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

@enchantedsquirrelwood Anyway, why do you care if they honk you? Their problem, not yours!

Well, I don't like being honked at, it's distracting and aggravating. But additionally, it shows that they aren't aware of the new rules, so we're driving using different rules, which is potentially dangerous. And it shows they weren't expecting me to stop, so I feel at risk of being bumped into from behind.

As usual though the UK government is trying to ram a square peg in a round hole rather than actually investing in the infrastructure like other countries.

but I recently asked a learner driver what she's being taught and she said she's been told not to wave people across

In the same way that you shouldn't flash your headlights to let someone out of a junction, in case they take that to mean "It's safe to pull out" and don't check for traffic coming the other way. Everyone does it, I know

These rules are not new, they have just had to be made enforceable by law due to the number of aggressive over privileged car drivers thinking they can take right of way simply by virtue of being able to afford a car, and sod the rest of us. Being in a car doesn't and never has given you right of way over pedestrians

Thanks for this, I'm not going mad then! I agree the general advice is not to wave to people to move. I do sometimes signal for cars to go. But signalling for a pedestrian to go seems riskier.

Tonight I had an interesting situation.

I turn right into my side road off the main road, two lanes of traffic each way, 30mph limit.

T junction, light controlled, with a pelican crossing on two of the sections, that has it's own light sequence.

I was turning right, and there is a filter light for the right turn (not every light cycle though) Turn right, man from my direction just crosses the road. (I didn't hit him) There was no green man, and he should have seen my filter light.

They pedestrian crossing rules surely override the priority rule. Maybe he just thought he could cross regardless.

Yeah I'm pretty sure a light controlled crossing means the signals rule. Cars have to follow signals even when they contradict standard driving rules. Otherwise cars wouldn't be letting way for turning traffic. So pedX should be following signals for when they should cross