To think that drivers should wait for pedestrians to be safely out of the way on pedestrain crossings before they start driving

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Walking back from the supermarket, crossing on the green man. DD is 18 mo and pretty good and she was going pretty quick. But admittedly we were about, oh, 5 seconds behind other people crossing.

The car decided we weren't going quick enough and as soon as the light was amber acceleralted swiftly towards us, missing toddler by 2 inches.

AIBU to think that people who move more slowly - old people and small people, or anyone who can't go as quick for whatever reason, should be able to cross at a pedestrain crossing? Or should they not be allowed out?

Or am I living in the 50's and it's perfectly fine these days to behave like this.

Incidentally the traffic was all down the high street so the car had to stop about 10 metres down the road anyway.

Did you get the reg. number? People like this make me so angry.

No matter how long the traffic tail-back is this rather inconsiderate driver should have waited.

YANBU at all.

In the village where my daighter lives, you risk life and limb when you use the zebra crossing.

YANBU, I'm seriously thinking of ringing the police to complain...getting-old-and-narky emoticon!!

YANBU

I'm pretty sure it's in the highway code that you are to wait till the crssing is clear before driving on.

I always follow the rules I was taught, I stay stationary until pedestrians have both feet on the pavement.

yanbu

he/she should not have done that. My daughter would have panicked and could have run the wrong way. Could have been a disaster.

On our main street the cars frequently drive straight through on the red so these days although we push the buttom for the green man we cross just as carefully, all holding hands and wait for the cars to stop before crossing. Obviously wouldn't have stopped someone doing what this driver did but unfortunatley there will always be idiots.

I'm constantly swearing at drivers who don't stop at zebra crossings. They're usually middle-aged women drivers too. Then there are the boy racers who rev at you at the lights or brake within 3mm from your bum.

I'm thinking of investing in one of those portable anti-tank guns for idiots like these. Call it natural selection.

YANBU

He was braking the law - if the lights are on amber and there are persons on the pedestrian crossing he is not allowed to drive on, he must wait.

You should live in Oz. On a sequence on the right turn at most intersections, the green man goes on at he same time as the green for cars, too, and pedestrians have right of way. And do they strooooooll? I like it - even when I'm itching to burn away at the light I love the way Aussies treat for what it is - their right.

yanbu. I had some git do the exact same thing to me last week, he started driving at me when the light was on amber.

Phew so it's not just me then!

Didn't ger his number - no glasses. I don;t think the police would actually do anything though?

There is one place I won't cross as the lights are obscured and all the cars drive through the red on the green man - but is there really any point saying anything to the police? Would be interested to hear if anyone has tried that...

Loving the anti-tank gun idea brange!

Am calming down a bit now...

KM I agree with you. And (but it's another thread) i think part of the problem may be the great big high cars with the blacked out windows which is part of the problem. When you're in one of those you are literally looking down on everyone around you and I think that does something psychologically.

plus they often have tinted windows so they don't have to meet the eye of the pedestrians.

It was better when people were in cars at eye level when you could meet their eye - less people drive at you then I find.

Tis the law anyhoo.
Highway code dictates that the pedestrian must be safely on opposing kerb before you, the car driver can resume yor journey.

Even if the pedestrian is going slowly goober?

Reading the papers these days and being out and about I imagine that most car drivers, from the way they behave, would think it perfectly within their rights to run someone over if they were holding them up.

Has anyone ever reported someone for going through a red light?

YANBU and I think it is against the law to drive off when the light is amber and people are still crossing. Same with the zebra crossing, I am often amazed, or should that be disgusted, at the amount of drivers who wait until the person/s have passed their side of the road and immediately fly off while the person is still on the crossing.

I've seen the Lollipop Lady outside my dts's school have a few near misses which is even worse.

Absolutely!
I often stop for old bidies with zimmer frames. Poor ol' buggers.

You are definitely not alone! I think when they set the timer for pedestrian lights they must have asked Dame Kelly Holmes to cross as a sample pedestrian!

When I was 6 1/2 months pregnant with DD4, While on holiday abroad, something similar happend to us, DH, our three DCs an myself were crossing the road, we got in the middle and this idiot just accelerated to get us to cross faster. I nearly fainted with fear and within minutes after the incident started to bleed heavily, I really thought I would never have a DD4. Thanksfully she is now a healthy 2 years old but I will never forget that horrible moment!

YANBU at all, happens to me nearly every morning as I walk to school with a 6yo and a 4yo. Quite often the cars just ignore the green man altogether and drive straight across. I think it's because they are concentrating on the traffic in front of them, so when the next car moves they just follow. Drives me mad. Sometimes I shout at them, but oh, how I wish I had a rocket launcher. I tell my dcs to push the button and wait for the green man, and how to be safe - but they are not safe because stupid idiot drivers want to shave 0.5 seconds off their journey at the risk of a small child's life. I cannot see that my children are ever going to be able to walk to and from school safely unaccompanied - something I used to do when I was 6

Gorionine you story is awful

I wonder if part of the problem in the UK is that the police aren't really interested in this sort of thing, and they are not out on the beat anymore.

I always think that many people will get away with whatever they can if they don't think they'll be caught, and the traffic laws are never enforced any more at all.

If people actually got nicked for going through red lights etc then i reckon they woulnd't do it.

That is exactly the problem - we have hundreds of laws that are simply not enforced - hence, no respect for the law, no fear of consequences. It is all about ticking boxes, so the police just concentrate on the soft targets. This does nothing for public confidence or safety.

Yes, I also HATE when drivers speed up to get through the amber light , and end up going through when the light is actually red.
I have on occasion pretended to step out (just me, not with dcs) to make them stop (and give them a fright)

My kids always freaked out when this happened and I would be so mad because I then had to calm them down. Once a car was dangerously close to my little one and we weren't being particularly slow. It is a terrible way to behave and alot of drivers do it.