Numpty pedestrians - ?

[cougie uk]

Nipped into the city on my Brommy on Crimbo Eve. The road I took was logjammed for about 150 metres leading up to a set of traffic lights. I was the only thing moving. However, part way down said road is a Pelican crossing at which two pedestrians were patiently waiting for their light to go green. Despite, as I said no traffic was moving due to the red light ahead and there was virtually nothing coming in t'other direction, they stood and waited - !

Virtually nothing coming in the opposite direction - so there was traffic.
You're not in a position to know how fast they cross the road. Maybe it's safer for them to wait.

I don't see why you're calling them numpties.

 

[GuyBoden]

It's actually very simple, as soon as you put one foot on the crossing, with the other remaining on the pavement the traffic is obliged to stop.

Yeah sure, but in reality, on many busy roads, you step onto the zebra crossing and a high percentage of vehicles keep driving past you, disregarding the current Highway code and endangering your life.


The Highway code is changing to reflect this:

Rule 195
Zebra and parallel crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing
• look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop
• you should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross

 

[Dogtrousers]

IIRC not stopping for a waiting pedestrian was a fail when my wife took her test (90s). But my memory could be at fault. She had a very good instructor (thanks Terry) and Terry's sayings are still a constant presence in our car. Whoever is driving always says "check for pedestrians" when we approach a crossing. But that could have been above and beyond the letter of the HC in force at the time.

 

[Ajax Bay]

The Highway code is changing to reflect this:
Rule 195
Zebra and parallel crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing
• look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop
• you should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross

Pretty sure that once the pedestrian puts one foot on the striped roadway, the motorist (or cyclist)'s "should" flicks immediately to a "must", by law. On foot, pushing a bike or not, I step out (nonetheless prepared to jump back) otherwise some road users (as @GuyBoden says) will just drive through on 'should'. It is in the pedestian population's interest to generate 'chronic uncertainty' in the mindset of a motorist/cyclist approaching a zebra crossing, imho.
Once we get to 29 Jan, I'd push the same line for turnings.
Caveat pedester!