Were we wrong to cross the road in this way?

[UndertheCedartree]

I was taking my DD to school this morning. There is a junction where we need to cross over the road in front then cross over the road to the left. Lots of families including us cross diagonally as it is quicker than crossing both separately.

We were late this morning so there were no other families around. We were crossing the junction and a few seconds before we got onto the pavement a car sounds it's horn loudly at us (scaring poor DD) then came round the corner and started shouting and pointing at us. I just ignored the driver as they were clearly very angry so no point in trying to have a civil conversation.

I always thought if a pedestrian was crossing a road then a car needs to give way to them. Or are we wrong to cross diagonally?

Also it it's so safe and everyone does it, then why not let them do it? What could possibly go wrong?

You shouldn't have been yelled at. But maybe it looked like a much nearer "near miss" to the driver, than it did to you.

You should however be teaching your DD safe crossing practices. Even more so now she's had a scare.

You are both BU.

Nope, I've not taught her to do that if alone. I never had any problems with my eldest with road safety and I don't expect to with her. Sometimes when she is with me we have to cross a road without using a crossing. She still knows not to do that as a child. I mean what do you do if there is a road to cross and no crossing? I'd rather give my DC all the facts that children need to take more caution as their brains are developing rather than pretend adults should always use a crossing and then confuse them when they see adults crossing without crossings.

I appreciate DC are different so different strategies work. But it is naive to expect the same approach to work with all children.

We were crossing the junction and a few seconds before we got onto the pavement a car sounds it's horn loudly at us (scaring poor DD) then came round the corner and started shouting and pointing at us.

so you were already crossing before the driver appeared, as you say it was just seconds before raving at the pavement.

This is totally out of order as the pedestrian has priority and people have to cross roads, drivers need to be patient and share the road.

The driver is also liable for a fine if caught using their horn inappropriately its £1000
many people have dash cams and cameras on bikes etc - which they can just upload the footage to operation snap and the police will charge them

Thank you for explaining that. Are there different road markings?

You honestly expect us to believe that you say to your daughter, this is the correct way to cross the road, but I don't do that, I run the gauntlet and hope that we don't have someone sound their horn loudly (scaring you DD, but that's fine, you're in significant in my want to save 30 seconds). You mustn't do that, it's only me that can risk your upset?

What happened to lead by example?

Get yourself a copy of the highway code and educate yourself?

@LetitiaLeghorn

what part of the Highway Code does it state that you are not permitted to cross at a junction in a diagonal direction? Id be really interested to see the rules surrounding this

I think her reaction was poor, especially in front of a child.

I also think it was poor and extremely dangerous to take a child diagonally across a junction like that.

Potentially, 4 cars could've came across it. This was a gamble to assume there would be safe and conscientious drivers on the road.

I'm not saying it makes it right, just that drivers should be aware if the crossings hold the pedestrians up for a long time they will do this.

We were on the crossing when they beeped. The diagonal bit only takes a couple of seconds.

@HELLITHURT what rules in the Highway Code are we educating ourselves on?

No, I've not told her it is ok for her to do that alone. She is fully aware that adults do different things to how children should as her brain is not fully developed.

No, you were being unreasonable, parents do this near me, so dangerous! Also you say you've taught your child road safety, but if you are not practicing it, then why bother?

I was responding to the OP asking if crossings were marked differently, denoting which ones could be crossed diagonally.

I don't need educating.

Nope. I've taught her properly. She understands the difference between an adult and a lone child crossing a road. She is 10 not 5!

True and some people's brains do not fully develop and they take risks with their children, teach them bad practises as parents.

You've got to hope nothing comes from 4 directions if you cross diagonally rather than 2 if you do two crossings. So you're choosing to do something which is riskier to you.

So if an ambulance, police car, fire engine needs to jump the lights, you're stuck in the middle of four crossings? You cause delay and it's dangerous?

Just stop it.

Adults shouldn't be doing it either.

The Highway Code
Rules for pedestrians (1 to 35

1. Crossing the road (7 to 17

E. When it is safe, go straight across the road – do not run. Keep looking and listening for traffic while you cross, in case there is any traffic you did not see, or in case other traffic appears suddenly. Look out for cyclists and motorcyclists travelling between lanes of traffic. Do not walk diagonally across the road)).

posted about 10 times in this thread already.

@HELLITHURT

Get yourself a copy of the highway code and educate yourself?

thats what you stated so thus I asked the question?

I didn't state you needed educating

You asked what part we needed educating on, was it the royal we? Who is this we?

It its you, you need educating on the highway code and being able to read a thread and see that it has been stated countless times where it says not to corss diagonally!

Comprehension issues?

Yes there's a diagonal crossing

There's a junction like this in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire. All four pedestrian crossings operate at the same time as part of the traffic light sequence. Lots of people cross diagonally, but because it's a longer route than crossing one lane of traffic, there's not enough time to safely walk across diagonally if you weren't there as the green men come on. It's a really busy junction and there are often heavy quarry wagons, etc. I just wouldn't risk crossing diagonally for the sake of a couple of minutes wait for the traffic light sequence.