Settle a Highway Code related domestic dispute.

[Linford]

It comes to something when there's perceived to be a need a need for "dissenting voices" about whether to allow a family to finish crossing the road or not. In the next instalment, a refreshing new perspective on defrauding old people of their life savings?

I've already stated what I would have done and that would have been to slow so they could get to safety, but you are looking to absolve the pedestrians of any responsibility when they made the decision to put themselves into that position. Weren't you taught the green cross code a child ?

 

[PK99]

Yesterday I was driving along with OH in passenger seat. Tis a 30mph road (but traffic tends to move at about 40mph tbh).
It was very busy traffic in both directions. Up ahead I spotted a family of pedestrians who had crossed halfway and were stranded in the middle of the road, so I stopped to let them cross.
OH was very cross and said I'd put us at risk of a rear ending. I was very sure of my facts and told him that pedestrians who'd already started crossing had priority. OH claimed this was nonsense.
Stepson, who is 17 and has recently bought a moped assured me that he has a copy of the highway code that he's considering reading, and could confirm that I was nothing but a very stupid woman, and his father (who he usually never agrees with on anything) was indeed correct.
14 year old step son who had never even heard of the highway code, confirmed that his dad and brother were both right and I was indeed very stupid and wrong.
Quite a family argument broke out, which ended with me shouting quite loudly that I'm a modern, independant woman and how dare they all question my superior knowledge etc. I have this evening looked up the highway code to show them all how very wrong they are and found this:

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

Pedestrians have priority at junctions. But it says nothing about pedestrians stranded in the middle road.

Am I completely wrong?

Your interpretation of the Highway code is wrong

The pedestrians were in the wrong:

HWC 7D

D. If traffic is coming, let it pass. Look all around again and listen. Do not cross until there is a safe gap in the traffic and you are certain that there is plenty of time. Remember, even if traffic is a long way off, it may be approaching very quickly.

What you choose to do or not do to help them out of the mess they have got into is your choice depending on circumstances.

 

[Linford]

[QUOTE 2846403, member: 45"]Pedestrians aren't the problem.[/quote]

Tell that to this rider

 

[theclaud]

Your interpretation of the Highway code is wrong

The pedestrians were in the wrong:

HWC 7D



What you choose to do or not do to help them out of the mess they have got into is your choice depending on circumstances.

I refer you to my post #79 above...

 

[Linford]

[QUOTE 2846430, member: 45"]I see pedestrians crossing the road, and cyclists dealing with it.[/quote]

Perspectives Paul..... I see an old lady getting to the pavement and saying to herself 'they are so inconsiderate in that cycle lane, they could have sent me flying' not one of them stopped let me across.

 

[theclaud]

Perspectives Paul..... I see an old lady getting to the pavement and saying to herself 'they are so inconsiderate in that cycle lane, they could have sent me flying'

Otherwise known as "making stuff up". But then I agree a little with your "old" lady's imaginary complaint. There isn't really much of a problem at all in the video, but such problem as there is is caused by the speed, volume and flow of traffic, and the resultant difficulty of crossing the road. The rider could see that she was going to cross, so why not ease up a little more? If you're going to have to give way, you might as well do so with good grace.

 

[theclaud]

I've already stated what I would have done and that would have been to slow so they could get to safety, but you are looking to absolve the pedestrians of any responsibility when they made the decision to put themselves into that position. Weren't you taught the green cross code a child ?

Like everyone else, I was taught in various ways to accede to the dominance of the motor car and to absolve it of all responsibility for the dangers it brings to us and the damage it wreaks upon our society. You appeared to have absorbed the lesson a little more comprehensively than I did.

 

[Linford]

[QUOTE 2846446, member: 45"]Try seeing a woman just trying to get to the other side of the road and having to deal with a barrage of impatient drivers claiming a non-existent right of way and making it very difficult for her to walk 20 metres.[/quote]

Perspectives paul..see above

 

[steveindenmark]

Easy solution here. Tell the OH to drive. If she can't, tell her to walk.

Steve.

 

[Linford]

Like everyone else, I was taught in various ways to accede to the dominance of the motor car and to absolve it of all responsibility for the dangers it brings to us and the damage it wreaks upon our society. You appeared to have absorbed the lesson a little more comprehensively than I did.

Why are you insisting on blaming the motor car 100% for this. It is any other vehicle in that space, and that could be cyclists as well .... as my vid link shows. Do give the anti car thing a break. It adds nothing to support sara'h's pov

 

[asterix]

The OP asked a question, quite specifically framed, and with some detail as to the circumstances and surroundings. I provided my view, which I stand by - that this turns out to be a voice of dissent within a clamour of "there, there, you're a nice person" responses is quite worrying - to try and detract from that by attempting to belittle my view by making a huge leap towards something unrelated is bizarre. But I take it you have jumped into the mix and tried to sidetrack onto "defrauding old people" as you thought others were floundering. Attack the poster, try to belittle. I'll take that was a win.

Read from here I took it to mean that your attitude is a sad commentary on 'there is no such thing as society' Britain. And that you are coming over as a bit of an arse.

Anyway I am pleased that you have changed your avatar.

 

[theclaud]

Why are you insisting on blaming the motor car 100% for this. It is any other vehicle in that space, and that could be cyclists as well .... as my vid link shows. Do give the anti car thing a break. It adds nothing to support sara'h's pov

Just standing back and looking at the bigger picture, Linfy. Occasioned by your Green Cross Code question. As it happens I'm very good at crossing roads. I've elevated it to something of an artform. But Tufty the Squirrel would not approve of my methods...

 

[asterix]

Like everyone else, I was taught in various ways to accede to the dominance of the motor car and to absolve it of all responsibility for the dangers it brings to us and the damage it wreaks upon our society. [ @Linford ]appears to have absorbed the lesson a little more comprehensively than I did.

Coincidentally, yesterday, on foot, I gave way to a car coming out of a driveway. Despite my presence it did not move and as I stood there waiting, and waiting, and waiting, eventually a passenger appeared from the house to get in it. The driver clearly knew I was there and could have waited a nano second to let me continue along the pavement but because he was in a steel cage he couldn't be bothered. Philosophically my thoughts were exactly as you have put into words.

(In France, trafficked exits, e.g. supermarkets, which cross pavements often have stop lines before the pavement so drivers give way to pedestrians without question)

 

[swansonj]

Like everyone else, I was taught in various ways to accede to the dominance of the motor car and to absolve it of all responsibility for the dangers it brings to us and the damage it wreaks upon our society. You appeared to have absorbed the lesson a little more comprehensively than I did.

I would just like to record my regret that you can only like a post once. As an alternative, I'm thinking of printing this exchange out and sticking it to my office wall.

 

[Linford]

Just standing back and looking at the bigger picture, Linfy. Occasioned by your Green Cross Code question. As it happens I'm very good at crossing roads. I've elevated it to something of an artform. But Tufty the Squirrel would not approve of my methods...

We already agree that all types of vehicles can and do cause issues to pedestrians crossing the road...we must also agree that little old ladies may not be as nimble on their feet as a forty something cyclist who rides 100 miles per week.