Any driving instructors around?

[Midwife1997]

It's to do with zebra crossings. My husband insists that unless someone is actively on the crossing he is not obliged to stop his car. I'm mortified when there is someone standing there looking at traffic and he sails on by. I'm just so embarrassed when he does this. I know if I was the pedestrian I would think it so rude etc.
Midwife

I didn't know this until I started a thread a while ago after I was waiting at a pedestrian crossing in heavy rain when it was dark. A car was approaching the crossing as I waited to cross. I usually try to make eye contact with the driver, or wait for some very clear signal that they are going to stop (ie slowing down), before I step into the road. Anyway, on this occasion, it was obviously too difficult to make eye contact due to it being dark and the rain, so I waited, then the driver just continued without stopping. I was pretty flabbergasted, but it turns out that technically the driver hadn't done anything wrong as I hadn't started to cross.

I also agree with previous posters about crossing with children. We teach them to "wait for the green man" before starting to cross etc, and I would definitely wait until cars had actually stopped at a zebra crossing before crossing with children.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts. Yep the law says one thing but common sense and respect for others says another. I am with the latter. I've told him that what he has being doing is totally unacceptable.
Midwife

I did not know this! As a motorist I thought you had to stop when someone was waiting to cross and as a pedestrian I’ve sometimes been very aggrieved when people haven’t!
Wont change what I do but interesting to know!

He's correct, but if you were on your test and saw a pedestrian but didn't stop you'd get points as you should be slowing before a crossing and looking out preparing to stop.

I didn’t know that. I always stop if someone is standing at zebra crossing.

Would he always be able to stop in time if someone stepped out? Maybe he should take an advanced driving course.

I always stop if there is anyone at the crossing. That said it is annoying when people loiter by the crossing when they have no intention of using it. I stopped once for someone who just looked at me.

I wonder why when I'm waiting some cars just carry on zooming past, I just judge them as rude and stare at them.

But I wouldn't step out when a cars still driving down the road. All they need is to be distracted for a few seconds and they don't see you and can't stop in time.

I'll just carry on waiting until someone does stop.
Tbh I do rush across so the waiting time is less, even if it's a second less

We have a nightmare crossing just up the road, family populated area with lots of small children - it's the main high street for the suburb and nine times out of ten someone will just speed through. I've put a foot out onto the road and some drivers zoom past regardless, seen mothers inching a pram onto the road and the same happens. If you wait on the pavement you can be waiting forever because then everyone keeps going.

On occasion someone will pause while you're waiting, or if you put a foot out. But often they don't slow down until the very last second, meaning you weren't sure if they were ready to run you over. Then you start to move once they've actually stopped, and they beep at you to hurry! Twats.

He’s technically right but it’s a dickish way to drive

I suppose the rule is to avoid people stopping suddenly if it’s not safe to do so. But whenever you can safely stop to allow a pedestrian to cross on a zebra crossing you should. And most of the time, if you can’t stop safely it’s because you’re driving too fast.