Another Highway Code question - when to give way to peds?
Discussion
Following on from the pedestrian crossing thread, here's one which always confuses me a little:
Imagine you are approaching a junction, standard T, where you intend to turn left. No traffic lights or crossings, just a left turn off the main road.
Are you supposed to stop for pedestrians? I mean the example of when you can tell by their walking that they will cross in front of you, but they haven't actually walked into the road yet.
It seems to me the way in Britain is no, the ped is expected to stop and let the car turn, unless he or she is already halfway across.
Gets confusing because in some parts of Europe it is a dangerous driving offence if you do not stop to allow the peds across - and that includes waiting for them on their approach to the junction.
Imagine you are approaching a junction, standard T, where you intend to turn left. No traffic lights or crossings, just a left turn off the main road.
Are you supposed to stop for pedestrians? I mean the example of when you can tell by their walking that they will cross in front of you, but they haven't actually walked into the road yet.
It seems to me the way in Britain is no, the ped is expected to stop and let the car turn, unless he or she is already halfway across.
Gets confusing because in some parts of Europe it is a dangerous driving offence if you do not stop to allow the peds across - and that includes waiting for them on their approach to the junction.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Hig...
170-183: Road junctions
170
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
HTH
170-183: Road junctions
170
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
HTH
Edited by FunkyGibbon on Tuesday 5th February 08:25
The HC is unclear as to the case when you're joining a main road from a side-turn, though.
I'd imagine that the same is true, though, i.e. only need to give way if they're already crossing.
What annoys me is when you're waiting at the front of the queue to join a busy main road and pedestrians just cross in front of you rather than behind, causing you to miss the one tiny gap in the traffic in the past 8 years of waiting...
I'd imagine that the same is true, though, i.e. only need to give way if they're already crossing.
What annoys me is when you're waiting at the front of the queue to join a busy main road and pedestrians just cross in front of you rather than behind, causing you to miss the one tiny gap in the traffic in the past 8 years of waiting...
pdV6 said:
What annoys me is when you're waiting at the front of the queue to join a busy main road and pedestrians just cross in front of you rather than behind, causing you to miss the one tiny gap in the traffic in the past 8 years of waiting...
That probably annoys you as much as it annoys me when I am walking and have already begun to start across a junction as in the OP, and a car driver who does not have the right of way nonetheless tries to intimidate me into halting in the middle of the crossing so that he can barge through.flemke said:
pdV6 said:
What annoys me is when you're waiting at the front of the queue to join a busy main road and pedestrians just cross in front of you rather than behind, causing you to miss the one tiny gap in the traffic in the past 8 years of waiting...
That probably annoys you as much as it annoys me when I am walking and have already begun to start across a junction as in the OP, and a car driver who does not have the right of way nonetheless tries to intimidate me into halting in the middle of the crossing so that he can barge through.A pedestrian is a road user just the same as cars, busses and motorcycles. One difference is that they are not controlled by traffic lights. There are specific parts of the road that are put by for the use of pedestrians - the footway, pavement or whatever you like to call it.
So a pedestrian has rights of way the same as any other road user. There is a low-level court decision that, in essence, whoever gets to a road junction first has the right of way. However, there is a strong argument that a pedestrian walking along the footway of a major road has all the rights of way of a motor vehicle which is on that road so anyone wanting to join or cross the main road should give way. Not to do so could amount to obstruction.
A pedestrian crossing is a special part of the road where pedestrian have specific rights of way.
Courts generally find for the pedestrian as an MPV is not inconvenienced as much as a pedestrian by having to wait.
A pedestrian should have consideration for other road users and not demand his right of way if it inconveniences the other person, rather like stopping to allow vehicles coming up a hill not to have to stop. However, given that very few drivers consider the rights of pedestrians, it's asking an awful lot.
So a pedestrian has rights of way the same as any other road user. There is a low-level court decision that, in essence, whoever gets to a road junction first has the right of way. However, there is a strong argument that a pedestrian walking along the footway of a major road has all the rights of way of a motor vehicle which is on that road so anyone wanting to join or cross the main road should give way. Not to do so could amount to obstruction.
A pedestrian crossing is a special part of the road where pedestrian have specific rights of way.
Courts generally find for the pedestrian as an MPV is not inconvenienced as much as a pedestrian by having to wait.
A pedestrian should have consideration for other road users and not demand his right of way if it inconveniences the other person, rather like stopping to allow vehicles coming up a hill not to have to stop. However, given that very few drivers consider the rights of pedestrians, it's asking an awful lot.
When to give way to pedestrians can be a tricky one because there are so many possible circumstances and iterpretations of the law and the highway code.
As a general rule of thumb, I usually base my decision on whether to give way or not on two simple but I feel important factors - how pretty she is and what she's wearing.
As a general rule of thumb, I usually base my decision on whether to give way or not on two simple but I feel important factors - how pretty she is and what she's wearing.
goskins17 said:
Peds have right of way at all times.
NO, if you think they are going to cross (as they do without a care in the world), use the horn to indicate your presence. What really annoys me is when you are at the light controlled crossing, the little green man starts to flash, they continue to step onto the road, the RED one comes on, and they still step on the road, at which I ease forware with a toot, to remind them that they SHOULD NOT STEP ON THE CROSSING at this point in time.Morons all of them.
Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 5th February 13:38
AL600-or-so said:
flemke said:
pdV6 said:
What annoys me is when you're waiting at the front of the queue to join a busy main road and pedestrians just cross in front of you rather than behind, causing you to miss the one tiny gap in the traffic in the past 8 years of waiting...
That probably annoys you as much as it annoys me when I am walking and have already begun to start across a junction as in the OP, and a car driver who does not have the right of way nonetheless tries to intimidate me into halting in the middle of the crossing so that he can barge through.The difference is that on numerous occasions as a pedestrian, when I had the right of way, if I had not halted or even leapt back in order to avoid a moron driver who wanted to bully me out of his path, I would have been injured and possibly killed.
I cannot recall the last time when I was driving a car and my life was threatened by a possible collision with a pedestrian who failed to give way to me even when he should have done so.
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