Recent-ish new highway rules that favour the pedestrian - I fear accidents

[DistingusedSocialCommentator]

The stop and give way to a pedestrian crossing a road at a junction. That is what the majority of sensible road users have done anyway

Along with the above comes a new bit "Give way to pedestrians waiting to cross the road at a junction." This IMO will result in more accidents, EG, those that drive to close to the driver in front. The driver in front indicates to turn left like a good driver but at the junction off a main road is a pedestrian waiting to cross. The good driver stops to let the pedestrian cross and bang into the rear of the car goes the driver that was driving up their arse.

We often turn left into our close of a busy, main road and I always fear some seriously ignorant driver going into the rear of one of our cars if we had to suddenly pull up as there was another car shooting towards the main road as turning often has cars parked on one side.

If you are a good driver you should know this but here it goes: You are coming off a main, or road for that matter and hoping to turn left into another road. A pedestrian waiting to cross. You stop and there is a chance on the main/bigger roads the driver behind you is a moron and driving to close to you as you indicate and slow down before that. The rule applies to turning right as well but that is not as risky

AIBU to believe this new law will result in more harm than good, EG more car-to-car accidents when a car driver gives way to a waiting pedestrain/s to cross?
(I always slow down in advance to turn but have noted many times idiots right up th backside of our car and I think, what if I had to stop to allow someone across the road or there is something in the road and this new rule will just cause more accidents as many that have a licence have no idea how to drive safely and within the law)

I always try to keep a good distance as people turn into another road or their drive for that matter etc but I feel this new rule has not been well thought out

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022

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I take it you're not a driver.

I'm a driver and I agree with them. You're all for personal responsibility until you're the one expected to show it! The car driver is the one in control of the dangerous vehicle so they are the one with the greater level of personal responsibility. I see it similar to owning a gun. If you own something with the potential to harm others, it is your responsibility to ensure that harm does not occur. Whether that be locking up your guns or driving carefully, the onus is on you, the license owner, to follow the rules and keep others safe.

Everyone that has posted on this thread knows that, so I'm confused as to what is your point about "onus..."?

Except it's less safe for the pedestrian because you can no longer see round the corner, both ways. If you cross at the junction you have sight of the main road and minor road.

If you cross too far down 10-15m as per @sleepyscientist suggestion, you wouldn't be able to see the traffic coming from the main road at all. Their post suggests cars coming off the main road would then have time to see pedestrians crossing. My belief is they would be looking ahead on the road not the pavement and therefore miss pedestrians.

This law requires conscious behaviour change from those drivers who didn't keep to this law before. But by changing drivers' mindsets so that pedestrians should actually have priority over cars is the right direction to go in.

Rear end collisions are asking for life changing neck injuries vs the inconvenience of walking down the road to cross
Except that pedestrians also get run over when crossing down the road. This finally happened at a crossing I take most days and cars stop only 1 out 2. The old person died and the driver drove away without stopping (thankfully later found). It's scary for an adult let alone kids. It is a road crossed by many school kids.

I am a driver, but I am responsible driver who cares about the safety of more vulnerable road users, and not an entitled twat.

At junctions only theese new rules apply - lets not get confused.

As I said, I've always given way when a pedestrian is in the road. My fear now is driving up a main road, the idiot behind driving too closely, you slow down a decent distance from the left turn, indicate in advance and then note a pedestrian appears from behind a tall suv/van ect and you stop to give way but the clown behind you that expected you to turn left is driving to close not paying attention crases into your car causing all sort of problems.

Pedestrians need to take care as well. As well as beig a good driver I'm a pedestrain as well so look out for both groups when walking or driving

At zebra crossings, the ignorant pedestrian and there are a few that are walking along at speed straight on then before reaching the crossing step in front of your car near, a few feet from a crossing are a nightmare - often these types are on their smart phone

Everyone needed to take responsibility and this is why idiots, proper idiots that don't indicate wind me up - its against the law not to indicate appropriately and not only aids other drivers driving but also aids pedestrians to a good degree. Yes, I never take it for granted that someone indicating will actually turn at the next turning or pull over but often the problem is with the fools that dont indicate when they are supposed to.

You also have the bicycle ridders to contend with along with the mass of scooter riders that are trying to make a livivng

Great post, please apply to pedestrians as well that step out into a road without looking

I nearly got run over crossing a side road on foot a few weeks ago. I hadn't been paying attention and neither had the driver, who took a fast right turn into the road. The weird thing was that I remember being in the road and thinking, he'll see me, he'll slow, but he actually sped up! I had to dive out the way.

