Unreasonable driver or deranged pedestrian? Over to the MN Jury

[woolythoughts]

I’ll try to keep it to the point – google picture attached of the actual section of road.

1. In a queue of traffic up the lights at the junction – nose to tail traffic
2. There is nothing on the road to indicate that it is a crossing of any sort nor are there any keep clear markings
3. A dropped kerb with an island does not in itself make a crossing

Was I unreasonable to draw the following:

Conclusion 1: There was no requirement for me to keep the road clear at the point of the dropped kerb

Conclusion 2: The woman who pushed her buggy into the side of my car, banged on the window and started effing and blinding about it being a crossing and having to leave space was off her head and I was justified in telling her to do one.

Wanting to cross the road when it does not impede wheeled traffic is not “hideously entitled”.

It is not a crossing. It is there to make crossing easier, but drivers are not obliged to stop if someone is waiting.
OP - yes, maybe you could have been more alert, but like you, I would have not left a gap if there had been no-one at the kerb.
She WBU to react in that way.

To be honest, I didn't see it at the time (was concentrating on the traffic in front of me) which is why I questioned myself and googled it afterward in case I'd missed something I should have given way for.

You are supposed to be aware of all your surroundings, not just the car in front. What if someone had crossed the other side and was in the central reservation - you would have needed to be aware of them in case they stepped out on the crossing.

And to all those who criticized the OP, wait till you're somewhere where peds just stream across the road without looking! Like in my town. If I stopped for every ped, then I would still be there. Courtesy works both ways you know.

Cary That's not a black and white striped pole. It's a grey metal pole with 4 stripes on it!

You were being totally unreasonable. Bad, unobservant, mean driving.

Yeah, you were U. Granted no zebra or Belishas but clearly a crossing point. No need for her to loon out though.

You aren't required to keep clear of a traffic island or a dropped kerb. If there's a traffic island the two sides of the road are treated as two separate crossings because pedestrians can wait on the island for the other half of the road to become clear. In queuing traffic it's sensible to avoid waiting across a dropped kerb as you may end up blocking it for some time, but it's by no means compulsory.

You were both in the wrong - you for not leaving a gap and her for being aggressive. However I doubt she'd have been aggressive if you'd been driving properly, which you weren't. You might not strictly be obliged to stop but it is a crossing, it doesn't lengthen your journey time to leave a gap and you really should be able to see the island when you're right next to it.

Omg that's by me!!!!! 😀 That section of road is an utter nightmare. If she truly wanted to cross safely there's one past the McDonald's and one further down, yanbu

wait till you're somewhere where peds just stream across the road without looking! Like in my town. If I stopped for every ped, then I would still be there. Courtesy works both ways you know

But we are talking about this ONE incident!
The fact there are also inconsiderate pedestrians doesn't make this less inconsiderate.
I think this attitude of 'well some people do ....blah blah' to excuse your own selfish behaviour is childish.

I wouldn't have left a space - it's not a zebra crossing or a pelican crossing so you don't have to. She was being U.

It is a crossing and in the highway code you are suppose to stop to allow people to cross. If you were the pedestrian and she was the driver how would you feel?

In all honesty if I approached an island crossing like that with no pedestrian waiting I wouldn't automatically leave a gap for someone to cross.

However I would leave a gap for anyone already waiting or pedestrians who are clearly about to cross.

YWNBU because you didn't do anything dangerous or illegal...whereas bashing a car and verbally assaulting someone is worse than omitting to leave a pram size gap just in case someone fancied crossing the road in the 60 seconds or so that you'd be occupying that space.

Am fucking sick to the back teeth of dozy inconsiderate drivers who prize their right to be a couple of feet further forward in stationary traffic over other road users and pedestrians. It’d almost be cute how cocooned in their own little bubble they seem to be if it wasn’t for the fact they’re in sole charge of a metal killing machine

^ this.

Of course YWBU. So was the pedestrian in how she reacted but that doesn't make you right.

I bet you're also one of those drivers who doesn't bother using their indicators if there are no other cars around, ignoring the fact that pedestrians are road users too.

carrot really, it isn't! See the link I provided above.

It is common sense to leave a space, it is really inconsiderate of you and drivers to block the space for prams and pedestrians.It does not save you time. I think you were selfish and very me me me.

@CuriousaboutSamphire
perhaps your not in Britian

Nobody is saying that you shouldn't leave a space if you can. But sometimes, as traffic ebbs and flow, that is just impossible.

And NOTHING excuses criminal damage and verbal aggression! If you think OP was selfish what must you think of the woman who used her pram, presumably with child in it, as a battering ram?

carrot did you read the link? Or are you just giving your opinion of how it should be in your world without recourse to information?

It’s a crossing and it’s good manners to keep it clear for people who want to cross.

However women sounded obnoxious no need to bang on your car and shout at you etc.

'@CuriousaboutSamphire
Are you one of these women that drives a people carrier with three kids and don't know how to park.

The dropped kerb is there so people can cross. Therefore it's a crossing. You parked across it and stopped people being able to use it. How long would you like a wheelchair user to wait to cross because your sense of entitlement says you can park wherever you fancy? The location of other crossings is irrelevant. The pedestrian over-reacted and was unnecessarily aggressive but you're rude, ignorant and selfish.

I would have left a space as it looks like a crossing to me and it's just polite. That said the woman was crazy and incredible rude out of all proportion.