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AIBU?

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Original poster

Woman driving at protesters

312 replies

ivykaty44 · 17/10/2021 15:43

The woman driving at protestors this week in the news, in a range rover that it turns out, isn’t taxed, hasn’t got a valid MOT & therefore insurance

Should have it impounded as she’s driving it illegally to take her son to school AIBU to think you can’t driving round illegally and then shout at protestors blocking the road - regardless of the rights or wrongs of the protestors or how annoying she may find them

OP posts:
Lockheart · 17/10/2021 20:40

@BelleOfTheProvince

Takes out chalk and writes free virtue signalling , no waiting
It's not virtue signalling, it's the Highway Code. If you have a problem with that you need to take it up with the Department for Transport, I have no control over it.
mumwon · 17/10/2021 20:41

@Dojacatpaws Your messages answers are somewhat confused
If there is road works there are signs & bbc/AA et all can be searched & give warnings - if you have ever travelled on the roads in London - you would know that once you are stuck in a jam you make not be able to move, basically you are trapped. These people just turn up without ANY warning & they not only trap people on route to work to transporting children to school, they can, & do, trap emergency workers & people going to vital & long awaited appointments for medical treatment. & ironically the first time, a man who was installing... yep!
& stopping ambulances going taking people to hospital -like that poor woman
So, no, I do not have sympathy for the protesters & while I would never advocate physical harm, I can understand people anger & frustration.

Dojacatpaws · 17/10/2021 20:45

Mumwon, but surely they only trap the people in motor vehicles, hughe amounts of people get around kondon by foot, bicycle and tube. Not everyone chooses to or has to drive.

BelleOfTheProvince · 17/10/2021 20:47

Some people have to drive.

Rural.
Immobility.
Multiple caring responsibility.
Food transport.
Medicine.

Here endeth the lesson.

Dojacatpaws · 17/10/2021 20:50

Belle, yes some people have to drive, that's not news

shakehandswithdanger · 17/10/2021 20:51

Meh. No-one was hit. You shouldn't bit sitting in the road if you want to avoid being near moving vehicles.

BelleOfTheProvince · 17/10/2021 20:53

So how do you distinguish between those that don't and those that do on these cosy little sit ins.

Oh, that's right. They don't. They stop everyone. Every emergency. Every valid reason.

Selfish.

Dojacatpaws · 17/10/2021 20:55

Belle, they don't stop everyone, they don't stop people who don't drive

Lockheart · 17/10/2021 20:56

@shakehandswithdanger

Meh. No-one was hit. You shouldn't bit sitting in the road if you want to avoid being near moving vehicles.
The video clearly shows two protestors being pushed with the car, so yes there was an offence committed by the driver.

And as I've said above, the Highway Code is clear that people in the road have priority over cars. Drivers must slow or stop until the pedestrians leave the road. That is the only correct and legal course of action. You should not drive your car at them, push them with your car, or run them over.

BelleOfTheProvince · 17/10/2021 21:00

If you got a pedestrian playing chicken I'm %100 sure that you wouldn't be prosecuted.

Because pedestrians and cyclists need to abide by the highway code too.
Pedestrians also not actually allowed to walk on motorways by law.

Dojacatpaws · 17/10/2021 21:06

Pedestrians jay walk alot too, should they be mown down too?

anon12345678901 · 17/10/2021 21:07

@Lockheart

Well the people need to move off a public road if they don't want to be run over.

No, cars need to give way to people in the road. If a pedestrian is in the road, they have priority.

That's definitely not the case for them when they're sitting on a motorway. And it's also not the case if an ambulance was to come along. In that situation the ambulance takes priority.
Lockheart · 17/10/2021 21:08

@BelleOfTheProvince

If you got a pedestrian playing chicken I'm %100 sure that you wouldn't be prosecuted.

Because pedestrians and cyclists need to abide by the highway code too.
Pedestrians also not actually allowed to walk on motorways by law.

If you saw a pedestrian in the road, and you had the chance to but didn't slow or stop and went into them, of course you would be prosecuted.

Absolutely pedestrians and cyclists must abide by the Highway Code and yes, pedestrians should not be on motorways.

