To wonder if they've changed the Highway Code and no one told me?

[Chicken4dinner]

Or far more likely when did drivers become so inconsiderate?

I've just tried to cross a fairly busy road at a zebra crossing. I stood with one foot on the crossing making it obvious I was trying to cross and five cars zoomed right past me.

I took one step forward, so I was 2 or 3 ft from the kerb and still no one stopped. When there was a very small break in the traffic I walked forward but was prepared to leap back if I had to. I made it across in one piece.

I'm a driver. I always stop when I see someone crossing on a zebra.

It was quite nerve wracking walking out before the cars had stopped and I'm a mobile forty-something. How elderly or less mobile people cope I don't know.

I went to a conference in Austria and walking from the hotel to the conference venue we had to cross a motorway exit. We were a couple of yards from the kerb and the approaching lorry stopped in anticipation of us crossing. I was really impressed - and the two Portugese delegates I was with nearly fainted in shock. Repeated every day we were there

Re the parking on the pavements, my understanding is that it is illegal. People may have got into the habit of doing it in some places and the police may be turning a blind eye but I would have thought a complaint would still get some action. It might depend on where you are as to who you complain to though. Where I am, the police have stepped right back from parking offenses so I would probably complain to whichever dept in the local council is responsible for traffic wardens if I wanted action.

yes they must have.

now its:
section blah di blah

• DO block peoples driveways especially on the school run and feel free to park like a twunt every single day, especially in front of emergency exits.

-DO drive at 20 times over the speed limit and feel free to shunt the car in front that is clearly disobeying the law by driving at the speed it says on the signs.

-DO NOT ever use indicators, the driver behind you can mind read.

-cyclists feel free to kamikaze in and out of cars and then blame them when you come off your bike.

car drivers and cyclists - DO use your mobile phone while driving, and use other hand to smoke.

DO NOT use a child booster seat for a toddler, theyre perfectly safe in the car on the passenger seat without a seat belt on.

Do cut other motorists up on turnings and roundabouts, they are the twunts by thinking the law says otherwise.

cyclists- DO scratch the sides of cars and knock their wing mirrors when hurtling past them to jump a red light.

DO park in disabled bays if you are not disabled, they can try and walk, its better for you lazy person, they need to get up and walk.

Im sure theres more......

When a complicated main road roundabout is divided into lanes going to different places, this is purely for decoration. Anyone who follows these useful guidelines is a mug, and therefore deserves to be sideswiped by any other car using the roundabout...

When approaching a mini roundabout where the only two options are left and right, it is entirely acceptable not to indicate your preference, because you have deemed that to be straight on because it goes to your destination. it is also entirely acceptable for drivers behind the poor sap who is waiting for someone to indicate so as to decide whether to go out onto the roundabout or not to physically shunt them into the centre of the roundabout by driving into their bumper, as shouting and gesticulating at them didn't seem to work...

Oh god....middle lane hoggers

I spend a lot of time on motorways. There should be a special hell for middle lane hoggers.

Yes, fiesta driver on the completely empty M3 between junction 2 and junction 1 last week doing 50 mph in the middle lane, I'm talking to you.

Jeff, if that incident with the secondary kids was recent, let the school know. The head can have a word at Assembly.

Jeff's anecdote reminds me of another amendment: if the driver in front has stopped or moved to give way to an ambulance*, do your best to occupy any consequently vacant space before the ambulance nabs it. Where this is not possible, be sure to use your horn to berate said driver for holding you up for something as irrelevant to you as a blue flashing light and sirens.

*other emergency vehicles are available

I've been halfway across a zebra crossing, with a car to my right plainly stopped for me, and then had TWO cars coming the other way just sail right across!

I think everyone's just becoming more horrible.

Hand brake:
Only use when parked. When stopped at traffic lights or junctions for a couple of minutes it's preferable, especially in the dark, to use the foot brake so the drivers behind can enjoy their retinas being burned out by the dazzle of your lights.

Round my way drivers seem to forget that a pedestrian has right of way when crossing a junction that the driver is turning into (Rule 170: "watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way").

Then again, a lot of them seem to think that it is acceptable to reverse up a one-way street or drive after dark without lights.

I remember in the 80s my boyfriend at that time being fined by the police for not stopping at a zebra for a pedestrian.

I'm always very vigilant as this is at the back of my mind plus why wouldn't you.

There's a big sign at each end of Bethnal Green Road in London which reads "The Highway Code does not apply on this highway."

Also drivers being careless when turning into a road being too far over on wrong side itms

Tara it was before the Summer, last school year. It's a good idea though.

Hopefully the paramedic contacted the school and the offending kids were suitably ashamed.

I'd forgotten about the reversing down the one way street manoeuvre.

There's also the 'turning manoevre'.

If you feel that ignoring the no right turn sign is too much, then turn left and then reverse back far enough that you can turn off into the road you just came from. This is best performed without the use of any indicators.

DalekBred ^^
A few more for your list
Do Not - put fog lights on in thick fog as you can see everyone else but they don't need to see you
Do - only put your dipps on and your fog lights so that you can see the pot holes
Cyclists - Do wear black clothes and pissy little flashing lights that do fuck all so drivers have no idea that your on the road
also
Do - drive out of the car park while trying to put your seat belt on with one hand and weave all over the place

Oh yes another one I've just remembered.

Rule 80. When at a major junction, and you see an ambulance, blue lights and all hurtling down towards where everyone knows the cardiac unit is.

Do make sure everyone else is stopped to let the ambulance through before your selfish arse pulls straight out and then drives into the main space really slowly forcing the ambulance to slow down and wait for you.

The patient in the back probably having a cardiac arrest will likely be fine.

You own a land yacht. So they can wait.

Revision to the guidance for cyclists:

Boys under 18 must not wear helmets. Hoodies are permissible, but these must be as black as anything an assemblage of Goth teens could produce. Lights are forbidden.

Seriously, who lets these boys out? Not a single one of them has lights round here.

MNers, if you have a teenage son between 13-18 at home with a bike, find out if he has lights and if he uses them.

It is now acceptable to use fog lights liberally. Try using them to alert other rush hour drivers to your presence in heavy traffic. Putting them on in heavy rain gives a wonderful glitter effect and wipes out all trace of the surrounding grey, dark road.

I remember in the 80s my boyfriend at that time being fined by the police for not stopping at a zebra for a pedestrian.
My mother once received (and I still possess) a letter from the Police Superintendant warning her that one of his constables had observed her failing to stop her bike at a Halt (as it was then) sign at a cross-roads, and warning her that if she was seen doing this again, she would be prosecuted! This was back in the 1950s, and she was a policeman's daughter.

We could do with some policemen round more to fine people for some of this bad driving discussed in thread.

I know we all make mistakes but some of the stuff on this thread is just selfish

DH once clipped a teenage boy on a black bike, wearing black, on a roundabout where the lights were out.

He took his number and rang to apologise to his parents and pay for any damage.
They refused any money, apologised to him and told him the boy wouldn't be going out on the bike again - bit late they didn't check before though

May I use this opportunity to apologise to anyone driving in Sheffield yesterday? I rarely drive in cities and was absolutely driving like a twunt of the first order (completely lost and changing lane several times in quick succession - although I did indicate first). Why isn't there an 'oh my god, I am so sorry' indicator?

If there are yellow lines by a cashpoint, you are obliged to park on them when you take cash out, especially if there is a car park nearby. The more difficulty you cause to other motorists, the better. Just around a blind turn is optimal, but reducing a busy high street to a single lane is pretty good, too.