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.

No sweety! I am one of those people who knows the difference between a crossing and a pedestrian refuge.

I am also one of those women people who chooses to check facts before making statements and sounding daft!

I am also one of those women people who can apologise when she is wrong!

carrot out of interest... why did you choose not to comment on the woman who used her pram and child as a battering ram?

@CuriosaboutSamphire
Thanks luv for calling me sweetie, you truly sound an obnoxious woman if you ask a police constable s/he will inform you correctly. I will just be waiting patiently on my computer for your apology.

It's basically the same as blocking a junction when you're in stationary traffic, apart from you're leaving about 2 feet at the crossing, and about 10 for a junction. Realistically, when the traffic moves forward it should allow you to pass the crossing fully. So much easier to leave this gap than across a full junction. I think it's courteous to do this.

Lady was a bit crazy though, not reasonable to do what she did because of what you did.

Ah well! You'll be waiting a while, don't hold your breath!

And still focussing on bad driving and ignoring the extremely werd and agressive behaviour of the protected species = mother?

And why be so obnoxious about it? This is a discussion board. If you want to get hung up on semantics that's fine, but throwing around aspersions and hissy fits isn't all that productive, just unreasonable... Ah yes!! Of course

Signing off, not ignoring, back at 6 am!!

"The cheapest crossing design, in comparison to other crossings (e.g. puffin, zebra crossings)"

This is from your link Curious. It is a crossing, but obviously not one which has the same rules as zebra etc. The thing that struck me was the cost. £10k for that!

You were both unreasonable, her more so than you.

If you didn't see the pedestrian refuge because you were so busy concentrating on the road ahead, how do you know she wasn't already stood waiting to cross? Then you just parked your car right in front of her? Even if it's not a legal requirement to do so, it's common courtesy especially if you're getting no further down the road.

To be honest if you didn't see either her, her buggy or the crossing until she banged on your car you shouldn't be driving.

Another vote for this being a crossing. Only it's an uncontrolled crossing with dropped cerb and island. So drivers are not required to stop for pedestrians to cross but " in queuing traffic, you should keep the crossing clear" (rule 192 of the Highway Code).
So you were U.
The woman was wrong to bang on your car. But even though you were wrong to be rude.

It's a place to cross, rather than a 'crossing...' I did say it was semantics, based on the main difference, that the pedestrian does not have priority. That is the whole point. Pedestrians need to be aware of the difference, for their own safety!

I am still amused at those who choose NOT to comment on the pram/child battering ram!

I should have said - Like every other point along any pavement, that is a place where it is possible to cross, not an actual crossing. For safety's sake that is an important distinction to make

I am still amused at those who choose NOT to comment on the pram/child battering ram!

Simply less worthy of comment because (a) that's unarguably unacceptable behaviour - nothing to debate and (b) the OP chose to start a thread in AIBU, soliciting views as to whether she was being unreasonable; if the pram-wielded had started a thread from the opposite POV I'm certain she'd have had her arse unequivocally handed to her.

If I’d noticed it I would have left it clear but I getwhat you’re saying that you wouldn’t necessarily notice it when driving in the same way you’d see a zebra crossing.

Her reaction was over the top.

it is a proper crossing, it is a pedestrian crossing with a refuge, since it has the dropped curve and the central refuge it does not need road markings. You are wrong to block it.

No it doesn't say keep clear so you don't have too... if she was visible at the time I'd have left a gap, but if it was stand still traffic and she had just appeared no yanbu

@CuriousaboutSamphire
I think well done to the lady using her pram/child as a battering ram I hope she has caused lots of damage to the ignorant women's people carrier and I hope it caused trauma to the three sprogs all strapped in at the back. Why should she feel superior to other road users?

mehhh How does it hurt to leave a couple of feet between you and the car in front if you are crawling anyway?

I should have said - Like every other point along any pavement, that is a place where it is possible to cross, not an actual crossing. For safety's sake that is an important distinction to make

It's a crossing. I genuinely don't understand why you'd argue otherwise, particularly when your own link defines it as such. It is definitively not like any other point of the pavement, as a driver it's a special point that you should look out for. Because it's recommended that pedestrians cross at that point specifically because it's safer.

I pray that the driving test was more difficult. Would cut down on congestion and accidents as a rather large proportion of drivers don’t deserve a license with their driving standards. Any discussion about cyclists or merge in turn and it’s astounding the amount of ignorance.

If you as a driver are failing to notice a potential hazard of a crossing then I question your driving ability.

It’s definitely a crossing, if you didn’t notice this and leave a appropriate gaps, you need to be considering if you are safe to drive.

She over reacted but it looks like a crossing to me, it's clearly intended as a place to cross. YABU to not have left some space.

Im confused...those people who say that it isnt a crossing....well what is it then?