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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think pedestrians on a narrow country road should expect to give way to cars?

143 replies

TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 28/04/2015 21:52

I was a bit gobsmacked by this today. They were walking 2 abreast towards me; as I approached they went one behind the other, but there was another car coming the other way - as is usual we were clearly all going to arrive at the same point at the same time (is it Murphy's law?) but equally clearly they had no intention of stepping on to the verge while the cars passed. I ended up at a dead stop just ahead of them as the other car went by.

They were wrong, yes? Pedestrians walking on the road - a national limit road Shock - should give way to cars? We gave each other filthy looks but I refrained from ramming them.

OP posts:
Marshy · 28/04/2015 22:11

Err....it's certainly wise to move off the tarmac if you're behind the wheel.

Giving pedestrians the evils because they didn't leap into the hedge to get out of your way is well out of order.

Original poster
TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 28/04/2015 22:11

ramming was a joke. sorry.

OP posts:
BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 28/04/2015 22:13

Blimey, I thought I was a miserable, intolerant cow, but might have to move over and give the medal to you OP.

Kewcumber · 28/04/2015 22:14

so when I move out of the way for cars when I'm on foot I'm doing the wrong thing?

Knock yourself out if you want to , but cars aren't (contrary to popular belief) king of the road except where pedestrians (and other vulnerable road users are banned eg motorways

WOuldn;t it take you a very long time to get anywhere if you had to throw yourself into a hedge anytime a car came past?

Kewcumber · 28/04/2015 22:15

Out of interest what do you do if there is a horse on your side of the road?

Owllady · 28/04/2015 22:15

Fwiw
I live on a country lane
18 months ago I jumped onto one of these grass verges with my dog to avoid a car and someone mounted it. Hit my on lead dog with their car, she travelled 10ft onto someone's garden and they drove off and left me there
She had the worst pull tail injury the vet had ever seen and it was broken in 2 places. She had to be pts

I've had cars in my garden, my neighbour has had cars through her hedge, we've had cars upside down in the field opposite. Cars in dug outs on corners. Near misses with everyone vulnerable

People overtake my son's school bus before he has crossed the road

The majority of people who use these country lanes as shortcuts/rat runs, have absolutely no regard for life.

It's an absolute eye opener tbh

Bakeoffcake · 28/04/2015 22:16

I live in the countryside and everytime I get in the car I'm on the look out for people, horses, cyclists, pheasants, ducks etc etc.

And I also ways slow down for them. I don't own the road just because I'm ina carHmm

Marshy · 28/04/2015 22:19

That's shocking owl lady Sad. I'm surprised you venture out on foot at all after such an awful experience

Owllady · 28/04/2015 22:20

Exactly bakeoffcake!
I drive purposely very very slow to annoy the short cutters too and I'm proud of that, especially as the pheasants are bonkers atm Wink

Sagethyme · 28/04/2015 22:21

owllady so sorry about your hound, that is just horrible your poor dog, can you and other villagers/ townsfolk to lobby the coucil to put in speed restrictions / cameras?

msgrinch · 28/04/2015 22:22

Oh owllady so sorry about your dog. That's awful Sad

UptheChimney · 28/04/2015 22:25

YABU

AFAIK, pedestrians have right of way in the situation you describe. Sounds like you're not used to the countyside. Maybe you need to learn the Highway Code properly. You don't sound like a safe or cinsiderate driver.

Original poster
TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 28/04/2015 22:25

I'm actually always very slow & careful around horses &, usually, pedestrians. I was surprised today that with oncoming cars in both directions there was no hint that maybe all of us should give a little.

Mea culpa

OP posts:
honeyroar · 28/04/2015 22:26

Often grass verges are uneven and full of broken bottles and rusty cans. Sometimes if you step on a grass verge the car driver thinks it's an invitation to put their foot down. So I can forgive a walker for staying on the road and going single file.

Owllady · 28/04/2015 22:27

She was lovely too. I acquired her (rescue) a few months after my sister had died. It was devastating.
I had to pick someone's dead pet cat off the lane last week too :(
I'm actually really more than quite sick of it.
The dairy farmer has had near misses with his cows

People need to slow down

Owllady · 28/04/2015 22:29

There are storm drains here on the side of verges too, I must add
I think people are unaware of rural dangers. Especially the dug outs. Would they want to end up lodged in one inside their car, full of water? Confused I can think of much nicer ways to die

BuggersMuddle · 28/04/2015 22:33

Biscuit The pedestrians are entirely in the right. I'm a cyclist and would expect to both (a) slow down to pass pedestrians when safe and (b) take primary position on an unsafe road where vehicles couldn't reasonably pass. If I was pootling along at 12-15 mph I would also expect you to pass me safely (and suck it up if you can't, although I would and do loiter in passing places if I think I'm holding up traffic).

UnoPan · 28/04/2015 22:37

I'm sure TheOne you've absorbed all of this? I'm usually a person on a Bike too, and I'd expect to slow down for pedestrians and horses as well. We are all road users and no-one (despite the belief of some drivers) get to have it all our own way.

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 28/04/2015 22:40

I don't really care what the rules are, I think on country lanes cars should give way, and even stop if necessary [gasp] to everyone else; pedestrians, cyclists, horseriders.
They are all far more vulnerable than someone in a car.

UnoPan · 28/04/2015 22:42

Yep, it's just civilised behaviour and how we organised things to get by.

Original poster
TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 28/04/2015 22:43

Yes, I have, thanks, Pan Smile. I'm very considerate of cyclists too.

I'm sure if I mentioned how long ago I passed my test you would all think I shouldn't be driving any more, but I'm actually a very good driver, & in this instance was merely judging by how I behave when a pedestrian. My mistake

OP posts:
DonttouchthatLarry · 28/04/2015 22:45

I sometimes walk to the stables along a 60mph road without pavements - you should feel the whoosh as cars, lorries and buses pass! At least they slow down when I'm on a horse, I actually feel more vulnerable as a pedestrian, as drivers don't slow as much. I walk on the road - the verge is very uneven and rutted, very easy to trip, twist an ankle or slip down the ditch, not to mention being scratched or poked in the eye by the hedgerow!

Kewcumber · 28/04/2015 22:47

maybe all of us should give a little

But you weren't expecting everyone to give a little. You expected the pedestrians to get out of the way so the two cars could continue as normal without stopping.

You wanted them to stop so you didn't have to Confused - how is that everyone compromising?

Isitraining · 28/04/2015 22:49

Might also be useful to remember that the national speed limit is a LIMIT, not a target.

I really hope you don't live anywhere near me. I walk on our beautiful country lanes every day and whilst I keep to the side, I expect other road users to respect my right to be there and not to try and kill me.

UnoPan · 28/04/2015 22:49

In sort of support for TheOne, it's easy to see how these things arise - we are a car culture nation, and very few people seem to grasp that roads are a public utility - we all pay for them and 'car tax' doesn't actually exist and hasn't since 1936 - and Vehicle Emissions Duty is nowt to do with using the roads.

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