To think a driver (or cyclist) having to give way to a pedestrian waiting to cross is a crazy new rule?

[flashbac]

To clarify, if a pedestrian is waiting to cross on a road a driver is turning into, new rules from January state the driver has to let them cross.
Also applies to cyclists as pedestrians have priority.
All very well and good until you consider how chaotic this could be at junctions. Fine on unbusy roads.
I'm thinking:
What if you are turning into a 30 mph road from a 40?
What if you are turning right at a busy junction?

It sounds crazy to me.
And before anyone jumps at me and says they do it in Europe and its fine. I'd like to know how congested and busy the roads in these countries are and what the public transport is like.

@ivykaty44

for years pedestrians have had to wait patiently at junctions to cross, drivers didn't complain. Now though the rules have swapped and there seems to be many disgruntled drivers - its only at junctions and not at other places, its as if they are making a mountain out of a molehill.

drivers kill 1800 people every year and maim and injured many thousands, for years the message has been aimed at pedestrians to take care but still drivers kill. now the message is to drivers to slow down and give priority, lets see if they do or if they just keep on the same

I don't think it's been unreasonable to suggest pedestrians take care on the road though.

I don't think it's been unreasonable to suggest pedestrians take care on the road though.

I'd have hoped that would go without saying. Pretty sure it does in most of the country. Do pedestrians really behave like particularly daft lemmings in London?

I don't think it's been unreasonable to suggest pedestrians take care on the road though.

The mass majority of us already do. We have no choice but to because unless we’re Superman, we are not going to beat thousands of pounds of metal without some injury and/or death.

I don't think it's been unreasonable to suggest pedestrians take care on the road though.

but however much care they take, they've never killed a driver and are not a threat to drivers

@ivykaty44

for years pedestrians have had to wait patiently at junctions to cross, drivers didn't complain. Now though the rules have swapped and there seems to be many disgruntled drivers - its only at junctions and not at other places, its as if they are making a mountain out of a molehill.

drivers kill 1800 people every year and maim and injured many thousands, for years the message has been aimed at pedestrians to take care but still drivers kill. now the message is to drivers to slow down and give priority, lets see if they do or if they just keep on the same

The number of pedestrians killed is more like 340-440. The biggest cause of deaths are due to pedestrians themselves running out into the road. Making the car driver responsible for people suddenly stepping off the kerb and running into a road isn’t going to decrease the number of casualties it will just increase it as we will get more deaths as people think cats are going to stop.

Either a pedestrian thinks that the law is on their side and steps out into a road with the knowledge that vehicles need to stop for them
Or they use caution and only cross when safe for them to do so.

The former is dangerous and the 2nd didn’t need a change in the law

This is like saying we need to build more houses without actually providing all the rest of the infrastructure required around them as they are built, because the latter bit is just too much hassle and expense to work out, so ends up not being provided at all. Again and again, the important bits are never provided, so lowering everyone’s quality of life. You do not improve the situation for anybody by continuing to have poorly maintained roads, dangerous crossings (which remain dangerous regardless of poorly advertised Highway Code rules), houses too far from public transport, narrow pavements, non-existent cycle paths, and no new nearby schools, hospitals, shops, GP surgeries and other amenities to cater for the increased population, so that there is still not a genuine alternative to driving for the inhabitants. Making it harder and more frustrating to drive anywhere, but not actually any easier to walk, cycle or get public transport is not a great improvement, it’s an irritation.

@Walkaround well exactly. It's the job of planners etc to work out the transport infrastructure which they have to do according thr national policy which has recently been updated to give priority to "sustainable transport" modes. The Highway Code update is bringing driving in line with this new priority. It's the existing infrastructure that's the issue admittedly but it's up to drivers to adhere to it and if that means being more careful, driving more slowly etc. so be it

@ivykaty44

I don't think it's been unreasonable to suggest pedestrians take care on the road though.

but however much care they take, they've never killed a driver and are not a threat to drivers

I didn't say otherwise.

I think that the British in general need to either get over the "might is right" attitude. It isn't exactly charming. Of course you shouldn't have more rights in traffic because you are in a bigger vehicle. You shouldn't have more civic rights than other because you or your daddy is richer than other people.

