Pedestrians and revised high code.

[Howmanygoes]

Maybe i have misinterpreted what I have read but does this...

At a junction, drivers, motorcyclists, horse riders and cyclists should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning. You should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross a zebra crossing (currently you only have to give way if they’re already on the crossing), and to pedestrians and cyclists waiting to cross a parallel crossing

Exclude roundabouts?
Can pedestrians just carry on walking straight into the road? It's already bad enough with the little t**ts wearing their headphones glued to their phones.
What about cyclist on a pavement (not a cycle lane) do this apply to them as they aren't road users at that point?
how the he'll do you now turn into a side road in a busy street.

What I have discovered today is my headlamp washers have become loose and the NS points perfectly to the left. Ideal where I live as Sundays are the roads are full of cyclists, 106 I counted today on the short stretch to my nearest town. Now what dissolves rubber but won't affect plastic or people.....

 

[Jacob100]

Some people ride bikes. Get over it.

 

[Howmanygoes]

Some people ride bikes. Get over it.

Yep I do too. I don't have an issue with people that ride bikes legally and with consideration for others. This was about pedestrians, the bike bit was an added find, but surely they can't just ride out like a pedestrian can apparently now do.

 

[SteveJB]

Carry on as normal HMG if you happen to knock one or two over take the carcasses to the nearest pothole potholes chuck the carcasses or carcass in said pothole potholes and firm down the edges with the heal of your boot if you have not got a good pair of stout boots smack down edges with a shovel or use the vehicle in a forwards and reverse movement then you can put you hand out of your window and wave to the adoration of other road users who appreciate a good public service from you

 

[Rob Cowell]

When you are turning look for pedestrians crossing or close to crossing and be ready to give way. Slow down enough to do this. It's really easy. If you want to control a thing that is very easy to kill people with just be careful with it. This isn't even a big change. You've always had to (at least since when I passed my test 32 years ago) had to give way to pedestrians who have already stepped into the road when you are turning. Now you have to give way to pedestrians stood by the road and ready to cross. It's what? 30cm difference?

 

[karl2000]

Now you have to give way to pedestrians stood by the road and ready to cross. It's what? 30cm difference?

Just been a discussion on Radio 5 about exactly this. If someone is waiting at the side of the road for a taxi, how do I know they are waiting for a taxi and not wanting to cross? Or do I just stop for 5 mins to see what happens, just in case?

These rules are generally badly thought out, lets see what happens in practice.

 

[SteveJB]

One problem that could occur is that at the last moment a walking idiot steps out without looking so the car truck bus has to stop suddenly the car truck bus behind has to stop suddenly all I can see for the future is pain suffering and emergency services washing blood scraping up bone and flesh because some numpty got to the lobotomy shop before me

 

[karl2000]

#MagicCarpet

 

[GeekOKent]

One thing though is that it will get odd on busy streets in the city. Typically pedestrians would have crossed at specific zebra crossing, now there are five or six potential crossing points, and the traffic comes to a standstill. In lighter traffic areas, I am with @Rob Cowell here, been watching for people, pets, cyclists etc all this time. It's when there is a lot of footfall, things may get odd.

 

[Towpack]

Giving cyclists adequate room is common sense, I cycled to work practically every working day for 35 years prior to retiring but letting them ride, lawfully, in the middle of the road I'm not so sure. That's got road rage written all over it. As for pedestrians, what are the penalties if you don't stop and let someone who is still on the pavement waiting to cross actually do so? I've no doubt there'll be those armed with camera phones to record your misdemeanour but I just hope they don't see it as an "excuse" to take more risks knowing the law will be on their side. In the event of an accident the vehicle driver may be prosecuted but the law is of little use to you if you end up in a wooden box or confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life.

 

[karl2000]

Doesn't help that the publicity campaign is after the rule change. Wtf are they thinking.

