Pedestrians rights.

[Blu]

Sparked off by Mistress mary's thread, but change of issue.

I drive to work, and am getting quite irate at the way pedestrains are treated on the roads: no-one leaves pedestrian crossings clear, so that if the lights change, pedestrians have to push buggies around cars queuing, often squeezing through with a buggy at exhaust leve.

And am I right in thinking that pedestrians have right of way on those crossings which have flashing amber lights? In S London pedestrians take their lives in their hands if they are still on the road when the flashing starts, as drivers forge through them.

We have just successfully campaigned for controlled parking in our road, and one of the problems was cars parked bumper to bumper right round junctions so that it was impossible to cross the road with a buggy. The drivers who come into the area to park will moan, but it is their own fault.

I think there needs to be a public info campaign about respecting pedestrains rights.

Too right. Part of the problem is that afaik, town planning is still very much devised around keeping traffic moving efficiently, so pedestrian's needs are not prioritised. You have to be very young and nimble to cross the road in the time the flashing light gives you where I am. You also have to be prepared to walk miles if you want to cross at a crossing, because the roads are all organised for the convenience of car drivers not pedestrians.

I think pedestrians also have the right of way at junctions where there is a dotted line painted, so cars should wait or pedestrians to cross before turning off/onto main roads. Does it happen? Does it hell! Annoys me.

When I am out on foot, I hate those big junctions where the lights are timed so that each time you cross one road, you have to wait another 5 mins for the 'green man' for the next road.

I hate those junctions too but the worse I think are the zebra crossings where the drivers just dont bother stopping grrr. we have one near us on a main road and its about 500 yrds from traffic lights in either direction and they dont even bother to stop when the lights up ahead are red. I mean its not like they are going to get very far before they have to stop anyway so why not just let us cross. ggggggrrrrrrr

Actually I agree with most of what you said.

What really irritates me about the whole walking thing is that we are constantly being hectored to get out of our cars and walk. And then when we do, we remember why we didn't want to!

Dp was crossing at a pedestrian crossing near home (south london) recently, when some bloke jumped in front of the other cars, sped through the red light and then beeped dp for being in the road! That sort of thing happens quite alot around by us and it is terrifying to think that children could be crossing.

I think, technically, pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way.
Although when flat on the road under a bus it might be a bit late to hold that argument!

This is where I think cameras should be used far more. If an £80 fine were automatic for going through red lights, most drivers would stop going through red lights. And if you lost your licence for a while if you did it too often, it would be even more of an incentive.

Saintgeorge - I remember a friend of mine who used to say "he had right of way" would be a good tombstone inscription.

Friends little boy nearly got hit by a car on the zebra crossing outside the nursery last week. We were crossing together, and the car coming from the right slowed right down and stopped, there was another car coming down the road, but it still had to drive through the chacaine (sp) so plenty of time to cross. We all started to cross, with her little boy just ahead of us and the car coming from the left put their foot on the accelerator and shot over the crossing. Friends mum shouted STOP at him as she ran to grab him, and thankfully he stopped in time..............still feel sick thinking about it now

I wish the gvt would do a 'considerate driver' publlic info campaign on the TV.

oooh, here's another one - speeding through puddles and soaking everyone on the pavement with filthy freezing water.

Made me sick reading it Gwenick - hope mum and lad over the shock a little now.

I also hate it when drivers don't use their indicators for pedestrians. Waiting to cross a road near a junction for instance - if the car is turning I can cross safely. They don't indicate but then turn at the last minute - whilst I'm standing waiting on the pavement like an idiot. A minor problem but bloody annoying!