So we should pedestrians walk down the motorway?

After all the drivers have a greater responsibility.

If a pedestrian is anywhere near a zebra crossing, as a driver you should be prepared to stop. It is your responsibility to drive according to your surroundings.

It sounds like a great idea, but I remember reading a quote that said ‘ the graveyard is full of people who had the right of way’

Too many drivers pay no consideration to pedestrians, and I’d never risk stepping out onto road when a car was coming.

@Butterdishy
"If a pedestrian is anywhere near a zebra crossing, as a driver you should be prepared to stop. It is your responsibility to drive according to your surroundings"

Define "anywhere near"??

Does that include those walking double speed on pavement close to edge and cut across the road onto the crossing?

Does that include those that stand at the foot of a zebra crossing nattering on their mobile or another person/s?

Exactly that.

IMO, often good drivers are good pedestrians.

Yes. If they're near enough to step out in front of you, they are near enough that you should be prepared to stop for them.

Anyone driving needs to be aware that the car in front might not turn immediately for all manner of reasons.
Often vans are parked illegally so a car needs to wait for an oncoming car to exit the junction so that there's space for them to turn, for example.

I've no issue with giving way to a pedestrian when I'm turning from a major to a minor road. But I frequently use a crossroads with poor visibility where I am going straightover, from a minor road crossing the major road to continue on the minor road. I've got a job to keep track of the traffic in three directions. The other day I got huffed at by a driver on the opposite side who had stopped and waived a pedestrian across in front of me. In that situation I think I have right of way, though I may be wrong. The thing is, my brain can't cope with having to look in all those directions AND anticipate a pedestrian stepping out in front of me while I'm part way across a dangerous junction.

I tend to use the rule of thumb that I always let pedestrians cross unless by doing so I'm significantly increasing the chance of an accident.

So a driver stops for every pedestrian that is near a crossing and then niote they are not crossing, then waits again for the next people to walk past?

The situation I'm more concerned about is turning right across traffic into a side road. There may have been no pedestrian around when you approached, but then you've waited some time for a gap in oncoming traffic. When a gap that's just about big enough finally arises, you may very well forget to check behind you, most likely in your blind spot, and miss a pedestrian starting to cross the side road. Even if you spot them, your only option may be to stop in the path of oncoming traffic, risking a serious accident if they don't stop in time.

I am predominantly a cyclist and pedestrian, but also an occasional car driver, in a city. I have noticed a slight increase in car drivers giving way to pedestrians waiting to cross the road but it is by no means universal. I like to believe that it is just that some car drivers are ignorant of the current legislation, and not that they purposely break the law, but there is probably a bit of both. I think more publicity of the new requirements is required and examples of exactly what it means in practice need to go in the media.

As a cyclist I do, when turning into a road, give way to pedestrians but I feel really vulnerable doing this sometimes, especially when turning right from a major to a minor road if I end up waiting at the mouth of the road, rather than my starting point on the main road.

I often find that pedestrians are surprised that I have stopped. I do not wave them across, as to do so could put them at risk of crossing without considering other traffic, but at times there has been a bit of a stand off where we are both waiting for the other one to go. I also often get pedestrians encouraging me to keep cycling through a zebra crossing that they are waiting at and I am approaching, which is sweet.

I think pedestrians shouldn't be distracted by their mobile phones whilst they are trying to cross and pay attention

I always stop to let people cross road anyway but take your point about drivers behind

I think things have pretty much continued as they always did. Pedestrians tend to wait because of their sense of self preservation. Families do no want to teach their children to just cross indiscriminately.

Common sense has to come in. Eg if I want to turn right and have a queue of traffic behind who are going straight on and there's someone waiting to cross on the road I'm turning into, it's often quicker to just turn right so that the traffic can continue to flow rather than stop, wait for the person to realise I've stopped so they can cross etc.

I don't drive, so I'm always Team Pedestrian, and I think this is a stupid rule. It's way safer for me to just wait than it is for the car to have to stop.

I said prepare to stop. Slow down, check mirrors etc. Of course you don't actually stop every time. If your regularly slamming your brakes at zebra crossings, your not driving safely at all.

I think this is half the point though. It’s about making streets more pedestrian focused and less car focused. Easier and quicker for pedestrians to get about and harder and slower for motorists. It’s starting to shift the balance away from the current situation where the car rules supreme. If the cars behind you have to wait I think that is a good thing. We are only going to move towards a greener, more child-friendly world if the reign of the car is curtailed.