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Original poster

Pedestrians

288 replies

MardyBra · 03/10/2013 23:29

Please do not "nip in front" of my car as I am pulling out of a junction.

Oh, and a quick cheeky cross of the road just as the lights are changing and I've been waiting for ages isn't great either.

I don't want to kill you.

I know I'll be flamed as an imperialist gas-guzzling car driver even though my business couldn't function with a car but some of you have been getting on my tits this week.

OP posts:
UptheChimney · 05/10/2013 09:19

pedestrians do not have the right of way when i'm reversing off a main road into a business driveway or junction. Their pavement stops and i am still on the road

Actually, pedestrians have right of way everywhere, if you look at the Highway Code. It's just that we are not stupid, and realise that we can't fight a lethal metal object driven by a potential idiot.

The thing is, drivers are in charge of a potentially killing machine, and it is their obligation to drive responsibly. The roads are SHARED, and a lot of drivers could do with remembering that occasionally.

FrightRider · 05/10/2013 09:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sallystyle · 05/10/2013 09:56

Dear drivers, please give learners some respect! A lot of us drive safer than you.

You shouldn't pull out in front of me at a roundabout. You were meant to be giving way to me. Don't assume that I am slow so I have to slam my breaks on because you pulled out in front of me just after I have pulled out.

Don't Mutter 'fucking learners' when we are stopped at lights just because you don't like us. You were one once too.

Oh and don't do a turn in the road on a blind bend and end up on the wrong side of the road causing everyone to stop.

Stokes · 05/10/2013 09:58

There are no requirements to be a pedestrian. No test to pass or licence to keep. Yes of course we should all keep ourselves safe, and accidents do happen where a motorist never could've seen a pedestrian coming. But pedestrians can be blind, deaf, elderly, very young or have any other special need and drivers should always have that in mind.

I walk to and from work everyday, it's only a mile each way but everyday I will see drivers behaving like dicks. Usually by stopping in the crossing while they wait for traffic to clear. Not only do they make it dangerous for pedestrians to cross, they completely block the crossing for anyone with a buggy or wheelchair.

Last Thursday was my most eventful walk home for a while. When I got to one busy junction, the green man had already been on a while. As it always is at that junction, the traffic was backed up, so the left hand lane had a car in it who hadn't waited for the junction to clear. But I'm an able bodied person, not pushing a buggy or wheelchair so luckily I was able to cross behind that car. The car in the right hand lane had indeed waited for the junction to clear before moving - unfortunately they completely forgot about the traffic lights and pulled into the crossing as soon as their path was clear, breaking the red light and nearly hitting me in the process.

A little further down the road, we saw 3 out of 4 cars turn the wrong way onto a one way street from a side road - you see, they're not going far and it's much quicker than going the right way round the block, so that makes it OK.

Oh, and I would often wave to thank a driver who's stopped at a zebra crossing, especially if I haven't stepped out yet so they don't have to. As a driver I would never expect a pedestrian to do so. Big difference between giving and expecting thanks in this scenario.

HungryHorace · 05/10/2013 10:02

Just because they shouldn't walk behind a reversing vehicle it doesn't mean they don't have right of way if they do so. You're not allowed to just run them over, no matter how stupid they are! (Though if they're that daft they may well end up nominated for a Darwin Award at some point anyway!)

nomorecrumbs · 05/10/2013 10:05

While we're on the subject of bad drivers, last night was classic in that two drivers on two consecutive town roads fucked up so badly they caused huge queues and blocks on the roundabouts a few yards down the road!

One mum had blocked a lane of a busy road by parking at a daft angle half-on the pavement, half-off, dunno WTF she was doing but her loading the buggy back into the boot of her car took ages. The cars behind were honking like crazy. The traffic was backed up streets behind.

On the road after, one person had tried to squeeze past a bus down a double-parked road and got stuck. They couldn't figure out which way to turn their wheel to avoid hitting the bus. A pedestrian had to guide them out! Again cue honking, angry drivers getting out of their cars, etc. etc. this went on for about 10 minutes. Sigh.

In most cases it does seem like impatience, rather than incompetence, causes problems on the roads.

Pan · 05/10/2013 10:13

LRD Shock Whoda thunk it!Smile

My road is fairly narrow with parking on both sides. Cue drivers in numerous 'stand offs' refusing to 'give way' when meeting head on in the narrow strip in the middle. Sometimes have the urge to set up trestle tables and bunting, munching on cup cakes and jelly whilst we watch the painful scene unfold. And us with the largest brains on the planet.

UptheChimney · 05/10/2013 10:28

I walk to and from work everyday, it's only a mile each way but everyday I will see drivers behaving like dicks

This.

Drivers forget all the time that they are SHARING the roads. And if drivers behave like dicks they can do an awful lot of damage. Like the FW who hit my mother as she was on a zebra crossing and a bus had pulled up for,. the utter utter dickface who overtook the bus, and sent my mother flying really thought that he had right of way. He got off with a reprimand. My mother has been left with a lifelong impairment.

