Zebras!

[Davidsw8]

Cycling along Millbank this morning and I come up to a Zebra crossing, one that is split in two by a central island. There's one woman crossing from the other side and she just reaches the island as I get to the crossing. As she wasn't actually on my side of the crossing (maybe 2 paces away from being on it), I made a judgement that it was safe and proper to proceed, I wasn't going fast by any means but I was well clear of her.

What I didn't account for was the HGV waiting at a junction a couple metres ahead to my left (coming out of Dean Stanley Street) making an assumption that I was going to stop at the crossing so he started to pull out to turn right! He stopped in time but made some hand gestures as if to say 'you have to stop for people crossing!', I did my devastating slow head shake at him

I am right though? I only have to give 'precedence' to peds if they are actually ON the crossing before I get to it?

 

[Venod]

On the bike I would probably have done the same as you, in the car I would probably have stopped, what that says about my cycling I am not sure, I think the correct thing to do when someone is approaching a crossing is stop.

 

[PK99]

On the bike I would probably have done the same as you, in the car I would probably have stopped, what that says about my cycling I am not sure, I think the correct thing to do when someone is approaching a crossing is stop.

You use of "correct" is ambiguous: In terms of the highway code it is not correct, but in terms of politeness in might be - which did you mean

Drivers
Zebra crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing

• look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross
• you MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing
• allow more time for stopping on wet or icy roads
• do not wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians across; this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching
• be aware of pedestrians approaching from the side of the crossing.

A zebra crossing with a central island is two separate crossings (see pictures in Crossings (18 to 30)).

Pedestrians
20
Where there is an island in the middle of a zebra crossing, wait on the island and follow Rule 19 before you cross the second half of the road – it is a separate crossing.

 

[siadwell]

195
Zebra crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing

• look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross
• you MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing
• allow more time for stopping on wet or icy roads
• do not wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians across; this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching
• be aware of pedestrians approaching from the side of the crossing.

A zebra crossing with a central island is two separate crossings (see pictures in Crossings (18 to 30)).

https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/pedestrian-crossings-191-to-199

So you were not wrong, but neither would you have been if you'd stopped in anticipation.

 

[Davidc]

It's good practice to stop in that situation. Your action was however correct and I'd probably have done the same. The lorry driver shouldn't have moved until he was sure you were stopping - so should have stayed put. Doesn't surprise me that he did move, but I wonder if he'd have stayed where he was if you'd been in in a car/ bus/ 40 tonne lorry.

 

[Davidsw8]

On the bike I would probably have done the same as you, in the car I would probably have stopped, what that says about my cycling I am not sure, I think the correct thing to do when someone is approaching a crossing is stop.

I think you're right to approach zebra's differently in the car, the Highway code differs slightly between what a car and a cyclist should do when approaching them anyway.

 

[PK99]

I think you're right to approach zebra's differently in the car, the Highway code differs slightly between what a car and a cyclist should do when approaching them anyway.

Are you sure?

 

[Beebo]

The lorry driver cant make assumptions that any vehicle, be it bike, car, lorry will stop at the crossing, so he was wrong to pull out.

 

[Frood42]

I am right though? I only have to give 'precedence' to peds if they are actually ON the crossing before I get to it?

Yep, as those who have posted Rule 195 from the HC has shown.

Throughly deserved slow head shake for the lorry driver.
.

 

[Davidsw8]

Are you sure?

Isn't it the precedence thing? So, a car has to stop as the ped nears the crossing and then can only proceed when they're off it whereas the cyclist only has to stop when the ped is on the crossing and can proceed behind them even if they're still on it.

I could be wrong, but that's my understanding.

 

[Frood42]

Isn't it the precedence thing? So, a car has to stop as the ped nears the crossing and then can only proceed when they're off it whereas the cyclist only has to stop when the ped is on the crossing and can proceed behind them even if they're still on it.

I could be wrong, but that's my understanding.

19
Zebra crossings. Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery. Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing. Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped.


https://www.gov.uk/rules-pedestrians-1-to-35/crossings-18-to-30

 

[Davidsw8]

The lorry driver cant make assumptions that any vehicle, be it bike, car, lorry will stop at the crossing, so he was wrong to pull out.

Exactly, he's a HGV driver and I'm a cyclist, of course I'm not gonna stop

I'm joking of course.

 

[PK99]

Isn't it the precedence thing? So, a car has to stop as the ped nears the crossing and then can only proceed when they're off it whereas the cyclist only has to stop when the ped is on the crossing and can proceed behind them even if they're still on it.

I could be wrong, but that's my understanding.

What precedence thing?

No one has to stop until a pedestrian is on the crossing - read rule 195 quoted above.

Strictly, by the law, if i am stood at a zebra crossing no none is required to stop until I claim priority by putting a foot on the crossing

 

[Bromptonaut]

The OP is right. If there's an island it counts as two crossings. If the island is a small one though you need to be very sure the pedestrian knows Highway Code rule 195 as well. If the pedestrian is on the pavement and heading for the crossing you should be ready to stop.

Taxi driver tried to give me a bollocking last month for failing to stop for two peds on the kerb. I'd actually eyeballed them and seen they were chatting (and then heard, they were speaking French) and not even about to step out. He was still insistent I should have stopped.

 

[Davidsw8]

What precedence thing?

No one has to stop until a pedestrian is on the crossing - read rule 195 quoted above.

Strictly, by the law, if i am stood at a zebra crossing no none is required to stop until I claim priority by putting a foot on the crossing

This precedence thing:

"Precedence of pedestrians over vehicles at Zebra crossings25. (1) Every pedestrian, if he is on the carriageway within the limits of a Zebra crossing, which is not for the time being controlled by a constable in uniform or traffic warden, before any part of a vehicle has entered those limits, shall have precedence within those limits over that vehicle and the driver of the vehicle shall accord such precedence to any such pedestrian."

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/2400/regulation/25/made