Most of the new rules are what a decent driver doe,s now …well I do any way
Exactly, it doesn’t change what an experienced driver does day to day. We have all been assessing situations constantly for all the days we have been driving vehicles of one description or another, including for me cycling on the road long before I could ever drive and getting taught how to cross the road at nursery school. Most people are well aware of their duties, it is just there are a few people for whom self-preservation and safety don’t seem high on the priority list. