Zebra crossings

[TheZebraCrosser]

I was under the impression that when driving, stopping to let a pedestrian cross on a zebra crossing (white stripes on road, big flashing Belisha beacons) was in fact mandatory, not discretionary.

So why did some twat in a van holler 'could have put your hand up to say thank you you ignorant sod' as I (a pedestrian) sauntered across the other day.

I have noticed (as a motorist) that more and more pedestrians are now scuttling across zebra crossings almost apologetically while mouthing thank you s and waving.

This is all very well and sweet of them but it leaves me a bit bemused as they have a right to cross anyway.

I'm wondering now, if, when I get to the end of temporary traffic lights, would I be advised to 'thank' the person waiting at the other end for not jumping the red light? To thank someone for giving way at a roundabout if you gave right if way anyway?

And then there are people who step out into the road with no crossing at all without so much as batting an eyelid and scream abuse if you don't dodge them by a wide enough margin.

Help needed.

Agree with you op.

As a driver I don't expect pedestrians to thank me for not mowing them down while they're crossing at a pedestrian crossing or anywhere else for that matter.

PP says she would have shouted at you too, so aggressive. Why? Answer. Some people are just aggressive, and getting behind the wheel seems to bring out the worst in people across the board. So, an aggressive person suddenly feels AOK shouting at pedestrians.

I think it's shitty behaviour. Someone driving a car being held up by like 15 seconds is like zero inconvenience. Its much more inconvenient to stop start wait etc when traveling under own steam eg walking cycling.

Anyway.

As a motorist, people definitely don't need to feel and express gratitude to me for not running them over.

I do tend to do the subservient scuttle wave thing.

I also hate it when people rev their engines while you're still in front of them, or start moving forward. Esp if they are only going to join a queue of cars a few metres down the road.

Oh and also people who jump the lights, beep suddenly, shout at people usually women, etc etc

Sirzy at last one response has said they would have shouted too.

General reaction seems to be op was in wrong, implying man reaction was fine and understandable.

I really couldn't give a fuck if people thank me or not at pedestrian crossings and I find it bizarre that this would make so many people really pretty angry.

Sirzy- no; he stopped and verbally abused me.

Re the code being a code and now law, I think you'll find insurance companies and the police would take a dim view of mowing someone down on a zebra crossing (or anywhere else for that matter).

As in not stopping at traffic signal equals penalty points etc etc.

So it's not just a case of a motorist following a code - as in doing you a favour.

The pp had it right - many people become even more moronic when driving a car. I suppose it helps to compensate for their own inadequacies.

There are many times that someone does something they have to do and it is normal to thank them. When you pay for something and get change, you thank the person giving the change, even though they have absolutely no choice but to do so. It is normal to acknowledge a transaction completed to everyone's satisfaction. When you buy something and the assistant hands it over, you say thank you. When you go into the bank and enquire about something, you say "thanks for your help". Its part of normal life and, personally, I think a little casual pleasantness, which costs nothing, makes the world a nicer place to live. It doesn't matter that the person stopping for you on a crossing has to stop, by a small gesture of thanks you acknowledge that they have been marginally inconvenienced to accommodate you. So he was wrong to shout at you but you could consider whether occasionally just raising a hand in thanks might add to the general level of courtesy in the world.

Saying she should have shown so basic manners isn’t the same as saying he was right! Like I said two wrongs don’t make a right.

Op seems to be determined to justify being rude which I simply find bizarre

It's started in the last couple of years.

Nope. I’m 25, my mum always taught me to say thank you to drivers from when I could do it myself. It’s just common courtesy, takes a second out of your day. As a driver, when you’ve had pedestrians run out in front of you multiple times in one journey, it’s nice to be thanked.

I'm also in my 50s and was raised to say Thank You at crossings.
See also bus drivers, shop staff, waiting staff, and people who hold open doors for me.

“Re the code being a code and now law, I think you'll find insurance companies and the police would take a dim view of mowing someone down on a zebra crossing (or anywhere else for that matter).

As in not stopping at traffic signal equals penalty points etc etc.

So it's not just a case of a motorist following a code - as in doing you a favour.”

Seriously? You realise the things you describe are the law don’t you? What is wrong with you?

