To post this for road users unaware of upcoming highway code changes

[FluffyBooBoo]

That's loads of info available online, but the AA have done a study that shows that two thirds of people are unaware of the charges.

Photo attached with basic info.

I don't drive. I wouldn't step out in front of an obviously approaching car but it does annoy me when drivers seem to expect pedestrians to be able to anticipate`their moves in the same way a driver would.

No, pal, I don't know what the different colours of lights mean on your car. I can never remember which ones are reversing and which ones are the brakes. If I could I might have been able to pass a driving test.

Blacksax, just drive safely and I'm sure it will be ok

When pedestrian and cycling deaths increase next year. we know why! What stupid rules.

@MissCruellaDeVil

When pedestrian and cycling deaths increase next year. we know why! What stupid rules.

How are cyclist and pedestrian deaths going to increase? What will cyclists be doing that will make them more vulnerable?

Miss cruella, and who will be killing those pedestrians and cyclists in this tsunami of death?

This thread proves that loads of drivers have licences but are not fit to drive.

As a driver and a pedestrian I am extra careful at junctions now. If it's not black clad ninjas on motorised scooters going down one-way streets or on pavements it's twats following their sat navs instead of looking out of the windscreen at great big yellow and red road signs saying DIVERSION and ROAD CLOSED or just a person in the road in front of them that they don't know how to deal with.

Hint: put your foot on the brake whether it's their fault or not.

@eastegg - no, of course I'm not running them over, but if someone is waiting to cross a side road I would not give them priority!! If they are already crossing, then of course I do.

You are supposed to give way to cyclists in a cycle lane rather than just turning across them.

@SusieBob, so it’s only if there is a cycle lane then? Not on a normal road where you expect users (cars/motorbikes etc…) to not overtake you in the inside when you are slowing down to turn. Right?

(The fact you need to wait with the cycle lane makes much more sense!)

@imjustanerd

Great I live in a part of the country with terrible public transport (you really have to drive here), lots of bends and hills. I'll have to set off to work ridiculously early if I can't overtake Sunday cyclists if they're now allowed to sit in the middle of the road.

You must live in a similar part of the country to my in laws. They have to sit behind tractors as well as cyclists and horse riders who often live in their neighbourhood until they get an opportunity to overtake. That's not to mention those bastard tourists who spend money in the area every summer*

I expect that's what you do unless you haven't learned to overtake. Look on the bright side: imagine how much worse it would be if there was good public transport an'd you were on a bus.

• that's not me. I never go in the summer. Too many caravaners and not being a local I'm not great at knowing the best spots to overtake. Also too much slippery cow shit on the road for my liking.

Genuine question - why do so many cyclists go over red lights? I thought the rules of road applied to them too. They make it dangerous for themselves, drivers and pedestrians using junctions/crossings.

Cyclists should ride in the centre of the road “on quiet roads or streets – if a faster vehicle comes up behind you, move to the left to enable them to overtake, if you can do so safely”
And “ When riding on busy roads, with vehicles moving faster than you, allow them to overtake where it is safe to do so whilst keeping at least 0.5m away from the kerb edge.”

So cyclists should move to the edge when possible if there is a car behind them.
You've misread that passage. Not "to the edge", they should still be 0.5m away from the edge.

Bear in mind that many cycle lanes are only 0.8m wide (far less than the minimum of 1.5m), the cyclist should still be far further out than many drivers think.

@Octavia174
Im not being sarky but I’m genuinely confused by your quoting my comment and the reply to it?

Stormy11, genuine question, why do so many drivers go through red lights?

I think a lot of the concern is down to the difference in roads people drive on, so my daily commute is 50-70mph roads. With half a mile of 20mph at the end.
So turning off the 50 onto another National speed limit and meeting a pedestrian stepping out or the car in front turning and having to emergency stop halfway in the road sounds dangerous for all involved. Even though you’ve all slowed down and taken the corner in second. It’s not the same as driving in town or the 20 zone where the likelihood is greater.

The cycle one. Again, there’s no cycle lanes on my commute so it sounds worrying until it’s explained it related to cycle lanes.

Giving way to cyclists in a cycle lane when turning left isn't as tricky as it might sound initially but you have to treat it almost like you are turning right across traffic eg stop and wait for it to be clear.

Precisely.

If you do MSMM, then you’re not going to miss the cyclist in your left mirror who’s approaching at speed. I mean, either the traffic is flowing slow enough that they’re approaching at speed behind you so you clock them in the final mirror check and wait, or you’ve recently passed them on your left so you know to look out for them behind.

