Pedestrians and revised high code.

[Andy]

thought I’d try out this new rule today…………….can confirm it’s a load of b******ks, got run over 4 times!!

 

[Shayne]

Don't be doing that Andy , i spent the night in a police cell for being hit by a car once . Young , fit and half drunk making my way home at midnight with my sister and then girlfriend who had already crossed the road , and i was walking up on the outside of a row of parked cars .

30mph zone so i never give the oncoming car a thought until i looked up too late to do anything but try to jump over it . Obviously that failed so i bounced over the car and landed in a heap behind it , got up and continued on my way because he didnt stop .

Half hour later police come and got me out of bed , so i guess it was a coppers son drunk and speeding that hit me .

Following morning criminal damage to a vehicle was the charge , but as i was leaving a cop i always got on with whispered in my ear "ask to see the police surgeon before you go" . . So i stripped for the surgeon who made a long list of injuries consistent with my being hit by a car at considerably more than 30mph . Charges were immediately dropped and the whisperer said wait around the corner and i will give you a lift to the pub .

Lifes like that

 

[GeekOKent]

@Rob Cowell in Cambridge, the cycle lanes are basically everywhere and actually quite useful. But now we have some people on them, and some people in the middle of the road. On their cycles. How does this new rule work there.

 

[Rob Cowell]

@GeekOKent What new rule? Giving way to pedestrians waiting to cross at junctions? On the road cyclists give way to pedestrians at junctions. On shared use cycle paths cyclists give way to pedestrians, full-stop. I assume at the gazillion junctions on the average cycle path it's give way to pedestrians also, if we assume the general road users hierarchy, but that could do with some clarification. But as it will hurt if you hit a pedestrian when cycling the innate sense of self-preservation should prevail, mostly.

 

[Mick W]

How does this work for when there are cycle lanes, are those going away now ?

In London the fokkers ride on the Cycle lanes, In the Road AND on the pavements!! I'm a cyclist but they make my p**s boil sometimes

 

[SteveJB]

Thinking this might go the same way as the brexit ball of wool
So can we all assume that nobody will be at fault and everybody will be to blame
London was in a Daf 2800 ATI 38tonne after delivering a 24.5tonne load of sheet and coiled steel was a Friday afternoon as the traffic was slow and heavy just pootled along no particular hurry as was paid by the hour anyway
It started as what can only be described as a gentle rain of Motorcycle couriers within a few minutes it turned in to a torrent the buggers were everywhere I could not look in the mirrors quick enough red light amber light green light just waited for them to give me some space and then SLOWLY started moving again and that was most of the lights for quite few miles before there was normality on the road

 

[Rob Cowell]

In London the fokkers ride on the Cycle lanes, In the Road AND on the pavements!! I'm a cyclist but they make my p**s boil sometimes

Taking riding on the pavement out of the argument, because generally that is wrong; perhaps because the alternatives are deemed too dangerous but it complicates the infrastructre discussion here.

Why shouldn't cyclists choose the legal route most appropriate to their journey? I do this in my car all the time. I can drive to Cardiff in the lanes, on wide A-roads, or on the M4. Depending on the time of day one will be faster than the other. One will be most relaxing. One will be most interesting.

Same with cycle lanes. I chose to use cycle lanes with with my kids, or if I'm just pottering along and enjoyig the scenery. I rarely use them otherwise because I'm a confident rider and where I live they are always slower to ride on, the surfaces are generally poor, and importantly they introduce junctions and diversions I don't get on the road.

 

[hopeless wanderer]

I will continue driving with the same care and courtesy I've always exercised. Having gone under a van when i was a kid and spending the best part of a year and half in traction, calipers and on crutches i wouldn't wish it on anyone. Horses ill drop back change up and go past slowly with low revs. i'll always assume any kid will leap in front of me or is wearing headphones and can't hear me.
Some people are total pricks when it comes to passing cyclists and always will be regardless of the law. The liability thing i'm not gonna worry about till or if it happens.
It's always been the same as far as the blame game goes. Back in the 90's my friend was banned for a few years for causing death by dangerous driving. A complete load of s*ite.
He was driving through main road of the town when the pubs had kicked out on a Saturday. A fella who was completely inebriated stepped out of a kebab shop clutching his kebab and staggered into his path, the drunk fellas head came off the A - pillar and killed him more or less instantly. My friend's crime was he was young and had a "breathed on" Renault 5 GT turbo with a thumping stereo and the fact his older brothers were "known to the police" a complete miscarriage of justice. The case stated although he was within the speed limit he did not drive according to the conditions and the conditions being pissed people staggering about. They tried to bring his speed into question because his car sounded fast because of the exhaust. even at 5mph it would have made no difference you can't headbutt an A pillar with your temple at any speed and get off unscathed.

 

[Towpack]

Give cyclists room!

 

[Higgy]

Very respectful driver, Held back well, Gave him all the room he needed, Obeyed the law..... The ending was Justified

 

[TonyP]

I guess the new rules are getting out there. Yesterday on the way to work, as I was approaching a mini round-about, I slowed as I always do, no traffic so clear to proceed, a pedestrian ran across the middle of it right in front of me.

Off course I stopped and no harm, but did I behave any differently than before, nope just good old common sense. I even waved back in a friendly way.

 

[Towpack]

If the cyclist in the video had hit a pedestrian, maybe an old person, and injured them I wonder how the law would have seen that.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Same principle as with a car. There is an offence of careless and inconsiderate cycling.

 

[Towpack]

I guess the new rules are getting out there. Yesterday on the way to work, as I was approaching a mini round-about, I slowed as I always do, no traffic so clear to proceed, a pedestrian ran across the middle of it right in front of me.

Off course I stopped and no harm, but did I behave any differently than before, nope just good old common sense. I even waved back in a friendly way.

A pity "common sense" no longer applies to pedestrians. A blast of the horn would have been applicable there I think. A similar incident happened to me some years back on a full size roundabout on a dual carriageway where this woman was walking across it from the right and just stepped out, without looking, into 2 lanes of traffic causing me and the HGV next to me to stand on the brakes. She never even looked at either of us, just carried on walking so under the new rules one or both of us (the drivers) would've been held accountable. It's a bloody joke.

 

[frank rabbets]

I think pedestrians only have right of way at T junctions. If turning in you have to give way to peds crossing the road. If turning out the same applies. When turning in and you stop your risk of being hit up the rear is higher.
BTW the Highway Code is not legally enforceable. It allows you to pass your driving test and is a guide to drivers. Insurance companies use it to see who is at fault in the event of a collision. Enforcement of road use is by the Police under the Road Traffic Acts.

 

[Rob Cowell]

I think we've already been here, but the highway code itself isn't legislation, but it refers to legislation throughout. It's just much easier to read than the road and traffic act. Not all points in the highway code have directly linked legislation, but the highway code is often cited in court when determining, for example, if you were driving without due care and attention.

 

[TonyP]

Regardless of the right of way, I think pedestrians and others may see this as a right of way as per my experience.

I certainly don't want to run anyone over, hence I am cautious in built up areas, or where I know there could be a issue (my example was close to a station)

 

[Shayne]

Gorringe v Calderdale is THE be all and end all of driving law . Took me 10 years to beat that in court .

 

[GeekOKent]

I just saw the video, and must say that the cyclist was either being really obnoxious or drunk. It may have been ok to stop and check though. It just may have been the first time they were on a bike ??

 

[Higgy]

Maybe Just a Drunk, obnoxious, first timer...