Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To think re-education is needed about Highway Code rule 170

29 replies

forbiddenisland · 13/12/2016 08:35

"watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"

Having been almost moan down twice this morning by cars turning left into side roads I had most definitely already started crossing, and finding this to be a regular occurrence, I'm starting to wonder if it's just me being unreasonable. Surely not?

And it applies to cyclists as much, if not more so than car drivers (especially around the university campus where I work).

OP posts:

Footinmouthasusual · 13/12/2016 08:37

Yes though as a pedestrian it's not really a rule I would try to enforce on a regular basis op.

stickygotstuck · 13/12/2016 08:41

Y Y op.

Complete with hitting the offending driver on the head with a copy of the highway code! The amount of times I've been almost run over And shouted at for "not knowing how to cross the road" [rage]. Dangerous AND stupid!!

TheProblemOfSusan · 13/12/2016 08:42

I'm always ranting about this on my commute. YANBU.

However you, mate, in the flashy Mercedes who tries to mow down pedestrians everytime I see you, you are unreasonable and you should just get the chuffing train to work like everyone else instead of getting pissed off that there are people! Crossing the road! In one of the busiest cities in the world! Right next to a major station! You bastard.

BigGreenOlives · 13/12/2016 08:43

Loving being moan down - I know people who do that to me, they're exhausting.

Snowflakes1122 · 13/12/2016 08:46

Yanbu this happens to me too.

Crossing the road half way with the kids and a car will zoom around the corner into the road just missing us.

PurpleMinionMummy · 13/12/2016 09:08

Yanbu. I'm a driver and know this, everyone should. Same can be said for roads with rows of parked cars There's always one arrogant dick who will barge through even though they were no where in sight when you started to pass the parked cars on your side and its actually your right of way.

SittingDrinkingTea · 13/12/2016 09:18

I couldn't agree more, I have this every day on the school run. It's compounded by almost every street in our area having on street residents parking which makes it hard for drivers to see pedestrians starting to cross. The whole thing is an accident waiting to happen.

MassDebate · 13/12/2016 09:27

YANBU! This is one of my pet peeves. I recently had a woman nearly mow me down when she turned (without indicating - whole other issue) into the road I was halfway across, then she had the temerity to stop her car, open the door and shout abuse at me for being in the road. She got short shrift I can tell you.

wasonthelist · 13/12/2016 09:57

YANBU - When driving, I've even had the dick behind sound the horn when I've slowed to allow a pedestrian in the road I'm turning into to complete their crossing of it.

YelloDraw · 13/12/2016 10:25

Modern indicators don't seem to work as well as they used to - hardly anyone seems to be able to indicate any more. Especially on roundabouts.

Tinuviel · 13/12/2016 11:06

YANBU, however it is annoying to see pedestrians step out to cross a side street without looking behind to check if anything is about to turn into the street. I do slow down; I do anticipate that they might not check, but I do think pedestrians have a responsibility to do so.

It is particularly annoying at the bottom of the street I live in as there is now a bus lane going the opposite way on the main road which means the other lanes are very narrow, so it holds up all the traffic on a very busy road.

OpalTree · 13/12/2016 11:11

Yanbu.

Temporaryname137 · 13/12/2016 11:12

A friend of mine who is a psychologist working in rehab told me that a huge number of the head injury/other life changing injuries that she sees are due to people being hit at pedestrian crossings* or otherwise crossing the street. It has made me very cautious about them, especially the one at the end of my road that is apparently invisible to about 80% of drivers.

So YABU, but unfortunately as you are always going to come off worse in a collision with anything that is heavier and moving more quickly than you are, please be careful!

one of the worst was caused by a bike, so it's not just cars

Temporaryname137 · 13/12/2016 11:12

urgh, yaNbu, sorry!

CottonSock · 13/12/2016 11:15

My dh is unaware of this rule, despite my insistence

PhilODox · 13/12/2016 11:19

Also- you're not supposed to drive off over a zebra crossing until the pedestrian has got onto the opposite pavement!

Sneery · 13/12/2016 11:23

YANBU but I think pedestrians should think before they cross the road too.

If I was pulling off a busy road with poor visibility it isn't necessarily safe if I have to stop when I'm half way around the corner with the rear end of my car sticking out into the busy road. Yes the pedestrian has right of way but sometimes a bit of thought would help. IYSWIM

I'd never do anything other than stop though.

myfavouritecolourispurple · 13/12/2016 11:24

Yes OP - you are so right.

