To think that if you don't want to cross the road, then standing next to the zebra crossing looking gormless is NOT the way to go?

[raisingrrrl]

Being a good, and - i hope - considerate driver, I stopped today for a bloke who was standing on the pavement and looked like he wanted to cross at the crossing. He just stared at me blankly for about 30 seconds and then walked away in the opposite direction. Cue me shouting in impotent frustration.

And yes, I know he may have had some form of SN, or maybe he has zebra crossing blindness but it annoyed the hell out of me. For about 5 minutes.

Now I feel a bit mean for yelling at him actually. I don't think he heard. He probably was SN, wasn't he?

You big meanie.

Don't worry about it too much though. I'm sure he's alright.

No - I'm pretty sure he was just a twat, sometimes I am absolutely bloody positive there is something fascinating I am missing near our zebra crossing as there are always crowds gathering at either side, then as you say they walk off after I have sat there for 5 minutes with LO in the back asking what we are waiting for....grrrrrrrrrr and as for people treating the speed humps as zebra crossings - don't get me started...

Oh, I hate zebra crossings, I keep nearly driving into people crossing them. I have this kind of zebra crossing blindness. And I think the reason I have it is that there are ALWAYS tons of people loitering by them who never, ever cross, so if somebody does, it comes as a bit of a shock, IYSWIM.

I think they were probably a great idea in the 1960's but not so good now. I need a big red light, for goodness sake!

So, no, YANBU.

You are so NBU.

In front of my large office building is a great big interchange of roads. There are seven pedestrian crossings in all and each one has a push button. But they are ALL absolutely useless!! I have worked in that building for 9 years and I know that all the lights work on a timer to let the different traffic streams through in a particular order and that pushing the crossing button makes absolutely NO difference to how quickly the green man appears on each crossing. And every morning some fuckwit stares at me as if I am some kind of moron for not pressing the button and for waiting for the inevitable sequence to kick in.

Fair enough if you are waiting to cross such a busy interchange with a child, the green man is important and you should press the button and wait. But I can't believe that the other grown ups are so daft as to have not noticed that the crossings only ever work in a particular sequence and that their need to cross isn't going to interrupt a well timed traffic interchange. Grrrrrr. And yes, some of the fuckwits have worked there longer than I have!!

PMSL Technofairy - I think your name explains a fair bit though...

I HATE drivers who ignore zebra crossings . There's one outside our house, well marked and lit and yet 3 or 4 times a week some ignorant twunt will sail across it infront of me even when I'm half way across. Old people and young women are the worst, surprisingly young males are the best and most considerate round here

YANBU.

I hate those idiots who wander across the road 6ft in front of the crossing and still expect you to either know what they are doing or that they expect you to stop.

AIBU to think people crossing on a zebra crossing should wave or nod thank you to the car that has stopped?

When people don't, I shout "You're welcome!" to remind them.

This aggravated one pedestrian so much he chased my car down the road.

Common courtesy from both parties, surely?

PadDad - And do you expect drivers at a an intersection with a green light to thank you for stopping at a red light? You are doing what you are obligated by law, not something you do from because you are being courteous - expecting a thank you every time is OTT.

I'd have looked at you as though you had sprouted a second head tbh.

I know it's the law, but at the same time lots of people don't treat it as seriously as a red light, as alluded to previously in this thread.

Which means both car-driver and pedestrian have to be more careful about each other, because a LOT more cars break the law on this.

90% of my time is now as a pedestrian with the baby stroller, and I AM more grateful to car-drivers who take care around zebra crossings, as many drive on through.

Thanking them increases social harmony, just like when you wave to someone who lets your car into a queue. Obviously you don't HAVE to.

Being grateful and saying thank you as a pedestrian is one thing, but shouting out a 'your welcome' to pedestrians who have the temerity to NOT thank you is what is OTT.

LOL at PadDad: 'This aggravated one pedestrian so much he chased my car down the road'

haha. That's hillarious

I was always taught to make eye contact with a car driver to ensure he had seen me before crossing the road - it works a treat but does mean that generally I will say thank you or acknowledge in some way

Lol, you're all BU. Find something important to get worked up about

I think its worse when people just step out onto a zebra crossing without even checking for cars stopping. People hanging around by them is also annoying