in my car.

It's not about being safe, it's about being right eous.

It isn't my fault that the road is 60mph and I am in my legal right to do so.

Its a limit, not a target.

From The Highway Code :

The speed limit is the absolute maximum and does not mean it is safe to drive at that speed irrespective of conditions. Driving at speeds too fast for the road and traffic conditions is dangerous. You should always reduce your speed when:

?the road layout or condition presents hazards, such as bends
?sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, particularly children, and motorcyclists
?weather conditions make it safer to do so
?driving at night as it is more difficult to see other road users

Yes, my Driving Instructer drummed into me "if it's safe to do so", "if it's safe to do so."

Not your fault there's a 60 mph speed limit. Ha!

If I am doing 60 and there are pedestrians creeping about in the dark without taking precautions, then I'm not to be blamed.

yes, that's what's so disappointing about this thread - the poor, ill-informed level of debate to be had with the 'car champions'. All sooo easy.

I don't understand how anyone can see an incident between a car and a person on a bicycle, where the person on the bicycle ends up with head injuries, and the car ends up with minor damage and no injury to the driver, as the cyclist taking the piss and otherwise quite funny.

It happens so often that drivers hit other people on foot, bicycles or motorbikes and don't stop or even bother calling an ambulance. It is this mentality "you brought it on yourself so fuck you" that I just do not understand - it is so dangerous that drivers think like this and is exactly the sort of behaviour that makes simple journeys so hard and dangerous for so many people.