Highway Code

[backwoodsman]

Can't but think a lot of folk haven't appreciated (read?) the new code. I dont really see anything in there that you shouldn't have already been thinking about - or indeed doing. Basically, pay attention and give the more vulnerable user due consideration (ie priority). Weren't you already doing that?

 

[Swango1980]

Can't but think a lot of folk haven't appreciated (read?) the new code. I dont really see anything in there that you shouldn't have already been thinking about - or indeed doing. Basically, pay attention and give the more vulnerable user due consideration (ie priority). Weren't you already doing that?

Did you regularly see a pedestrian on the footway, and stop on the road to let them cross? I didn't

 

[Foxholer]

Can't but think a lot of folk haven't appreciated (read?) the new code. I dont really see anything in there that you shouldn't have already been thinking about - or indeed doing. Basically, pay attention and give the more vulnerable user due consideration (ie priority). Weren't you already doing that?

That's the whole point...What was previously the need for awareness of what they might do has now become a 'should give priority to'. There have been several instances I've observed since the new code has come in where both pedestrians and motorists have acted as if there's been no change. And, apart from the, to me, poor broadcast of the change(s), it just seems safer to revert to the 'old' way. That way, any decision that could result in an 'adverse result' is under the control of the more vulnerable party. There's not much satisfaction being able to say 'I was in the right' from a hospital bed! And 'due consideration' doesn't necessarily mean 'give priority to'. To me, it's more like 'be aware that they might step out'.

 

[backwoodsman]

Did you regularly see a pedestrian on the footway, and stop on the road to let them cross? I didn't

Yep, I did & do.

 

[Swango1980]

Yep, I did & do.

Well, you are the only driver I know that has ever done this. As a pedestrian, I can honestly say not one driver has ever stopped for me to let me cross at a junction. As a pedestrian I have always had to wait on the footway, let the traffic get passed, and the cross when it is clear. This never frustrated me either, I didn't assume I should have priority as a ped whilst I'm.still on the footway.

Were you following advice in the previous version of the Highway Code? Or, are you just a really nice person, and had no worries of a driver behind you crashing into the back of your car?

 

[Imurg]

If I was standing on the pavement, just around the corner of a junction, I would want the car, that now should wait for me, to be gone so I have a clear view and I wouldn't have to worry about anything else..
To me it makes more sense for the car to be eliminated from the scenario.
That way there's no chance of the stopping car being rear-ended and, potentially, pushing it into me.
Reduce variables to the absolute minimum

 

[Swinglowandslow]

If I was standing on the pavement, just around the corner of a junction, I would want the car, that now should wait for me, to be gone so I have a clear view and I wouldn't have to worry about anything else..
To me it makes more sense for the car to be eliminated from the scenario.
That way there's no chance of the stopping car being rear-ended and, potentially, pushing it into me.
Reduce variables to the absolute minimum

Exactly. Over the years I have seen so many instances of "polite" drivers causing indecision and confusion and thus danger by being "considerate" in the wrong places. The "After you, Claude" scenario where the known rights of way have been changed by a driver who is believing they are doing someone a favour, stopping to allow someone priority that they shouldn't have, etc and then all around them don't really know who should do what next!

It's good intentions causing mayhem. And I think this new Code amendment is doing something like that.

 

[Swango1980]

I think if you were to directly follow the guidance in the Highway Code, it can get even more absurd. Pedestrians should have priority at a junction, it doesn't clarify whether it has traffic signals or not. So, if a ped was waiting for the green man to appear, and a driver was going through a green light, technically that driver should stop to give the ped priority. Yet the ped shouldn't cross due to red man.

I know that is definitely taking it to the extreme, but I wonder how different drivers and peds will interpret the changes? I happened to mention it after golf today, and before I even specified this particular change, one of the guys started spitting feathers at how stupid it was. After posting this, I'm glad I'm not the only one who was baffled by it.

 

[backwoodsman]

Well, you are the only driver I know that has ever done this. As a pedestrian, I can honestly say not one driver has ever stopped for me to let me cross at a junction. As a pedestrian I have always had to wait on the footway, let the traffic get passed, and the cross when it is clear. This never frustrated me either, I didn't assume I should have priority as a ped whilst I'm.still on the footway.

Were you following advice in the previous version of the Highway Code? Or, are you just a really nice person, and had no worries of a driver behind you crashing into the back of your car?

Really?

No, I don't consider myself an exceptionally nice person - just ordinary.. As a driver I've let countless people cross ahead of me. As a pedestrian, I've been let across by countless drivers. And in neither case has there ever been (or even any risk of) any carnage and/or mayhem caused by/to following traffic.

Anyway, that's me done on this topic.

 

[RichA]

Really?

No, I don't consider myself an exceptionally nice person - just ordinary.. As a driver I've let countless people cross ahead of me. As a pedestrian, I've been let across by countless drivers. And in neither case has there ever been (or even any risk of) any carnage and/or mayhem caused by/to following traffic.

Anyway, that's me done on this topic.

Yep. Ditto.

 

[clubchamp98]

Can’t belive this happened to me today.
Turning right ,when traffic had passed there was a old gent halfway across the road. ( very slowly).
He made eye contact and I signaled for him to carry on.
Guy behind me blowing his horn.
So not everyone up to speed yet.
But it did leave him in the middle of the junction with the lights changing.

 

[Imurg]

So..a couple of weeks on.
I've stopped for 8 or 9 pedestrians, my pupils have stopped for about the same number and I e seen a few other people stop.
Without fail, all of the pedestrians just stood there waiting for the car to go past.....they had to e persuaded to cross and that we wouldn't take them out when they were halfway across...

And here's a good one from an instructor via Twitter..
What if the pedestrian is blind and has a guide dog..?
The dog is trained to wait until no cars are around before starting to cross...
I see stalemate.......

 

[clubchamp98]

So..a couple of weeks on.
I've stopped for 8 or 9 pedestrians, my pupils have stopped for about the same number and I e seen a few other people stop.
Without fail, all of the pedestrians just stood there waiting for the car to go past.....they had to e persuaded to cross and that we wouldn't take them out when they were halfway across...

And here's a good one from an instructor via Twitter..
What if the pedestrian is blind and has a guide dog..?
The dog is trained to wait until no cars are around before starting to cross...
I see stalemate.......

As an instructor what’s your advice if confronted with a guide dog ?
They are obviously not up to speed on the new laws.

Can only assume the driver would carry on with caution so the dog can take its owner over the road.
How would this affect the training of the dogs in the future I wonder.

Unintended consequences of a stupid change imo.

 

[Imurg]

As an instructor what’s your advice if confronted with a guide dog ?
They are obviously not up to speed on the new laws.

Can only assume the driver would carry on with caution so the dog can take its owner over the road.
How would this affect the training of the dogs in the future I wonder.

Unintended consequences of a stupid change imo.

Exactly as you say..give them a moment and if they're not going proceed with caution...

 

[Blue in Munich]

As an instructor what’s your advice if confronted with a guide dog ?
They are obviously not up to speed on the new laws.

Can only assume the driver would carry on with caution so the dog can take its owner over the road.
How would this affect the training of the dogs in the future I wonder.

Unintended consequences of a stupid change imo.

As a slight aside to your question, but possibly of relevance or interest, guide dogs can't, as far as I am aware, recognise a road; it was always the case that they are taught to stop at the change of level (the kerb).

With that in mind, if you are entering a side road with an entry treatment that raises the road to footway level, expect the guide dog to continue straight out without stopping.

I don't know what, if anything, has been done to revise the training for guide dogs in view of these entry treatments, but that was from a guide dog user on a design course I attended.

 

[clubchamp98]

As a slight aside to your question, but possibly of relevance or interest, guide dogs can't, as far as I am aware, recognise a road; it was always the case that they are taught to stop at the change of level (the kerb).

With that in mind, if you are entering a side road with an entry treatment that raises the road to footway level, expect the guide dog to continue straight out without stopping.

I don't know what, if anything, has been done to revise the training for guide dogs in view of these entry treatments, but that was from a guide dog user on a design course I attended.

That’s interesting I thought they were for wheel chair users.
School day again.
I can just see some people being hurt by this change.
I have already had people blowing their horns at me for stopping because it’s left them stuck in the middle of the road.
It’s a very silly change I think.

 

[Imurg]

As a slight aside to your question, but possibly of relevance or interest, guide dogs can't, as far as I am aware, recognise a road; it was always the case that they are taught to stop at the change of level (the kerb).

With that in mind, if you are entering a side road with an entry treatment that raises the road to footway level, expect the guide dog to continue straight out without stopping.

I don't know what, if anything, has been done to revise the training for guide dogs in view of these entry treatments, but that was from a guide dog user on a design course I attended.

So these "shared spaces" are a nightmare.....

Everyone I've spoken to would want a car to go first, so that it's out of the way, before crossing......
I wonder if they actually asked pedestrians about this change..

 

[clubchamp98]

So these "shared spaces" are a nightmare.....

Everyone I've spoken to would want a car to go first, so that it's out of the way, before crossing......
I wonder if they actually asked pedestrians about this change..

How many pedestrians take note of the HC ?
Very few will know of this change imo.
That will confuse d everyone.
Until you get one of the “ I have the right of way “ people getting run over by a driver who is unaware of this change.
Madness .
I always thought Roads cars have right of way.
Pavement peds have right of way.
It’s worked reasonably well up to now.

 

[greenone]

So these "shared spaces" are a nightmare.....

There's been an outcry in Glasgow recently, the council 'upgraded' sachiehall st and didn't consult on the changes, no kerbs anywhere so it's been described as a deathtrap for visually impaired people as the delineation of the lanes for pedestrians and cyclists is different coloured tarmac.

 

[Blue in Munich]

That’s interesting I thought they were for wheel chair users.
School day again.
I can just see some people being hurt by this change.
I have already had people blowing their horns at me for stopping because it’s left them stuck in the middle of the road.
It’s a very silly change I think.

They are basically to slow traffic entering the junction, provide a degree of pedestrian priority and make life a little easier for those with mobility issues.

The guy with the guide dog was a guest speaker on the course & we had to suppress sniggers as he described being towed across junctions by a kamikaze dog to a soundtrack of irate horns. He came from Coventry where there weren't so many, the courses were in Westminster which was full of them.