Discussion
Satsuma said:
Public highway. It was my understanding that on a public highway a pedestrian always has right of way over a motor vehicle, but recently a collegue disagreed with me about it...
They have a right to walk on the road.. like a cyclist has "the right" (In my own country .. pedestrians have "priority" but can be fined for j-walking or disobeying a "red man" und being copped "at it"
cyclists are !"authorised" und motor vehicle drivers have the "right awarded by virtue of earning a licence".
In this country... ist a right . unless a bye-law or statute expressly forbid as ist case with motorway und other certain A roads .. A6144 (formerly "M"
und one or two other A roads... though A14 should certainly be classed that way too from M1 to run into M11... :roll: Drivers are there because they earn the licenced privilege to do so.. und given volume of traffic .. if all these drivers suddenly turned to bicycles und pony und traps und horses.. I rather think privilege to use roadways in this early 20 th century means of travel would be revised to make it "by privilege of licence earned by proving skill to cope by way of test". because of need ofr tax und revenue und stealth tax of fines
und also because 32 million drivers suddenly taking to bikes und horses would still lead to congestion und danger of physical jostling . We keep telling the lycra louts on a "for cyclist only forum" when they come a-trolling along . ..
that "cyclotopia", "honkin' heaven" und "neighin' neighin' land" ist no more reality than car 
cloud nine cuckoo land!" und the rest However, fortunately for us all.. the courts can und do take account of excellent advice in Highway Code.. as do insurance companies when deciding on potential pay-out - which ist why CTC object to sensible amendments as they fear it will affect their cut when fighting these companies for compo
No one ist that altruistic m3evo2 said:
I dont think so as people walking down the road would be able to step out in front of you expecting you to stop and if you dont you'd be in trouble,no?
As far as I am aware Pedestrians have priority if they are on a recognised crossing of a road, and are not allowed on Motorways or slip roads, but apart from that they have to look where they are going, just the same as car drivers.
www.highwaycode.gov.uk/01.htm
vonhosen said:
Highway Code Rule 146 said:
146: Take extra care at junctions. You should
* watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.
I also find HC rules 1-33 particularly useful.. especially Rule 7.. the Green Cross Code one
und rules 18-22 are also of especial note vonhosen said:
Highway Code Rule 146 said:
146: Take extra care at junctions. You should
* watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.
Related but different situation:
It is "interesting" to be walking in town along the pavement of a road that is the horizontal part of a T-junction lying just ahead. This is when the pedestrian is on the same side of the main road as is the smaller joining road, so that the pedestrian must cross it.
If there is a car coming up that side road towards the T-junction and the give-way line, whether the car or the pedestrian has the right-of-way is a matter of timing.
British drivers are exceptionally aggressive about trying to intimidate the pedestrian from crossing the side road, so that their car can establish priority and continue unimpeded across the give-way line in order to get a view onto the main road. Not only agressive, but often downright rude.
vonhosen said:
Highway Code Rule 146 said:
146: Take extra care at junctions. You should
* watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.
That seems reasonable. Turning into a junction if they are there first then they ought to have right of way as it is highly possible they were already crossing the road before you arrived at the junction. Same as a car has right of way. But they don't have right of way unless at pelicans etc.. So the answer is Generally NO.
vonhosen said:
Highway Code Rule 146 said:
146: Take extra care at junctions. You should
* watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.
I think somewhere in the HC it says the entrance to a side road is a continuation of the pavement and thus pedestrians have right of way. A lot of drivers don't like this and recently one young lad hooted at me for walking across the entrance to a side road that he wanted to turn into even though I was more than halfway across when he arrived. He wouldn't stop to hear me try to explain the highway code either. Clearly you have to keep one eye on drivers for your own safety but it's important to maintain the right of way because some car drivers think the roads are only for them.
Edited by herewego on Thursday 4th January 11:06
vonhosen said:
Highway Code Rule 146 said:
146: Take extra care at junctions. You should
* watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.
As I often say to SWMBO when she says "I have the right of way!"
"You cannot shout that from your coffin!"
motco said:
vonhosen said:
Highway Code Rule 146 said:
146: Take extra care at junctions. You should
* watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.
As I often say to SWMBO when she says "I have the right of way!"
"You cannot shout that from your coffin!"
I agree, but we are talking simply of offences here.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff