To think this is not what the Highway Code changes mean

[5foot5]

I have just got back from a two mile round trip in to town - on foot. Three times I had cars give way to me when I wasn't expecting it.

The first I suppose was covered by the new changes as I was crossing the road at a junction. It is actually the hospital entrance so always cars driving in and out therefore there is an island half way across. I had got to the island but could see a car driving down the main road indicating to turn in so obviously I waited. However the car stopped and waved me to cross. Rather to my surprise and the car behind her who almost rear ended her.

The last two times though I am pretty sure where not following the code. I wanted to cross the main road so I stopped at a point where there is an island half way. A car driving along the main road stopped for me. Then while I was on the island a car coming the other way also stopped.

Whilst this was very nice of them AIBU to think this is not what is intended by the recent changes and one can easily see this causing problems in traffic. People must be very confused.

Better to be safe than sorry. Especially the first one. The car behind the first one should be leaving an adequate breaking distance, especially if approaching a busy junction.

It's all a horrible confusing nightmare, if you ask me. I've seen lots of people/cars dithering at junctions and I can imagine that it will cause a lot of confusion for children learning road safety, as well as being incongruent with guide dogs' training.

Whilst this was very nice of them AIBU to think this is not what is intended by the recent changes and one can easily see this causing problems in traffic. People must be very confused.

The point of the changes was to make drivers think about the presence of vulnerable road users and to give them space and consideration. Sounds like from your examples it's working perfectly.

I think the cars are taking a better safe than sorry approach.

Since the new rules have came in I've seen pedestrians just stepping out in the road at any point regardless of if junctions, main roads etc. Yesterday a woman stepped out with her dog just as a car was coming round a blind bend - luckily they were fine but the woman in the car looked shook up.

People have lost their common sense. Even so, I do think the new rules are accidents waiting to happen. Exactly as in your first example.

Sounds good to me if drivers are automatically stopping to let pedestrians cross. It's about time we saw more courtesy on the roads.

I don’t understand why it would cause issue with learning road safety. The lesson has always been to look and listen before you cross the road, regardless of whether you’re at a crossing or not. There are no situations where children are taught to cross without looking.

Similarly it’s very safe to look and make eye contact with the driver, even if they’ve already come to a stop. The moment of pause (“dithering”) where a pedestrian makes sure a driver is actually giving way to them will lead to safer outcomes for all.

I have seen so many near misses this week at a large roundabout which has 4 exits/entries, with people going onto the roundabout having 2 lanes. There's a pedestrian island at every junction. People have been coming off the roundabout and doing emergency stops to let pedestrians across but then people still on the roundabout or crossing it are almost hitting the back of the suddenly stopped car.

The junction incident is correct, that's what the drivers are told to do.

Drivers don't need to stop for people just crossing the road though. Some always have of course and the recent changes makes them more likely to.

As a pedestrian I much prefer cars to just go about their driving normally. It's easier to predict when is safe to cross if everyone is bombing along at the same speed. It particularly irritates me when one car is coming along and stops. It wastes their time and mine, them because they brake and re-accelerate, mine because I have to wait until it's clear what their intentions are. If they just drove past me, I'd have fucking crossed safely behind them.

This is why the recent changes are a bad thing. No sane pedestrian who is not looking for a lengthy spell in hospital and potentially life changing or threatening injuries will cross at a junction until they're sure the other cars will stop. Time will be wasted, more importantly fuel usage and emissions will be higher because of the braking and accelerating.

Only an idiot doesn't wait until they're sure it's safe to cross, even at a crossing. Drivers being unpredictable is more dangerous than me waiting for a few extra seconds.

This is one of those things where the heart is in the right place, but the reality is it creates more problems than it solves.

If I'm in a queue of traffic driving at a slow speed I always stop for people waiting on a traffic island. If I'm travelling at 30mph I don't.

@HelloKeith

I have seen so many near misses this week at a large roundabout which has 4 exits/entries, with people going onto the roundabout having 2 lanes. There's a pedestrian island at every junction. People have been coming off the roundabout and doing emergency stops to let pedestrians across but then people still on the roundabout or crossing it are almost hitting the back of the suddenly stopped car.

The cars behind are clearly at fault as they're driving too close/too fast if they can't stop when the car in front stops/slows.

There are lots of reasons why a car in front may stop suddenly, and drivers behind should have been aware of that from the moment they first sat in the driver's seat of a car.

Since the new rules have came in I've seen pedestrians just stepping out in the road at any point regardless of if junctions, main roads etc. Yesterday a woman stepped out with her dog just as a car was coming round a blind bend - luckily they were fine but the woman in the car looked shook up.

TBF I have often seen pedestrians behaving like this, long before the rule changes. However, if motorists can misunderstand the new rules then I suppose you might get pedestrians getting it wrong too and putting themselves in danger.

Personally when I am walking I will continue to look all around and wait before stepping off the kerb. If I were to be mown down by a car who didn't stop it would not be much comfort to be able to wag my finger at them for breaking the HC.