MrsCosmopilite · 05/10/2013 10:31

Last week I had 'fun' whilst driving (slowly) in the thick fog, when I encountered a woman walking in the direction of the traffic, on a narrow road, dressed in grey.

Just around the corner was a cyclist, also in grey, with no lights, reflectors, or high-vis jacket.

Not sure what would have happened if they'd encountered the loon who overtook me at 80 mph on the A12 about five minutes earlier.

Pan · 05/10/2013 10:42

Mrs - these weren't physical entities you saw, were they? They were Halloween-prepping apparitions....

FrightRider · 05/10/2013 10:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ivykaty44 · 05/10/2013 10:42

49% of drivers have broken the 30 mph limit, the limit is set for the reason it is far less likely to kill at under 30mph whereas over this speed it is much more likely to kill. The speed limit is for good reason in a built up area.

Ilovemyself · 05/10/2013 10:55

Ivykaty. 78.769% of statistics are made up.......

Ilovemyself · 05/10/2013 11:00

Upthechimney. 1 idiot driver that hits you mother. I am sorry to hear that.

But there are just as many, if not more, idiots that are pedestrians that cross the road without looking, cross on a pelican when the lights for them are red, and generally don't pay attention.

The don't have insurance, and after causing an accident by doing something stupid tend to walk on like its nothing to do with them.

Car drivers ( actually drivers in general) are always the ones who get the blamed yet the pedestrian or (dare I say it) cyclists that cause accidents are above reproach according the the most vocal out there

ivykaty44 · 05/10/2013 11:03

It thought it was very low actually - I would of hedged a bet at 75% of drivers have broken the 30mph limit, this though is why you are able to joke about it as it is seen as normal and fine - but If I ran down the road with a sharp knife you would think this was dangerous when in actual fact it is far less dangerous to people than the amount of cars speeding on our roads.

One is normalised and if you hit a pedestrian whilst speeding this will be called an accident. The other will be seen as a dangerous act. Bizarre as they are both dangerous acts

FrightRider · 05/10/2013 11:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ivykaty44 · 05/10/2013 11:53

so cars would have the rights of way on all roads like they do on motorways - do you mean that other modes of transport would be banned as they are on motorways?

Ilovemyself · 05/10/2013 12:11

Ivykaty. Are you being deliberately obtuse. If a pedestrian does something dangerous THEY are to blame. If they step into the road without warning, or wander behind a reversing vehicle and get hit is it the drivers fault. No way.

And i was joking because anyone on a website can make up statistics. And I don't know where you live, but round here most people travel within the limit - certainly not the near half you have stated.

ivykaty44 · 05/10/2013 14:08

Ilovemyself - I came back and read your post of 12:11 and didn't understand why you though I was being obtuse - but then I see the post I replied to was yours at 10;55 and then you posted again whilst I must have been writing my post. I guess I type slower than you - but there is no need to be so rude .

I live in a place where there are slow down lights for vehicles so they can monitor the amount of time the lights flash for vehicles to slow down as they are travelling faster than the speed limit

Ilovemyself · 05/10/2013 14:15

It wasn't rude at all. I can be if you want though !

Funny. We have those lights too, and well below the 47% you quoted set them off.

Can you substantiate the 47% or is it a guessed at or made up figure?

ivykaty44 · 05/10/2013 14:24

I was just looking for some information that wasn't stats - it seems the speed awareness scheme made over £20 million in 2011-2012 and that is charge £100 per course.

can you show me the figures you have for the lights well below 47% ?

Ilovemyself · 05/10/2013 14:46

No. But it is based on what I have seen. 47% would be every other car or so and I wilts say that it is less than 1 in 10.

When I have put the kids to bed I will go and sit there for an hour and give you some hot off the press statistics........

ivykaty44 · 05/10/2013 14:58

this is interesting the ways the roads and towns are arranged will help make them safer for all modes of transport

ilovemyself this is where I got my figures from the Gov website statistics may not be great but your guess at the figures in speeding is rubbish guessing

MrsCosmopilite · 05/10/2013 15:04

Interesting....

On my journey to college, I have to pass one of those 'slow down' lights. In the three years I've been driving there, I have never set it off. It's in a reasonably small village and I'd say about 1 in 10 drivers do trigger it.

On the journey home, because of the arrangement of roads, I have to pass a different 'slow down' light. It's on a road that connects a B road to an A road. I've never set it off. However, around 6 of every 10 other drivers do. I think they see it as a challenge as they rush to join the A road. Despite it being situated where it is because there is a playground, sportsfield, nursery school and guides/scouts hut on the road, and despite the road having a clear 30 limit.

Ilovemyself · 05/10/2013 15:06

Ivykaty. It's not a guess. Less than one in ten cars is less than 10%

Why don't you just stop car bashing and accept that cyclists and pedestrians are responsible for their own behaviour

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