I genuinely can’t see why people think these changes are likely to make anything more dangerous.

I can just about get on board with the idea that if there was an accident the liability might be changed legally - but as no driver wants to be in an accident in the first place just slow down, look carefully, don’t manoeuvre until clear?

@EvilPea

I think a lot of the concern is down to the difference in roads people drive on, so my daily commute is 50-70mph roads. With half a mile of 20mph at the end. So turning off the 50 onto another National speed limit and meeting a pedestrian stepping out or the car in front turning and having to emergency stop halfway in the road sounds dangerous for all involved. Even though you’ve all slowed down and taken the corner in second. It’s not the same as driving in town or the 20 zone where the likelihood is greater.

The cycle one. Again, there’s no cycle lanes on my commute so it sounds worrying until it’s explained it related to cycle lanes.

But how often are there pedestrians crossing a 50mph that is a junction to another 50mph? It’s unlikely at those road speeds that it wouldn’t be a) unusual or b) traffic-light controlled.

The ‘changes’ will predominantly be town driving which is 30mph max and you slow to a junction and turning anyway. Ditto cyclists - if you’re going at 50mph a cyclist even in a cycle lane isn’t matching your speed so it’s a non-issue?

@NoSquirrels
That’s my point. That’s why the differing opinions I think. It sounds dangerous on some more rural roads but sensible and already should be happening in town

These rules exist in some European countries and they are great but take A LOT of getting used to for unhabituated drivers. I doubt many cyclists in Britain would be brave enough to abide by the new laws!

I wonder if the person who came up with this was also the same person who thought smart motorways were a good idea
I also think if they need to mandate that all pedestrians/ cyclist / horse riders should have to have some sort of reflective / highviz wear. Even a small amount on running shoes makes a huge difference in being able to spot a person in low / dark light levels.

[quote EvilPea]@NoSquirrels
That’s my point. That’s why the differing opinions I think. It sounds dangerous on some more rural roads but sensible and already should be happening in town[/quote]
Ah, sorry, then we’re in agreement.

I don’t know why people would think it’s dangerous on more rural roads though - there aren’t many pedestrians on rural roads. Surely it’s just applying common sense?

I do 50-50 town & rural driving on my commute and I just can’t think of anywhere this would be an issue except for the junctions near the secondary school - which are all 20 or 30mph. So caution is already built in.

Here`s an Idea! lets make it so a road user can approach another from behind on the inside whilst they are indicating to turn left, putting all the owners on only one of the road users. What could possibly go wrong?

Or here is a better idea, instruct both road users to watch out for each other equally and don't expect one to have the right of way to undertaking a the other that is all ready indicating to turn ahead. This way if one fails to notice the other they have a greater chance of not colliding.

I’m pretty sure that in practice that’s all this ‘new’ law does, dotty. Cyclists on the inside coming up to a junction should already be alert to the possibility of a car turning left. This law is just reminding drivers to check their mirror before manoeuvring.

@DuckonaBike

Pedestrians crossing a side road have had right of way over cars turning in for years! This isn’t new. Obviously you should still cross carefully in case a driver hasn’t noticed you.

And the advice to cyclists has long been to ride in the centre of the carriage way in many cases. It’s safer as it makes you more visible and discourages cars from overtaking if there isn’t enough room.

So I think this is a non-story.

Yep agree.

There was consultation earlier in the year, which I'm aware of due to my job, but I'm not sure how well publicised it was.

I don’t really see the problem. Treat every junction as a zebra crossing and look if there’s a pedestrian near to crossing. If so, stop and let them cross.

I’m quite amazed how ignorant a lot of drivers are. Only today I saw a driver completely ignore the lollypop lady holding it out for cars to stop. Now if you fail to see someone in hi-viz, holding a big yellow stop sign then you have no right being on the road. Once some drivers get in their steel box, they are oblivious to the outside world.

@NewPapaGuinea

I don’t really see the problem. Treat every junction as a zebra crossing and look if there’s a pedestrian near to crossing. If so, stop and let them cross.

I’m quite amazed how ignorant a lot of drivers are. Only today I saw a driver completely ignore the lollypop lady holding it out for cars to stop. Now if you fail to see someone in hi-viz, holding a big yellow stop sign then you have no right being on the road. Once some drivers get in their steel box, they are oblivious to the outside world.

There is no problem with the chnahes, only problem are the drivers who get so het up about it. They are just shit drivers to be honest. This shouldn't bother anyone.