I find it irritating because people don't generally thank drivers for stopping at light controlled crossings but do at others. That makes it seem like non-light ones are voluntary which makes pedestrians more hesitant which slows down traffic more.

Also drivers who jump the light on red when you are waiting on the opposite side to turn right with no filter.

If I'm driving and the pedestrian doesn't thank me on a zebra that's fine.

I get more frustrated with drivers who are rude on the road especially when they are driving past parked cars and you give way despite it being your ROW and they don't acknowledge or thank you.

blackteasplease yep! Please sit back mum, I am trying to drive! And she likes to crane, then tell me 'youre fine on this side' as if I'm not going to check!

Pass the cherry coke - sorry I don't u serstand yoyr point. Earlier you said they were not the law, now you're saying they are. Which is it?

I think not you will find that stopping at a zebra crossing is not optional.

Feel free to check with your local roads policing unit.

I was referring to a driver being “not allowed” to wave you over the crossing.

Which was pretty clear in my post.

I waited to cross one earlier and a van and car carried straight on didn't even slow down

If you're really geeky about the finer points of the Highway Code, try giving the "I am slowing down" arm signal to a pedestrian waiting to cross. I bet not many pedestrians would recognise it at all, they might just stop and stare, and take even longer!

When I was a driving instructor, there was a rule that instructors and trainers of instructors sometimes argued about: that if the lights at a pelican crossing were out of order, then it "reverted back" to being a zebra crossing, and drivers must stop for pedestrians. I'm not sure I'd want to test that as a pedestrian!

And in the car park of a big Tesco, there is a pedestrian crossing which has both lights, and the stripes. This confuses drivers and pedestrians no end; pedestrians try to cross when the lights are green, because they see the stripes, and expect drivers to stop for them.

There are many times that someone does something they have to do and it is normal to thank them. When you pay for something and get change, you thank the person giving the change, even though they have absolutely no choice but to do so. It is normal to acknowledge a transaction completed to everyone's satisfaction. When you buy something and the assistant hands it over, you say thank you. When you go into the bank and enquire about something, you say "thanks for your help". Its part of normal life and, personally, I think a little casual pleasantness, which costs nothing, makes the world a nicer place to live. It doesn't matter that the person stopping for you on a crossing has to stop, by a small gesture of thanks you acknowledge that they have been marginally inconvenienced to accommodate you. So he was wrong to shout at you but you could consider whether occasionally just raising a hand in thanks might add to the general level of courtesy in the world.

This really should have been the final word on this thread. Anyone who doesn't agree with the above is a twat.

The cats- therein lies the conundrum of whether to step into the crossing and risk being moan down, or not!

I think most reasonable people know that if you see someone at right angles facing into the road, it's pretty clear they are expecting to use the crossing. As a driver it is your duty to stop.

According to this thread, the pedestrian is grudgingly allowed to cross - preferably if they also express undying gratitude / wave / sing, dance the Hokey Cokey.

They may also cross without performing said rigmarole but then many posters would consider them rude and deserving of verbal abuse for failing to do so.

If said pedestrian had disability (but only invisible one) they would be especially deserving of abuse.

What a state we are in!

Lifecraft - so anyone who doesn't agree with you is a twat right?

Wanderings, oh I would recognise that ok.

I wonder how many posters / drivers would know what arm signals to make if their indicators stop working..?!

And they think I'm ignorant!

Ra ra ra OP

Sounds interesting on a zebra

I think this thread (and in fact life in general) just demonstrates that there are an awful lot of misguided, ill-informed, rude, sanctimonious and unintelligent drivers on the road.

Oh weird thing

At our local hosp there are pedestrian crossing stripes

Cars really rarely stop even when there's a few people waiting /people on crutches etc

Is this because the hosp is not public roads so the car drivers think they don't need to bother, or is there some other psychological thing going on? It's through the car park where you have to walk to get in the hosp, the car park is usually v busy. It's really very odd and I can't work out why it's happening.

So many drivers do not stop at zebra crossings. I had one today as I reached the middle just zoom right past, he even sped up to make the point!

As a result, I teach my kids to make eye contact with the approaching driver to ensure they have been seen and the driver is stopping. A little wave to say thanks is then obvious when you’ve initiated interaction.

Shame it is necessary but that’s life these days.

Menu - maybe it's because the people with crutches aren't waving?