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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

449 replies

flashbac · 31/12/2021 07:17

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.

OP posts:
YourenutsmiLord · 31/12/2021 08:28

YourenutsmiLord

Does it also apply at junctions with traffic lights - if so I can see Princes St in Edinburgh grinding to a halt as no car can turn left due to ceaseless meandering pedestrians.

^What happens now? Do drivers just plough through them?*
No there are things called traffic lights which give priority to pedestrians then change and give priority to vehicles. That way everything keeps moving, turn about.

loudbatperson · 31/12/2021 08:28

^Aren't you supposed to reduce your speed when you get to the sign?
It really annoys me that people slow down in advance of the speed signs.^

You should be going no more than the speed on the sign from the point of the sign. As such you have to slow down before the sign, otherwise you will going too fast when past the sign. Most of the time the big slow on capital letters on the road a while before the sign should give the hint.

I wonder who taught some people to drive. Teaching the Highway Code was obviously not high on their priority list.

LakieLady · 31/12/2021 08:28

I want to know if this applies to crossings where there are pedestrian lights, too.

I live not far from a busy crossroads, where a busy road crosses a less busy road. It's controlled by 4-phase traffic lights (east-west, southbound, pedestrians and northbound). If I'm turning left to head north, and there's a pedestrian waiting to cross, should I stop to let them go even though the pedestrian light is red?

If people start doing that, the east-west traffic is going to have miles of tailback.

rattlemehearties · 31/12/2021 08:29

@jgw1 seriously?! No, when you pass the 30 sign coming from a 40 zone you should be doing 30 when you enter the 30 zone (ie the second you pass the sign). Or likely less in the example the OP gave of turning at a junction but that's a separate topic

Girlmum89 · 31/12/2021 08:29

This seems absolutely bizarre to me!! This effectively turns everywhere into a zebra crossing. What will happen to all the zebra crossings now?

KiloWhat · 31/12/2021 08:29

Aren't you supposed to reduce your speed when you get to the sign?
It really annoys me that people slow down in advance of the speed signs. It annoys you that people are doing what they are meant to be doing?!

rrhuth · 31/12/2021 08:30

@Girlmum89

This seems absolutely bizarre to me!! This effectively turns everywhere into a zebra crossing. What will happen to all the zebra crossings now?
This is only at junctions. Many zebras are on straight sections of road.
AuldAlliance · 31/12/2021 08:30

I live in a country where this is the norm. There is a lot of traffic and shit public transport in my town, to reply to OP's queries.

If there is a traffic light, pedestrians obey it: red man, you wait; green man, you go. On roads where a traffic light is needed due to the number of pedestrians/cars, then there is a traffic light.

Drivers behind you see you indicating to turn and they slow down, maintaining sufficient distance to brake should you have to stop for a pedestrian.

Pedestrians don't just step out, presuming cars will stop for them. You wait, make eye contact, ensure the car is stopping, and step out. You teach your kids to do the same.

People on street corners chatting tend to automatically move back from the edge to show drivers that they don't intend to cross. My DC realised very quickly that, when they scooted ahead of me, if they waited at a street corner for me to catch up then drivers would stop for them. They learnt to stop a little before the corner, so that we could cross together. You can generally tell from a pedestrian's attitude whether they are looking to cross.

The rule applies in towns, not in the countryside. If someone's hedge is so big that it obscures pedestrians, they need to cut it. If there is some other danger, zebra crossing markers apply and signs warn drivers that pedestrians may be crossing.

It's really not an issue, if everyone applies common sense and mutual respect. There are a shitload of terrible drivers here, and the rule about pedestrian priority on side streets is the least of my worries, frankly.

Anyone turning into side streets at 30mph is driving dangerously. Slowing down to turn into a side street is not the same thing as driving everywhere at 15mph, as someone here somewhat disingenuously suggested.

Simonjt · 31/12/2021 08:30

@Girlmum89

This seems absolutely bizarre to me!! This effectively turns everywhere into a zebra crossing. What will happen to all the zebra crossings now?
No, just junctions, this is only a very minor change in the highway code.
Dguu6u · 31/12/2021 08:31

You speak like European countries are alien planets! It’ll be fine, nothing significant will change in terms of traffic flow.

ravenmum · 31/12/2021 08:31

@Girlmum89

This seems absolutely bizarre to me!! This effectively turns everywhere into a zebra crossing. What will happen to all the zebra crossings now?
if a pedestrian is waiting to cross on a road a driver is turning into Note the end part of the sentence :)
KiloWhat · 31/12/2021 08:31

I'm starting to think they should make refresher lessons mandatory every 5 years or so.

loudbatperson · 31/12/2021 08:31

I tried that once, the person in the car behind me nearly drove into me.

So because one person drove poorly and caused an accident, you are going to drive poorly going forward?

loudbatperson · 31/12/2021 08:32

@KiloWhat

I'm starting to think they should make refresher lessons mandatory every 5 years or so.
I would support this!
Simonjt · 31/12/2021 08:32

@jgw1 You tried driving the appropriate speed once, so how did you pass your test Hmm

rrhuth · 31/12/2021 08:33

@KiloWhat

Aren't you supposed to reduce your speed when you get to the sign? It really annoys me that people slow down in advance of the speed signs. It annoys you that people are doing what they are meant to be doing?!
Yes quite!

You can't instantly go from 40mph to 30mph at the sign? You have to do it gradually before the sign. This is just obvious.

Also the idea that you are required to drive at the maximum allowed speed is pretty mindblowingly silly.

KiloWhat · 31/12/2021 08:33

I tried that once, the person in the car behind me nearly drove into me. you tried it once? When did you pass your test?! If you aren't doing the speed the sign says or under when you pass it on your test would the instructor have just let it go?!!

rrhuth · 31/12/2021 08:33

@KiloWhat

I'm starting to think they should make refresher lessons mandatory every 5 years or so.
I agree with this!
morechocolateneededtoday · 31/12/2021 08:34

Can't see it making any difference where I am. Pedestrians should have right of way at a zebra crossing yet it is quite common for multiple cars to drive on while I am waiting to cross with a DC.

Plus side is my DC are very aware of cars and making sure it is safe before running onto a road

ErrolTheDragon · 31/12/2021 08:35

  • Aren't you supposed to reduce your speed when you get to the sign? It really annoys me that people slow down in advance of the speed signs.*

Seriously?ConfusedHmm Are you also one of the idiots who speeds up within a 30mph zone so they've hit 60 at the point they pass a National speed limit sign, rather than after it (if safe)?

SobranieCocktail · 31/12/2021 08:35

Surely this means drivers will just need to drive more slowly and carefully, which is a good thing? Anything that encourages more responsibility of safety towards vulnerable road users is a good thing, and may end up persuading some people out of their cars, which is great!

snapsieplopp · 31/12/2021 08:39

Most drivers are awful hypocrites. If you want to drive, accept that so does everyone else and learn to enjoy sitting in traffic.

Where have I said no one else should be driving? Why do I have to enjoy sitting in traffic? I'm very used to it as a Londoner but I don't have to love it, it's just one of those things.

LTNs are good, there should be more of them.

As I said above my road has benefited but that has impacted other roads & I can see why others are less pleased.

You have an awful chip on your shoulder.

ErrolTheDragon · 31/12/2021 08:39

I tried that once, the person in the car behind me nearly drove into me.

They must have been driving too close behind, in which case you should have slowed down more gradually over a longer distance.

Florianus · 31/12/2021 08:40

The new rules don't come into effect until 29th January and are outlined here: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/new-dvla-driving-laws-rule-25763628

SofiaAmes · 31/12/2021 08:40

This has been standard in the USA forever. And highly enforced in California. By the same token, pedestrians are not supposed to cross when the light is red and/or if they are not at an intersection.