Drivers not following Highway code

[MikeRafone]

https://x.com/citizenuddin/status/1687092237786820608?s=46&t=6ReKAbxD2gRFwL---KRV8w

why do drivers not follow the Highway Code?

if you’re not going to update yourself regularly on Highway ide you should lose your licence to drive

I find it annoying when there are signs constantly saying to only use middle lanes for overtaking, but people refuse to use the left hand lane. Especially when they’re going less than the speed limit!

The change in law was well published yet I rarely see motorists giving way to oedestrians when turning onto a side road.

Yup, very frustrating. It seems as though the majority of drivers either don't know or don't care.

I'd be in favour of some sort of regular refresh of the theory test. The driving I see round here suggests that many drivers don't know the Highway Code (or just don't care that they're not following it).

It's a bloody stupid change that makes zero sense in terms of safety. I can understand why people are ignoring it and carrying on as they did for the past however many years. That applied to pedestrians too, not just drivers. I have yet to see a pedestrian who doesn't wait until a car has turned a corner to cross the road tbh.

It’s a safety hazard this change and I as a pedestrian am never going to presume a car is going to stop for me……there are so many reasons why it doesn’t work if you live in a busy area or where cars are travelling more than 20….I always think I’m going to risk being rear ended when driving as the car behind me isn’t necessarily going to see any pedestrians waiting to cross. Also means runners have even more excuse to run out in the road in front of you mid turn!

It's the pedestrians right of way, defend it at all costs,

Here lies the body
Of William Jay,
Who died maintaining
His right of way.
He was in the right
As he sped along,
But he’s just as dead
As if he’d been wrong

Agree. Totally dangerous change. Cars would brake if a pedestrian didn’t look and stepped out anyway. This just makes for cars being rear ended as they stop mid turn.

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road user. The new rule was designed to protect us, but it won't. The comments by a couple of posters on here have enforced my view on that.

anotheranotheranotheranother. Regardless of opinion though, it’s now the rules and if a pedestrian did step of the kerb and you hurt them - the driver would be breaking the rules & totally at fault

junglejane66. Would you be prepared to go to jail if you killed William Jay? Driving breaking the rules it’d be very hard not to face a jail term upon killing William

Highway code!
I'd just be grateful if police enforced the law- no one obeys the code in terms of speed, and I do try.
The annoying old men in hats with big ears driving at 25mph are just being a nuisance, and as for school run mums in their pyjamas, I doubt that many of them could read the highway code, or ever have done.

I think you have misunderstood me.

I said it is is a stupid change which is why people are not observing it, both drivers and pedestrians.

I didn't say I would hurt anyone, or that I'm a driver (or a pedestrian for that matter) I juts mentioned why people are not doing it.

I know the driver would be at fault, I wasn't disputing that.

it would be primarily down to the driver anyway both before and after the rule change ....the rule change just makes it more likely an incident would occur. Having lived and driven abroad in a country where's theres one particular fundamental rule about right of way that very different to the UK, i know its very difficult to adjust to a new "rule" thats counter-intuitive ....when you have driven for many years expecting that pedestrians won't just step into the road when you are turning, its very hard to change your way of driving and makes mistakes more likely to happen.

As a pedestrian I hate it, I would much rather wait until I can see clearly it’s clear to cross.

as a driver I do it because I know I should but I still think it’s a daft rule.

I've been beeped and shouted at for crossing the road lately, it's ridiculous.

As a driver, I mostly give way to pedestrians in this situation. I say mostly, because

• sometimes they are lounging on the corner looking at their phone, and you're not sure if they're about to cross
• sometimes there is fast-moving traffic behind you, and it seems more dangerous to stop
• sometimes there is traffic queueing to come out of the side street - if I stop, the pedestrian will have to cross in front of or between these cars, who may not stop for them
• it's even worse if I'm turning right into a sidestreet - where do I wait? Blocking the traffic in the opposite lane? I'm not even sure if the rules cover this

I don't think it's a change for the better.

I've stopped trying to comply with this one after the woman and children I stopped for did not notice I was waiting for them and were faffing about (despite being at the edge of the kerb), and the driver on the side road pulled out straight across me nearly taking off my front bumper because he thought I was taking too long, despite me being positioned to turn right and therefore directly in front of him.

It's dangerous. I will only do it if it is quiet and safe, but busy areas are just not safe.

Realistically I don’t think encouraging pedestrians to cross right at the junction is the best idea anyway at a lot of roads. Sometimes going a bit further up so you have a clear view is much safer

Lucky you. Must depend on where you live? I’m in a London commuter area and even before the Highway Code change the majority of people when walking to a junction would just step into the road and carry on walking without looking to check for traffic in any direction.

It’s absolutely ridiculous now as at rush hour and/or in certain places (eg near schools and train stations) it’s close to impossible to cross certain junctions due to an almost continuous line of pedestrians stepping in the road. This leads to traffic jams and more car fumes for the pedestrians to breathe in.

It may work in quiet rural areas, but definitely doesn’t work here.

@Fluffypuppy1

Lucky you. Must depend on where you live? I’m in a London commuter area

I'm not too sure why you think I'm lucky here but I do agree London is an entirely different game. Equally big cites but you don't have to be rural or city, there are lots of in betweens

In the scenario shown in the OPs video, if I was pushing my child in a pushchair I would deliberately look over my shoulder before approaching that curb and hold back if I saw a car looking like it was slowing down to turn left. i wouldn't have reached the curb and stopped.

That way, the car would make their manoeuvre, I wouldn't have caused them to break the law and I would have then proceeded to cross the road - all in a matter of seconds. This comes from being a cyclist and runner for many years and learning to anticipate what a driver was likely to do and make my own decision accordingly to ensure safety of driver and cyclist/runner.

In other words I always take the view that you may be very right, but you can also be very dead.

I stop constantly for pedestrians and they wave me on. If they don't know about the Highway Code changes then what should you do?

I agree with those saying it's a stupid rule, which is less safe than it was before - everyone just seems unsure, drivers and pedestrians alike. I try to follow it when driving, wherever I can do so safely, but I don't agree with it (as a driver or pedestrian).