To wait until a car has actually stopped at a zebra crossing before starting to cross the road?

[WiltedPlant]

Last night, about 8pm (so it was dark) and raining.

I stood at a zebra crossing waiting to cross. A car was approaching from my left (so the other side of the road). It appeared to be slowing down, but I was looking at the car/trying to see the driver to make sure they had actually seen me before I started to cross.

Instead of stopping at the zebra junction, the driver accelerated and drove straight across, glancing at me when they got level with me. My interpretation of that glance was - I gave you an opportunity to cross the road when I slowed down, but you didn't seem to want to.

When conditions are good - ie daylight, not raining, and I can clearly see that the driver has seen me, and they have given some indication with a nod or wave to cross, I do start to cross the road when drivers have simply slowed down at this particular crossing.

But last night in the dark, raining, poor visibility conditions I wanted to be 100% sure that I wasn't going to get run over before crossing.

AIBU?

Yanbu

YADNBU, I was nearly run over at a crossing a few weeks ago, the lights turned red and the driver didn't stop at all. And thats the third time its happened to me. Once I ended up on the bonnet of a car that just tried to drive away. And a friend of mine had his leg broken in 2 places.

Of course you don't start until the car has stopped!

Otherwise how do you know they aren't going to do exactly as that man did but when you are on the crossing?

I think technically drivers only have to stop when someone is on the crossing but it is madness to just cross before the car is definitely stopped or you have made eye contact and know they are stopping

YANBU. The driver was an idiot.

In your situation I would have done the same but as the PP said the driver doesn't have to stop at the zebra crossing until your foot is on it. Which is a fairly ridiculous rule in itself.

Yanbu. I wait till they've stopped completely.

I don't think either of you did anything wrong, but I think you were too cautious. It's part of driving that you "negotiate" with other people all the time to see who is going to use a space you both need first, and if one party is unusually reticent, it makes more sense of the other person to take the space than to be even more extremely reticent.

If they were on the far side, you could easily have stepped off the pavement without placing yourself at risk. It would be more understandable to wait if they were coming from the right, but even then, I would step off as soon as it was clear they were slowing, while continuing to watch them, just in case.

Driver was unreasonable and indeed breaking the law I think! I do the same when people are driving. I hate it when I am trying to turn out of a junction and the car coming seems to slow down a bit to let me out - either stop so I can be sure you're letting me out, or carry on driving. This 'slowing down' malarkey is not clear. And waving your hands behind a windscreen makes no difference as windscreens are designed for you to see out, not for others to see in. More patience needed by some drivers I think.

I feel like when you stop and wait you disrupt the flow of traffic however I always wait when I'm with my kids.

I think technically drivers only have to stop when someone is on the crossing

What?! Is this true? I have lived my life thinking it's the law to stop if somebody is waiting I'm surprised everybody does, then, as people don't extend the courtesy at other types of crossing.

You're supposed to put a foot on the crossing. YANBU, it really would be better if drivers would be considerate to pedestrians but there's no point taking the risk that they have bad night vision if they don't stop.

Afterwards I did wonder whether I'd been too cautious, but then I thought - I'm wearing a black coat, dark jeans etc and I couldn't be 100% sure the driver had seen me. As I said, in good conditions I'd make eye contact with the slowing down driver to make it clear that they have seen me and they have indicated in some way they are letting me cross.

YABU.

I understand your caution but drivers only have to give way to pedestrians actually on the crossing - it's rule 195 of the Highway Code.

They aren't obliged to stop until you have a foot on the crossing.
Me and ddogs have had a fair few near misses with drivers who hit the accelerator not the brake on purpose...
Imo.
Twats.

It seems to be rather contradictory:

Rules for pedestrians

18
At all crossings. When using any type of crossing you should

always check that the traffic has stopped before you start to cross or push a pram onto a crossing
always cross between the studs or over the zebra markings. Do not cross at the side of the crossing or on the zig-zag lines, as it can be dangerous.
You MUST NOT loiter on any type of crossing.
Laws ZPPPCRGD reg 19 & RTRA sect 25(5)

19
Zebra crossings. Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery. Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing. Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped.

Yes, place a foot on the crossing to claim it! But that does give twattish drivers an open opportunity to ignore you!

Round here tis mums in oversized cars "rushing" to get to school. That it is other mums and their kids they drive through doesn't seem to click! I have recently bellowed at one such driver. She stopped, got out and bellowed back! Fucking scary, she had absolutely no idea that she had narrowly missed a couple of kids, let alone me. Bystanders soon set her straight.

@Windydaysuponus yes! Them too! DDog can be very, very low to cross....