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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect not to be called a stupid bitch at a zebra crossing

37 replies

JJ · 18/06/2008 10:19

I crossed in front of a car who stopped for me at a zebra crossing. He rolled down his window and shouted "blah blah blah you stupid bitch blah blah" (I missed the blah blah blah bits). So was wondering what I possibly could have done wrong if anything. It was otherwise just a normal zebra crossing crossing. Are there any times where pedestrians don't have the right of way on those?

OP posts:
thelittlestbadger · 18/06/2008 10:20

No. He was just being a twat.

flubdub · 18/06/2008 10:20

No

cupsoftea · 18/06/2008 10:22

idiots aren't they - I drove at the speed limit outside a school at school time this morning & I was overtaken at high speed by a driver making signs at me - ffs - what a stupid thing to do.

theSuburbanDryad · 18/06/2008 10:26

I have to say that I unleashed some verbal venom on two lads (about 10-11) on bikes who shot out in front of me at a pelican crossing when the green man wasn't on!

They gave me the finger too! I just sat there shaking for a few minutes - i came soooooo close to hitting them...i was genuinely terrified.

Did the car have to brake sharply? He may have thought he was about to hit you - could explain his shouting, especially if you had kids or a pram with you?

Judessis · 18/06/2008 10:26

Fourthed (is that a word) just didn't want to have to stop for you. Idiot.

theSuburbanDryad · 18/06/2008 10:26

I didn't swear at the lads yesterday though. I wouldn't swear at children (except my own, occasionally)

Original poster
JJ · 18/06/2008 10:44

Thanks - I thought it was him not me.

Nope, I don't think he had to brake sharply and he clearly saw me. No kids; was on my way home from dropping mine off at school.

I get the nutters in life, I think.

OP posts:
theSuburbanDryad · 18/06/2008 10:46

I was just trying to play devil's advocate JJ!

I think you're right - he was just being an arse!

TheHedgeWitch · 18/06/2008 12:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sarah293 · 18/06/2008 12:36

This reply has been deleted

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BackToBasics · 18/06/2008 12:48

The proper way to use a zebra crossing is to wait at the side of the road on the pavement, the car coming should then stop.

The reason for you waiting is it then gives the driver a chance to register your waiting and gives them a chance to stop.

The amount of times i have been driving along and one minute the pedistrian is walking along the pavement and the next second they have just stepped out onto the zebra without warning. That really [anger] me.

So if you were waiting and he stopped but still swore at you then he is a twat!

Original poster
JJ · 18/06/2008 14:13

I didn't wait for him to stop, but checked that he saw me. That's what I generally do - is that not right? Actually, it might have been that he thought I gave him a 'look' (I've been trying to figure out what he said and think it might have been something about that). I didn't on purpose - no evil eye or anything!

Yes, is fine to be devil's advocate! My pet peeve as a driver is people standing and chatting away at the crossing letting cars go through then suddenly turning and striding into it without warning. ARGH. Or people who are walking quickly and then make a 90Ëš turn at speed into it. And people who let their children wait at the edge whilst the rest of the family catches up from 2k away (ok, slight exaggeration). arggghhh.

I think middle class nutters have it in for me (this guy was well dressed in a silver newish Merc) really. I'm sure I did something to piss him off; am guessing he's just extremely highly strung or something.

OP posts:
BackToBasics · 18/06/2008 19:11

That's probably why he was angry at you because you didn't stop and wait. He probably saw you but didn't know you were going to suddenly cross the road. I am not defending his behaviour though because he was ott but i i know i hate it when pedestrians don't use zebras properly just like i hate it when drivers don't stop when the pedestrian is stood there waiting.

Not many people realise you have to stop and wait at the kerb, many just think you walk on out. Yes the pedestrian has right of way but they shouldn't just step out and at least give the driver a second to prepare to stop.

CarGirl · 18/06/2008 19:16

He probably saw you but didn't intend to stop for you to cross and was therefore pee'd off because he had to IYSWIM

CaptainUnderpants · 18/06/2008 19:38

Below from Highway code :

Crossings
18
At all crossings. When using any type of crossing you should

always check that the traffic has stopped before you start to cross or push a pram onto a crossing
always cross between the studs or over the zebra markings. Do not cross at the side of the crossing or on the zig-zag lines, as it can be dangerous
You MUST NOT loiter on any type of crossing.

[Laws ZPPPCRGD reg 19 & RTRA sect 25(5)]

19
Zebra crossings. Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery. Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing. Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. 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.

CaptainUnderpants · 18/06/2008 19:41

I can see your point and his - How do you check that a driver has seen you - you cant never assume that a driver has seen you .

So YOU should wait for them to stop - but he shouldn't have been so verbally abusive .

EyeballsintheSky · 18/06/2008 19:46

I was out yesterday and some pillock in a Merc tried to pull out in front of me at the last minute. I am not psychic so I didn't stop and he pulled out behind me. Spent 15 minutes racing up behind me, flashing and blowing his horn. Then he drew up beside me at a roundabout and called out 'you're a bit rude aren't you, you fat slapper. Learn some manners'. Then he dived in ahead of me so I nearly went into the back of him.

Annoyingly I spent the rest of yesterday in tears. How come these bastards always know which buttons to press to hurt you?

Original poster
JJ · 18/06/2008 19:47

I had stopped to check that he was going to stop - he hadn't stopped yet when I started crossing but saw me, I thought. It's hard when it says to wait for them to stop but that they don't have to until you've stepped onto the crossing. I had always thought that intention to cross had given me right of way.

OP posts:
MsSparkle · 18/06/2008 19:51

Never assume a driver has seen you. He may not have seen you and run you over! Always wait until the driver has stopped, that way you know for sure they have seen you. It's the safest way all round.

CaptainUnderpants · 18/06/2008 19:53

All you have to do when showing your intention to cross is place one foot on the crossing and nothing else.

I would never start crossing if a car is approaching until it has stopped. Drivers get distracted by all sorts of things as we know - phones and even worse our own children !

nannyjo · 18/06/2008 19:53

was it deffo a zebra crossing or a pelican crossing?? (ie did it have the little orange round light thingy)

Cammelia · 18/06/2008 19:56

Ah, its the merc. Mercs are driven by wide boys (not the genuine middle-classes, JJ)

Same as male Audi drivers

No manners, think they own the road

Volvos are the only cars with good manners

CaptainUnderpants · 18/06/2008 19:58

Zebra crossing have the flashing orange beacons.

Pelican crossing are crossing controlled by pedistrains .

Puffins crssoings are similar to pelican but the control box is differnt .

policywonk · 18/06/2008 20:00

When I learned to drive (a couple of years ago) I was taught to scan the pavements either side of a crossing and slow down if there were any pedestrians within ten feet or so. It would be good if more drivers could try to anticipate like this.

There's a zebra crossing very close to my house, and I'd say roughly one-third of drivers sail over it with no intention of stopping at all. If the kids aren't with me, I liberally employ the international hand-signal for 'wanker' at them.

nannyjo · 18/06/2008 20:02

so what is it if it's just the road markings and no lights?