 

[Rob Cowell]

One thing though is that it will get odd on busy streets in the city. Typically pedestrians would have crossed at specific zebra crossing, now there are five or six potential crossing points, and the traffic comes to a standstill. In lighter traffic areas, I am with @Rob Cowell here, been watching for people, pets, cyclists etc all this time. It's when there is a lot of footfall, things may get odd.

I still can't see people intentionally walking in front of cars. All well and good being in the right when you're lying in hospital, at best. And I can't see people queuing up to cross up at busy junctions away from predestrian crossings. But time will tell. And the highway code can always be amended.

 

[Higgy]

When i lived in Canada I was told be careful 'coz' pedestrians have right of way to crossing a road..... And in Denmark Knocking a cyclist of his/her Bike is a worse offence than Drink Driving......The law at the time in Denmark when i lived there, Was if you got pulled for Drink Driving you went straight to Prison and awaited your trial... Not like the UK where you can continue to cause mayhem for the next 6 months till your trial date....... So we are not so bad off really.... Remember the Government bring these laws in to get us all fighting and bickering amongst our selves... Thus leaving the government alone....... Also there are a lot of people with thinking Difficulties. Irrespective of weather they are a Cyclist/Pedestrian/Driver /Rider...... Get 'yer' 'sen' a Dash Cam

 

[Rob Cowell]

I cycled to work practically every working day for 35 years prior to retiring but letting them ride, lawfully, in the middle of the road I'm not so sure.

That's only where doing so makes you visibile to traffic on slow roads, coming up to a junction where you will need to change lane, or where it would be unsafe for a motor vehicle to squeeze past. The theory would be drivers know it's legal so don't try to aggressively pass. As an aside the group I was riding with had one shout of "it's illegal to ride 2 abreast" while going round a roundabout (ideal overtaking zone), and one beep and close pass on quiet wide road; I'd say a little below par for abusive motorists on a Sunday ride.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Just been a discussion on Radio 5 about exactly this. If someone is waiting at the side of the road for a taxi, how do I know they are waiting for a taxi and not wanting to cross? Or do I just stop for 5 mins to see what happens, just in case?

You drive at a speed that gives them the opportunity to cross, or if they start to cross you are able to avoid killing them. If they don't start crossing you speed up again. It's really, really easy. Almost all people understand being hit by a car hurts. Almost all people are not going to dive infront of you.

 

[Higgy]

Is this an actual law that has been passed, Or is it just a Highway code amendment ? I didn't think the Highway code was Mandatory.. More of a Guide for do's and Dont's...... And common courteous sense.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Is this an actual law that has been passed, Or is it just a Highway code amendment ? I didn't think the Highway code was Mandatory.. More of a Guide for do's and Dont's...... And common courteous sense.

The code isn't law. But it can be used to define what is careless or reasonable if a prosecution is made for dangerous or careless driving for instance. If something in the code is written as something you "must" or "must not" do, it is law, but the law is being replicated in the code rather than the other way round. In the code they also link to the law, eg some section of the road traffic act.

 

[Towpack]

The code isn't law.

Some of it is. From the .gov website......

"Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’. In addition, the rule includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence. See an explanation of the abbreviations.

Although failure to comply with the other rules of the Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts (see The road user and the law) to establish liability. This includes rules which use advisory wording such as ‘should/should not’ or ‘do/do not’."


Introduction - The Highway Code - Guidance - GOV.UK - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club]

 

[Tractionman]

Just more rules to swell the coffers with fines from bizzies standing on street corners, or nob youtubers with their phones out.
Yes, consideration for each other is important, but the rules don't allow for ignorant.
London for one, will be an interesting one to watch on this, with maniac bike messengers coming at you from all sides, and the wrong way down one way streets, which was before this update.
Dash cams are a good tool, but can also be used against you, maybe for something else unrelated, when the bizzies ask for any footage.
The change has good intention, but ill thought out, as usual.

 

[karl2000]

Where do I buy the 2022 highway code book? I couldn't find it on Amazon.