@MoodyMooToo

As a pedestrian I really do welcome this new rule. Motorists and cyclists need to be much more aware of us and stop thinking they own the road

Good luck with that

*I don't think it's been unreasonable to suggest pedestrians take care on the road though."

Ah, this is exactly the problem though. For some reason the pavements stop each time they meet a road, so pedestrians have to walk on the road. Wouldn't it be so much better if the pavement continued and the road ended?

I didn't say otherwise

so which is the problem then?

@ivykaty44

I didn't say otherwise

so which is the problem then?

No problem?

No problem?

if you don't see 1800 dead each year and a few thousand with life changing injuries, that your prerogative.

@ivykaty44

No problem?

if you don't see 1800 dead each year and a few thousand with life changing injuries, that your prerogative.

I don't think we are having the same conversation here at all

@shouldistop

It's bonkers and there's no way I'll be teaching my children they can step out in front of a car.

What did/do you teach them regarding zebra crossings?

The rule is that vehicles must give way to people who've stepped onto a zebra crossing, not people waiting to cross.

So, in theory, you could be stuck there forever if drivers follow the rules to the letter.

It's no different to how it currently is (pre-new rules) for people crossing a junction, despite what some think.

It's all very confusing for both pedestrians and drivers, isn't it.

When were they going to publicise this change??

Ah, this is exactly the problem though. For some reason the pavements stop each time they meet a road, so pedestrians have to walk on the road. Wouldn't it be so much better if the pavement continued and the road ended?

They seem to have done this in the local city centre. There are paved brick sections running across side roads from the pavements at junctions, and more at intervals crossing the main street. They're not marked as pedestrian crossings, there's nothing saying what they mean. But what happens is that pedestrians treat them as pavements (with a little caution) and cars give way. It seems like a happy compromise rather than full pedestrianisation. (Of course there's a ring road for cars to zoom round which you'd be mad to cross except at lights).

Perhaps they should just make the road one big zebra crossing I wonder if the people who think these ridiculous rules up actually drive!!

@HopingForMyRainbowBaby

Perhaps they should just make the road one big zebra crossing I wonder if the people who think these ridiculous rules up actually drive!!

They probably do. I drive, and can't see anything ridiculous about these minor changes/clarifications.

elelel

It’s you wanting pedestrians to take care, if pedestrians take care they are not likely to ever kill, if drivers take care they can prevent killing and injuring

Putting the onus on pedestrians isn’t really going to make much difference but put the onus on drivers and it will make a big difference

I've always given pedestrians right of way and I've been driving for over 30 years

Kennykenkencat

Can you link to the data that the biggest cause of pedestrians deaths is people running into the road - thanks

There's going to be a lot of people run over since no one seems to know about it! I certainly wouldn't teach my DC to step out in the road as they have priority, fine if the car stops and waves them across, but what if there is a car coming in the other direction? It's going to be mayhem.

I can't see how this new rule change will make pedestrians safer in the area I live in for example. I live off a very busy 40mph dual carriageway that has a busy bike path and walking path on it. To get to my road I have to turn left straight into a 20mph road- the dropped curb for the pedestrians and cyclists to cross at is disguised from view by a tall wall and is badly lit. The turn in is frankly perilous at peak times already simply because other drivers give very little braking distance between the rear of my car and the front of theirs. I've only lived here since May and have already been nearly rear ended by these idiot about 6 times (before anyone says I give ample indicating time and slow down appropriately- the knobs behind either pay no attention or tail gate). If I'm doing this stupid turn and have to also give way to anyone waiting to cross- potentially having to come to a complete stop due to the sight lines on the junction- then it's an inevitability that I'm going to get rear ended by some arsehole which is surely going to knock me into the pedestrian/ cyclist anyway.

I don't get how it's safer. I always give priority to cross coming out of the same junction (going from 20 to 40mph) because it is easy and safe to do so. I can't figure out how this isn't risky to all involved going the other way though.

Its insane.

As a pedestrian theres no way I am crossing with a car waiting whos bum is waiting on a main road to be shunted into me.

Its like when someone is indicated they are turning and I am pulling out - I am not trusting them even when surrounded by airbags and a million crumple zones.

With just my poor crumbly human body parts!?! No flipping way.