The incident with this range rover however took place on a pedestrian crossing, where pedestrians (not surprisingly) have the right to be. It's clearly a crossing - it's got dropped kerbs and tactile pavement and everything.

ReeseWitherfork · 17/10/2021 21:09

the Highway Code is clear that people in the road have priority over cars

Is this actually true?! As in, I'm genuinely asking, not just assuming you're wrong.

Lockheart · 17/10/2021 21:09

That's definitely not the case for them when they're sitting on a motorway.

The video that is the subject of this thread clearly shows they are on a pedestrian crossing.

anon12345678901 · 17/10/2021 21:11

@Lockheart

That's definitely not the case for them when they're sitting on a motorway.

The video that is the subject of this thread clearly shows they are on a pedestrian crossing.

Which actually goes against the Highway Code.. they can walk across it but not sit on it. Now of course they shouldn't be run over, but they are breaking the Highway Code.

You MUST NOT loiter on any type of crossing. Laws ZPPPCRGD reg 19 & RTRA sect 25(5)

Lockheart · 17/10/2021 21:13

@ReeseWitherfork

the Highway Code is clear that people in the road have priority over cars

Is this actually true?! As in, I'm genuinely asking, not just assuming you're wrong.

Yes, and it is shortly about to get stricter:

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/30/pedestrians-get-priority-as-uk-unveils-changes-to-highway-code

ReeseWitherfork · 17/10/2021 21:13

The video that is the subject of this thread clearly shows they are on a pedestrian crossing.

Well that's interesting. I've been having a quick look at the highway code to see if pedestrians do actually have right of way, and it definitely says this:

Rule 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.

So they were breaking the highway code for loitering? Bit of a moot point, the driver was still a bit mad. And the protesters were clearly not permitted to be there.

ReeseWitherfork · 17/10/2021 21:14

Yes, and it is shortly about to get stricter

I see that, but I can't see anywhere where it currently says pedestrians have default right of way?

Lockheart · 17/10/2021 21:16

*Which actually goes against the Highway Code.. they can walk across it but not sit on it. Now of course they shouldn't be run over, but they are breaking the Highway Code.

You MUST NOT loiter on any type of crossing. Laws ZPPPCRGD reg 19 & RTRA sect 25(5)*

That's not the Highway code, that's the The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regs.

And yes, it does say that. But it still doesn't give drivers the right to use their cars to push them out of the way. As long as the pedestrians are blocking the crossing, the drivers must wait.

Lockheart · 17/10/2021 21:19

@ReeseWitherfork

Yes, and it is shortly about to get stricter

I see that, but I can't see anywhere where it currently says pedestrians have default right of way?

Rule 170. Drivers must give way to pedestrians who are in the road (having started to cross).

The new rules I think mean they must give way if a pedestrian is waiting to cross i.e. on the pavement.

ReeseWitherfork · 17/10/2021 21:19

@Lockheart I took it from the Highway Code itself.

www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedestrians-1-to-35

I don't really care if it's legal or not to ram down a pedestrian, it certainly isn't very moral. I'm just curious where you got the "pedestrians have right of way" thing from because I can't find it anywhere.

Lockheart · 17/10/2021 21:19

@ReeseWitherfork we cross-posted! Rule 170 of the Highway Code.

anon12345678901 · 17/10/2021 21:19

@Lockheart

*Which actually goes against the Highway Code.. they can walk across it but not sit on it. Now of course they shouldn't be run over, but they are breaking the Highway Code.

You MUST NOT loiter on any type of crossing. Laws ZPPPCRGD reg 19 & RTRA sect 25(5)*

That's not the Highway code, that's the The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regs.

And yes, it does say that. But it still doesn't give drivers the right to use their cars to push them out of the way. As long as the pedestrians are blocking the crossing, the drivers must wait.

Actually read the Highway Code.. it's their under rules for pedestrians... look here's a link www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/uploads/3/2/9/2/3292309/the-official-highway-code-with-annexes-uk-en-12-04.pdf
BelleOfTheProvince · 17/10/2021 21:23

I don't actually think they should be run-over.
But if you play stupid games you win stupid prizes.
This was inevitable.