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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think more and more people are failing to stop at zebra crossings

27 replies

scarednoob · 23/02/2016 20:44

It seems to be getting more and more common for people to ignore the pedestrian standing at the zebra crossing and to zoom over it without giving a tiny shit. It's so dangerous, particularly for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs who can't jump back as quickly when some twat (usually a berk on a dominos scooter) decides the law doesn't apply to them.

A friend of mine is a psychologist and she's done a lot of rehab work with people who suffered terrible brain damage after being hit on zebra crossings.

Am I imagining it, or has anyone else noticed this too? And am I BU to think that it's usually young male drivers and to think a targeted safety campaign would be no bad thing?

OP posts:
Cutecat78 · 23/02/2016 20:46

YANBU OH narrowly avoided being hit by a BMW speeding accross when he was half way across one last week.

Original poster
scarednoob · 23/02/2016 20:51

There have been some really powerful safety campaigns over the years (the smoke battery one with the mother rewinding the video of her daughter on Christmas Day and sobbing made me go cold every time) - it might make people think twice.

OP posts:
Original poster
scarednoob · 23/02/2016 20:51

Glad to hear your OH was fine

OP posts:
SnakeWitch · 23/02/2016 20:52

A couple of weeks ago, as I had just crossed, someone decided they didn't want to wait so drove round the cars that were waiting as people were crossing (quite a few people as it was 9am outside school). So dangerous and I was so shocked I never thought to get the number plate. I so wish I had.

whatevva · 23/02/2016 20:52

I stopped at one today. It was one with a traffic island and the lady was on the other side, coming up to the island, so I stopped and she waved thank you and crossed. I went on my way and thought 'I do like zebra crossings, so civilised, not done that in a while'. Then I thought that maybe that was because they are all being taken out and replaced with pelican crossings round here. I feel that I am becoming de-skilled in zebra crossing etiquette Sad

londonrach · 23/02/2016 20:53

Yanbu!!!! I was almost killed today. Ive let the police know but they not interested. Noticed on alot of sites on fb people are complaining about this too so is an increasing problem.

Birdsgottafly · 23/02/2016 20:54

I'm not experiencing this, it's always been quite high were I live.

I used to transport my Mum around in a wheelchair and even if they were going on to sit at a red light, they'd still drive over it.

I can remember a few years ago when there seemed to be a child hit every few weeks.

One was killed reaching back to pick up a toy that they had dropped and the driver wasn't even given a prison sentence.

theycallmemellojello · 23/02/2016 20:54

Had a debate with my FIL over zebra crossings. He is insistent that stopping is optional - even when shown the highway code he kept muttering something about common custom thinking otherwise. Shock

Tanfastic · 23/02/2016 20:56

Yes I see this a lot. If I'm the pedestrian I do normally wait to check though just in case. Last week when I was out on a run I was jogging across a zebra crossing, one half of the traffic had stopped, I hesitated as I approached the middle if the road and saw a taxi approaching but slowing down. So off I went but I hadn't judged it right and he wasn't in fact slowing down. I never quite went over the bonnet but I did fall against the front of his car as he screeched on his breaks.

Diggum · 23/02/2016 20:56

I had a car sail through actual red lights at a crossing today.

I was waiting with DD till the car actually stopped before crossing so I think driver just chose to ignore the lights as we weren't actually on the road yet!

boatrace30 · 23/02/2016 20:56

I never cross until the car has actually stopped. Would have been hit on Sunday with DD in baby carrier. There's also a crossing outside the school where I work and a student was almost killed last year

thebiscuitindustry · 23/02/2016 20:58

YANBU

UndramaticPause · 23/02/2016 21:00

From the other side More and more pedestrians are drifting out into the road glaring at their phones and headphones on thinking the zebra crossing will protect them...

alleypalley · 23/02/2016 21:06

YANBU, a few years ago I got hit by a car on a zebra crossing. The car that hit me had actually stopped, but the car behind him didn't, rammed him from behind and pushed the car in front, into me. Luckily it wasn't very hard as I'd seen it happening I was able to mostly jump out the way and just sort of fell on the bonnet.

EduCated · 23/02/2016 21:06

YANBU, cross one on my way to and from work, and more and more drivers are zooming straight over, or braking at the last minute, so you're not sure if they're going to stop or not Angry

londonrach · 23/02/2016 21:06

Undramatic...i never walk with a phone or headphones! Im really fed up of it. I can see someone being killed soon on the two crossings i use. I and three others had to jump out of the way the other day when we were half way across.

ChihuahuaChick · 23/02/2016 21:11

I don't know about it being worse, but a crossing I have to take to get to the supermarket is scary and myself and my partner have had several near misses crossing it with the buggy. To be honest a lot of motorists here are cunts.

Furiosa · 23/02/2016 21:17

UndramaticPause - "from the other side" Confused

Do you not walk?

UndramaticPause · 23/02/2016 21:22

I do walk I'm just saying pedestrians can be twats too

boatrace30 · 23/02/2016 21:23

I don't advocate "drifting into the road on a phone"... But it's still illegal not to stop!

Paddletonio · 23/02/2016 21:26

Yanbu

So many awful drivers in the road. Silly cow went straight over zebra crossing nearly into me without a care in the world the other day then shrugged at me when she saw me there, too late!!

Furiosa · 23/02/2016 21:37

UndramaticPause I always hear that, about pedestrians walking out in front of traffic but in this instance we're talking about zebra crossings. Pedestrians are allowed to cross and drivers must yield to them. If you are driving and approach a zebra crossing you should be looking for pedestrians not breaking when you suddenly notice them (on their phones or otherwise) appear.

MummaV · 23/02/2016 21:39

I was out with DH and DD in the pram yesterday and 3 cars sped through a zebra crossing, evidently going more than the 20mph speed limit. Luckily we saw them coming and not slowing so stayed on the pavement.
I cross this crossing daily and unless there is heavy traffic forcibly stopping the traffic it's rare a car actually stops.
Gives me the rage Angry

StillaChocoholic · 23/02/2016 21:39

The last person that didn't stop for me was an older fella on a bike, pretty sure bikes are supposed to stop too.
It's so difficult to judge when people are actually going to stop as well and quite often I can see people getting frustrated that they have had to come to a full stop rather than slowing just enough for me to cross. I've usually got my son in his pram though so no way in hell am I chancing it.

NeedACleverNN · 23/02/2016 21:43

I never cross a road now even on a green man unless the cars have stopped.

Not since I went to cross on a green man and a car carried on going and nearly clipped the puschair.

I gave the back of his car a boot

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