To think I can't trust a all drivers to stop at zebra crossings?

[pengwig]

Where I live there are 2 zebra crossings, once right outside a school and the other close by and so often drivers just don't stop for you. I go to cross and they don't slow down never mind stop. I am now in a situation where my trust in it is just gone and I feel like I am almost waiting until the driver has stopped before I even start to cross which I know annoys drivers but I'm fed up of being almost mowed down.

I HATE these new style pedestrian crossings. They've just changed the one near me from traditional overhead ones on the opposite side to waist height on the side. It just means when someone is stood right next to it (you know, after pressing it) no one else can see if it's a green man. Awful, awful design.
Sorry for the derailing rant 😂

I think as a society we have gotten more selfish, and lots of drivers don't stop for things that inconvenience or delay them slightly. I know the "rule" is drivers only NEED to stop when your foot is on the crossing, but they ignore the "you should get ready to stop when you see someone waiting" bit and speed through. Who is honestly going to risk stepping out onto a busy road when drivers aren't stopping to force the issue.

Complain to the council and ask for a pelican crossing perhaps? Make the fuckers stop, mind you some of them don't stop for red lights either.

Drivers should never wave or otherwise urge a pedestrian to cross.
If they do ignore them. It can be quite dangerous.
Only cross when you judge it safe to do so and you are comfortable doing so.

Not had that at all, everyone stops. At least in the UK; in other countries I don't understand why they even bother painting them as they're completely meaningless. But down south and in London, I've never noticed anyone not stop, either as a driver or pedestrian. I would definitely escalate it to the council, ask for cameras maybe.

Unfortunately zebra crossing behaviour has seriously declined imo. So many people just swerve straight onto the crossing without looking to see if traffic is stopping or facing the crossing to indicate they are about to use it. Afaik, if a vehicle is within the zigzag it is too late to be expected to stop, if you’re not speeding that is. Pedestrians need to “address the crossing” and try to make eye contact with the nearest driver, not just March out without looking. Having said that, I agree that drivers aren’t respecting zebra crossings as much as they used to, they were always sacrosanct!

When I started driving we did the hand signals too.
The right arm out the window in a graceful motion palm down like a gull landing meant I am slowing down or stopping. This was to alert following drivers.
It was used when approaching zebra crossings but the pedestrian always had to make their own judgement as to when it was safe to cross.
This was not intended as a signal to urge the pedestrian to cross.

I absolutely wait until I’m sure the cars are stopping before I go onto the zebra crossing.

I’ve seen cars drive straight through them too often to want to risk it. I’ve even seen cars speed up on the approach to zebra crossings when pedestrians are still crossing the road. Some drivers just seem oblivious to zebra crossings.
And it’s not going to end well for the pedestrian if there’s a collision.

I've never trusted them.

I look and practically make eye contact with the driver until I'm dead sure they are stopping, before I step out onto them.

I know you are supposed to put one foot on it, and then look again before proceeding I think?

The state of drivers on the roads these days is worse.

I agree drivers not stopping at zebras, when you're already on the crossing, has got worse.

Not just today but I can think of many other zebras where the driver on the near side has stopped to let you cross, but you're then greeted by a driver on the other side of the road zooming by as you're walking across. Obviously illegally. I do think they should be replaced by pedestrian crossings.

A couple of months ago a pedestrian was knocked down in our area whilst crossing a zebra. I never trust anyone to stop anymore.

If they aren't going to stop, I would rather they did that without me on it.

Yes drivers must stop when a pedestrian puts one foot on the crossing, and SHOULD (but not must) stop if a pedestrian is waiting

You’re not wrong OP. They are meant to just stop even if you’re just standing like a lamppost.

I’m learning to drive and I know we are told to approach it carefully and watch our speed in case anyone pops out wanting to cross. If we see people even walking near it we are told to keep an eye out in case they are wanting to cross. But I see drivers ahead of me just tearing through the crossings when I’m on my lessons even when the person is taking steps closer to the kerb.

Unfortunately people discard of a lot of the rules once they get the licence.

Very sensible. I was once halfway across a road at a pedestrian crossing, lights were red for cars, and even though I was pushing a pram a car clearly didn't notice and just passed in front of me without even slowing down. Scary

From the Highway Code: .

”Drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross and MUST give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing (see Rule H2). Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped”

The problem is pedestrians rightly don’t trust the drivers so the pedestrians stands waiting and watching cars whizz by but don’t actually put a foot on the crossing. And then the driver can say to themselves “oh well they weren’t actually on the crossings so I was fine not to stop”

So unless you’re going to cause a traffic accident by stopping at a zebra crossings I feel you should stop if you see someone waiting.

Are you a driver?
Never assume a car will stop or see you.

Always wait until the car has stopped and be vigilant when you cross.

I don’t think pedestrians realise that sometimes drivers literally cannot see them or they’re distracted because there’s someone trying to cross further up etc.

I drill it into my DC that just because you can see the cars it doesn’t mean they can see you.

Sadly there are too many arseholes out there so always best to be cautious. I generally gesticulate like a banshee when someone speeds across to let them know it's wrong. Makes me feel better anyway. Xx

I always wait for both sides to stop, someone almost hit my dog as they came flying along as I was half way over.

Please stop and wait for car to slow down / stop. My friend was killed on a zebra crossing by a car that didn’t stop. She was only 15.

Same, I’m currently abroad in a European country and was crossing the road with my suitcase and so was another woman. I mention suitcase because I couldn’t easily run across.

This man was reversing into the crossing area right where we were walking , and it was a green man!

I don’t know what was happening with his driving, but it was a mess. I locked eyes with him and shook my head before I even finished crossings and then gave him a wide berth.

He did pause for a while so maybe i appropriately shamed him 😂but then started again once we had all crossed and the green man went off.

And within 30 seconds he had smacked into a pole thingy on the sidewalk and his rear light cracked and fell off 😬 he and the passenger in his car didn’t even notice. It was someone else who knocked on the window and told him.

I don’t want any part of that madness so I scooted well away from him - I was waiting for my uber - in case things got worse! The sidewalks aren’t even safe with some drivers lol

Disagree with this. Was in Prague last year and we commented that cars all automatically stopped without you having to second guess whether they were going to. France, Spain, Italy - can't say I've noticed any significant difference to the UK, tbh.

Because you can't tell if people are definitely crossing of they dither like that. If people walk out more confidently when cars are at a sensible distance then pedestrians can cross and drivers can slow down gently adjusting their speed to be able to start off again smoothly and efficiently helping traffic flow.

I step out on crossings if traffic is approaching and is far enough away to stop.

Sadly in the UK I think the OP is making the correct decision. I wish it were not the case, but as there is no real enforcement of driving standards and the courts don't ban the drivers they should, self preservation must come first.

Contrast that with Belgium where they always stop without exception in my experience.

The drivers where I live rarely stop, and when they do they rev their engines in what think is a passive aggressive manner. Run me over then arse!

Otoh, Italy….on our first visit, DH asked someone why they bothered painting the zebra lines on roads as only cars with German plates stopped at them. “ah, we are artistic”, was the cheerfully unabashed reply.

I slow down if I see someone at a pedestrian crossing but that doesn't mean they have to start crossing begore I've actually stopped andctheyvfeel secure. A few seconds make no difference

How the hell does a driver not see someone on a zebra though? Unless idiots have parked in the zigzags, there should be clear visibility on them. (Of course you’re right that some drivers do manage to be oblivious, I’m just mystified by it!)