I'm not a driver: can people tell me how and why drivers end up in the middle of the pedestrian crossing when the green man turns on?

[redadmiral]

Just completely lost it with the guy who did this - mainly because in the rush for everyone to get around the car before the traffic starts again, my 4 year old DD fell over in the road. Was really the final straw - most of the time we just take our lives in our hands and squeeze and thread through the 6 lanes of traffic as fast as we can. Can anyone help me get inside the heads of people who do this (50% of motorists in Londodn I would say) so that I don't have to hate them so much?!! This isn't a rhetorical question, I'd really like to know?

This is one of my biggest bugbears and it is mainly the drivers like policy wonk says who are only concentrating on the bumper in front and just move forward regardless of the green man. I really lost my rag at one woman - screaming 'do you want to kill my child!!' I am pushing the most precious thing in my world in front of me after all, i think is just a natural protective feeling to react this way but usually just get a dismissive wave or glare - hey I'm not the one driving a machine capable of killing someone....

Yes, a sorry makes it ok... Staring ahead fixedly pretending you haven't noticed doesn't...