To be getting increasingly pissed off with drivers not stopping at zebra crossings?

[Rainatnight]

Is this happening in anyone else's area? Over the past couple of years, I've noticed a real problem in my area with drivers not stopping at zebra crossings. I thought it was just cos I'd just become a pushchair-pusher and was out walking around with DD more, so was noticing it.

But recently it's got even worse again, and it's now happening at least once a day where I live.

It's so dangerous!

What's it like where other people live? And is there anything that can be done? I feel like I should complain to someone but I don't know who!

[Funnyface1]

I was at a crossing with my toddler waiting to cross. Green Man came on and we started to cross. A school aged boy was crossing in the other direction and a van on that side of the road hadn't noticed the red light, or him until it was almost too late. It was awful and I've hated crossing there since but have to most days to take ds to school. I always wait for green man, then check traffic is stopped before we start crossing. It might hold drivers up a couple of extra seconds, but I'm not risking our lives.

[beebreath]

Cyclists using the pedestrian / zebra crossings annoy me.

[Nameisthegame]

Google Plymouth I think one child was injured and another died? 🙁

[Piglet89]

Happens in London ALL THE TIME because people are very, very selfish, I’m afraid.

[MrsChanandlerBongg]

I'm in a rural area, however a popular holiday destination up north and see this A LOT when holiday-makers are in the area. Don't get me wrong, I do see it anyway but an incredible increase when people are on their holidays.

[Redglitter]

Take down their number plate, preferably car colour and make if you can. Ring the police on 101

The MN answer to everything 🙄

You seriously think that's a police matter???

[redredrobins]

Does it become a police matter if a pedestrian is killed?
Car drivers have become incredibly selfish, how much time does it take to allow someone to cross?

[Chouetted]

Well I got a motorcyclist who nearly ran me over while illegally offroading on a footpath in trouble with the police by reporting his numberplate to 101 (and haven't seen him since...), so it really depends on local priorities.

They told me they were really pleased to get a numberplate, as apparently they'd had reports of the same thing from other people but nothing with enough detail to actually follow up on.

[Talkingfrog]

It is a regular occurance here for cars to ignore it is a crossing. I have clearly had my foot on the crossing with plenty of warning, but waited for the car to stop and they didn't. I have been half way over and had cars drive in front or behind me. The lollipop lady has the same problem. It is a 20 mph road - how can you not see a lollipop lady, wearing a reflective yellow coat and carrying a stick in the middle of a zebra crossing?

[Rainatnight]

Redglitter, they're breaking the law and as you can see from some of the examples on this thread, it's really dangerous. This isn't one of those MN 'my NDN was mean to me so I'm calling the police' kind of things.

[staydazzling]

yup, the school zebra crossing now needs a lollipop lady it's that bad

[EjectorCrab]

Also noticed this, I just get on it and start walking else people won’t stop. Admittedly a slightly dangerous approach. I think the main problem though is that 30mph speed limits seem to mean 40mph for most people in my area and no one is enforcing the speed limit or policing traffic.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

This has become such a problem in our area that the local authority has remove all zebra crossings and replaced them with puffin or toucan crossings.

[sashh]

Also teach your children to get off their bikes at crossings, if they cycle across they are a road user and traffic does not need to stop even if they are on the crossing.

[Gingerivy]

We are in London and see this all the time. Part of our ongoing road safety discussions are "always look first, no matter what." A car yesterday sped right across at a zebra crossing near our house, honking their horn as they went. People were on it and had to move quickly to avoid them.

[proudestofmums]

I do stop at zebra crossings as a driver but, although I know this isn’t legally required, it wou;d be so nice is just occasionally the pedestrian acknowledged me with a smile or a lift if the hand. I cannot believe that everyone is having such a life or death conversation on their phone that they fail to notice I’ve stopped for them. I sometimes wonder if they even noticed there was a car there! PS I don’t include parents with young children, buggies etc who have enough to wrangle but actually they usually do acknowledge me.

[Andonandonan]

Dd was almost run over on a zebra crossing - was halfway across and a driver who had plenty of time to slow down chose to accelerate instead (having seen me walking just behind her but obv not noticing smaller dd). It was terrifying and ever since we wait for cars to stop in both directions before even starting to cross. I’m sure it annoys drivers that I’m so cautious but I just won’t take the risk after such a near miss.

[LuvSmallDogs]

EjectorCrab, I do the same now too. There are drivers who actually speed up when they see someone about to/just starting to cross the zebra, hoping to intimidate them back onto the curb. I nearly got hit by an idiot who did this in an elderly Ford Fiesta in the soaking wet!

[Fairenuff]

They need more cameras like this one

[gamerwidow]

Yes I’ve seen an increase in this too. It’s indicative of a general rise in selfishness in people I think. No one seems to want to give way when there’s cars parked in the road or even give way properly at roundabouts anymore either.

[gamerwidow]

Fwiw it’s worth if I see someone approaching a crossing I’ll slow down in case they want to cross. Unless a pedestrian is belting down the road it should never be a surprise when someone wants to cross.

[gamerwidow]

Ps I was hit on zebra crossing about 20 years ago. The car that hit me actually overtook the car that had stopped to let me go. Twat!

[PettyContractor]

I've never noticed a problem at my local crossing. However it's a raised crossing so cars have to slow down anyway, and I do look at them to make sure they're stopping before stepping out in front of them.

A pedestrian tip I intend to post on every thread like this: if you see a flashing green pedestrian light at a crossing, the motorists may be seeing a flashing amber light, which means they can go if the crossing is clear. While running across such a crossing, where two lanes had stationary traffic, I was nearly flattened by a motorist in the third lane who interpreted the flashing amber light as a signal to pass through the crossing at maximum achievable speed.

While he was in a number of ways in the wrong, I now try to remember never to run across pedestrian crossing, and don't step off the pavement if the green man is flashing. (Not sure that I did on that occasion.)

[endofthelinefinally]

I think we have reached the point where everyone needs a dashcam and a bodycam.

[shoelookout]

I'm finding speeding has become worse where I am. Most people doing 35/40 in a 30 and putting pressure on for me to do the same. This has also linked with a rise in anti social behaviour.

I believe there is a simple reason...there are literally no police driving around. We live on a main road so always used to get ambulances and police driving past. Whenever I hear a siren it is NEVER a police car anymore. They just don't seem to exist.