The worst thing is when you want to cross a side road and can see someone wants to turn into it across the traffic. There's a long line of traffic coming along so you go. Cue one of them decides to slow down and flash the person to go, even though you are half way across the road. I always give them a filthy look but they really really don't get it. Pedestrians are completely invisible.

And yy to cyclists ignoring it too. I once had a stand-off with an idiot on a Boris Bike in London who thought because he was ringing his bell as he turned into the road I was crossing I had to stop for him. I got hold of his handlebars and told him to read the Highway Code.

And it would help if people would use their indicators more - but it does not give you priority. I can still go if I get there first! However, if I see you are indicating to turn into the road I want to cross, I will stop and wait for you. But if you turn in without indicating you'll get a big piece of my mind. Maybe I should start carrying round photocopies of section 170 ;)

viques · 13/12/2016 11:31

Oh, people who don't indicate!! I think there must have been an article in a car magazine once that told people indicating wears out the engine or something, either that or drivers are so busy on their phones they don't have a hand free for indicator switches.

My personal peeve is the people who snuggle up to traffic lights while straddling the space marked for motor bikes and bikes, honestly guys, those extra 2 metres of road are not going to turn you into Lewis Hamilton in pole position when the lights change.

Spam88 · 13/12/2016 11:33

I've had abuse shouted at my many times by drivers who turned into a road I was crossing. One even circled back round, parked up and got out to shout some more abuse at me. One also managed to clip me with their wing mirror (I was in the far side of the road, almost on the pavement, by that point, clipped by their passenger side mirror, so it wasn't my fault by any stretch of the imagination) and still proceeded to swear at me. All charming people.

Agree with PPs that pedestrians need to take their share of the responsibility as well though - I'd never cross right on a corner, I always walk up the side street slightly so there's enough soace for a car to come around the corner and then stop when they see me, and I'll always check whether anyone's indicating off the main road.

I disagree with regard to bikes though. I think it's easier and safer for me to stop or get out of the way for a bike so I always let them pass.

amusedbush · 13/12/2016 11:42

I was nearly run over by someone who swung into a street that I was crossing from the main road, they didn't indicate or even try to slow down as they turned. I was clearly shaken and they stuck their middle finger at me, shouting abuse

FlappysMammyAndPopeInExile · 13/12/2016 11:53

My son has just (this morning, on his way to work) been knocked off his bike by a driver who was parked at the kerb and who swung out to do a U-turn (without signalling) straight in front of him (possibly didn't check before pulling away from the kerb, but was also raining so visibility is obscured, so possibly DS was in blind spot). Son landed on his face(!) smashing his front teeth and bike is pretty much trashed) forks damaged, front wheel buckled, handlebars smashed etc - he was in a high vis jacket and had lights on his bike. Has been at emergency dentist all morning.

Sorry - I know this has nothing to do with a pedestrian thread, just needed a little moment to vent my anxiety.

OurBlanche · 13/12/2016 11:55

Ah yes, the pedestrian crossing... do not proceed until the crossing is clear... and that applies to school minibus drivers too!! Grrr

Again this morning I had Mr Hasty behind me. I stopped at the top of the road, waiting for the oncoming cars to come up the hill and clear the road. No, I didn't indicate, I wasn't parking. I was waiting. Mr Hasty pulls alongside me and is so busy giving me the finger as he speeds past me he didn't seem to see the 3 cars and doubledecker bus coming the other way!

How lucky for him that the other driver behind us managed to reverse, allowing me to give him enough room to get out of the way.

The bus driver spend almost a whole minute telling him what a pratt he was

There seems to be a greatly reduced awareness in some drivers that they are driving a HUGE machine that can do damage. Scary!

OurBlanche · 13/12/2016 11:57

Flappy that has everything to do with the thread. Carelessness, thoughtlessness and the consequences. Rant on.

I hope your boy is OK. Well enough to be using his poor face as an excuse to be waited on hand and foot. Taking full advantage

BlackeyedSusan · 13/12/2016 12:02

I sometimes stop at the second line at traffic lights as you are supposed to if you cannot stop at first as traffic lights are changing, but can at second, I then sit there shoulders hunched as you look a bit of a twat.

I hate when pedestrians are crossing and you slow down, but twat behind looks like they are going to rear end you.

ds is fed up of me telling him about drivers' blind spots when crossing the road. especially not so tall boys.

thing is as a pedestrian, you have to look out for the twats.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread