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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tell school? New Highway Code rule problem

34 replies

Dottychickens · 02/02/2022 08:48

So I’m completely prepared to be told AIBU.

I live near a primary school and the last 3 days I’ve seen a couple of families crossing the road, in front of cars with their pushchairs/young children and the cars having to slam brakes on (as the family have stepped on the road last minute as the car was heading towards them).

Today I saw it again and the dad told the children ‘They have to stop for you now so just cross the road.’ He’s clearly referring to the Highway Code rule about cars letting pedestrians cross at junctions, but he’s just stepping out in front of cars on normal straight roads!

So, my AIBU, I’m thinking of nipping into the school and letting them know, so maybe the teachers could do a lesson on road safety? Just remind children that even at crossings you still wait and check the cars are stopping before crossing, Or should I just leave it and mind my own business.

I’m worried because these children are so young so will just believe that now people can step in the road without checking for cars.

OP posts:
Tiramysu · 02/02/2022 08:55

Do it. You could save a life.

Santahasjoinedww · 02/02/2022 08:58

More entitled fuckers on the pavements now. Oh great. Has to be the most bizarre new rule. Cars piled up at junctions but the pedestrians get across whenever they like. What the hell are traffic lights with green men for then??

DropYourSword · 02/02/2022 08:59

What kind of moron parents would say ‘They have to stop for you now so just cross the road.’! Honestly I don't think it's a bad idea mentioning this to the school if you've genuinely heard people saying that, because it's bloody ludicrous to teach children that.

CaraMocha · 02/02/2022 09:01

surely that's not even the correct rule now anyway?

As I understand it, cars have to stop if they are turning at a junction into the side road and there are pedestrians waiting to cross - but they don't have to stop at a junction for a pedestrian waiting to cross if they are already on the main road and continuing straight or turning into a minor road (unless it's a specifically marked pedestrian crossing).

Lockheart · 02/02/2022 09:10

@DropYourSword

What kind of moron parents would say ‘They have to stop for you now so just cross the road.’! Honestly I don't think it's a bad idea mentioning this to the school if you've genuinely heard people saying that, because it's bloody ludicrous to teach children that.
Yes, it's almost unbelievable isn't it...
Original poster
Dottychickens · 02/02/2022 09:13

Thanks for confirming what I already thought.

I’m going to pop to the school later and mention it, I noticed for the last 2 days but when I heard the dad today tell them to just cross, I felt scared for the children.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dottychickens · 02/02/2022 09:14

@Lockheart I wish it was unbelievable.

I don’t know if it makes a difference but I do live in a ‘rough’ area.

OP posts:
ComDummings · 02/02/2022 09:15

Definitely raise it!

JugglingJanuary · 02/02/2022 09:18

@Lockheart

Sadly, no it's not unbelievable.

HalfwomanHalfcookie · 02/02/2022 09:24

Yes he's wrong and putting his children in danger. It wouldn't hurt to mention it to the school.
Gosh Santa, you sound so angry!
I hope you're a bit calmer when out in your car. Also, you do realise don't you that there aren't handy crossings scatterd here there and everywhere for pedestrians to use?

WrigglyDonCat · 02/02/2022 09:27

For complete clarity (spot the driving instructor...)

Rule H2

“At a junction you should give way to people crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning”

So in essence if you are entering or leaving a road, you should give way to people waiting to cross (most of the media attention has been on turning into side roads, but also applies to turning out from them).

Note also it is SHOULD, not MUST, as no laws were changed with the new formulation of the HC.

At no other point, other than marked crossings do pedestrians have an implied priority, so as OP notes, encouraging anyone, especially children, to assume priority elsewhere is definitely not smart.

As a driver essentially nothing has changed. Always assume a pedestrian you are approaching may want to cross and may not do it in a safe way, so reduce speed until you are satisfied the situation is stable.

Treat junctions the same as you would emerging from give way lines. Slow and wait for pedestrians to cross, unless you are completely satisfied they are waiting for you to turn (the same as a car with priority actually deciding to give way to you, sometimes with a wave or flash).

Babdoc · 02/02/2022 09:28

Halfwoman, perhaps Santa lives in Edinburgh. Because during festival season, drivers will be sitting waiting for ten hours to turn into side roads as a continuous stream of tourists flows across the junction!

HalfwomanHalfcookie · 02/02/2022 09:30

Babdoc or maybe he/she doesn't and is just an angry person.

Lockheart · 02/02/2022 09:31

@Babdoc

Halfwoman, perhaps Santa lives in Edinburgh. Because during festival season, drivers will be sitting waiting for ten hours to turn into side roads as a continuous stream of tourists flows across the junction!
The perhaps she should leave the car at home and join them, if she'd get there faster.
WrigglyDonCat · 02/02/2022 09:32

As an afterthought, although possibly not the intention of the rule, the wording would imply that when you are emerging into a major (or priority) road, if someone is waiting to cross that road, then you should give way to them.

So I think @CaraMocha probably has the intention of the rule correct, but actually the wording implies otherwise.

Comefromaway · 02/02/2022 09:33

I had this at dh's college yesterday. For the past year we have commented how whenever I turn into the side road by by the college the students are totally oblivious to my presence (due to having their headphones in and texting on their phones) they literally just step out in front of me as I and other cars are turning in so I always crawl along anyway. But yesterday a lad was loitering on the corner then he turned as if to carry on walking down the street but stepped sideways into the road without warning and started to cross right in front of me.

Dd who cycles everywhere but also drives says that since the rules changed cyclists seem to think they can just pull out in front of cars with no warning.

MorningStarling · 02/02/2022 09:35

@Babdoc

Halfwoman, perhaps Santa lives in Edinburgh. Because during festival season, drivers will be sitting waiting for ten hours to turn into side roads as a continuous stream of tourists flows across the junction!
If there's a continuous stream then nothing has changed from the driver's perspective. They already should have waited for people in the act of crossing the road, a continuous stream suggests there is always someone in the act of crossing.
Chely · 02/02/2022 09:38

Self-preservation... pedestrian vs vehicle never ends well. Folk round our parts bimble out in the road all the time (not a new thing), teaching kids to do that too is utter madness.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 02/02/2022 09:53

@Santahasjoinedww

More entitled fuckers on the pavements now. Oh great. Has to be the most bizarre new rule. Cars piled up at junctions but the pedestrians get across whenever they like. What the hell are traffic lights with green men for then??
The rules, are very obviously, for roads that do not have signal controls. Sigh. If there are traffic lights you follow the lights.

And heaven forbid that a pedestrian has right of way at a side road that a driver wants to turn into. It was always the case actually, it has just been made more explicit now to stop drivers assuming that because they have their indicators on they have right of way.

If people are just walking out into a road, that is one thing. Crossing a side road is different - it is effectively a continuation of the pavement.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 02/02/2022 09:55

@Babdoc

Halfwoman, perhaps Santa lives in Edinburgh. Because during festival season, drivers will be sitting waiting for ten hours to turn into side roads as a continuous stream of tourists flows across the junction!
Edinburgh has excellent public transport. I would suggest anyone fed up with traffic jams stops adding to them and uses the buses or tram instead.
CloudPop · 02/02/2022 11:32

Is it me or has this new rule been incredibly badly communicated?

CloudPop · 02/02/2022 11:34

Excellent explanation @WrigglyDonCat

grey12 · 02/02/2022 11:36

@Tiramysu

Do it. You could save a life.
Yes, do it. Schools should really teach kids about this because some parents don't care, ESPECIALLY during the school run 🤦🏻‍♀️
helpfulperson · 02/02/2022 11:37

I always live by what my motorbike instructor taught which was 'there is no point being right if you are also dead' just because you have right of way doesn't mean its always a good idea to claim it.

KeepYaHeadUp · 02/02/2022 11:41

@CaraMocha

surely that's not even the correct rule now anyway?

As I understand it, cars have to stop if they are turning at a junction into the side road and there are pedestrians waiting to cross - but they don't have to stop at a junction for a pedestrian waiting to cross if they are already on the main road and continuing straight or turning into a minor road (unless it's a specifically marked pedestrian crossing).

This.

I'd mention it to the school, OP. They have to have a journey to school thing in place AFAIK so could be worth an assembly clarifying the changes to the kids so they can educate their parents who seem intent on killing their children.

I say this as someone fully supportive of the HC chanhes!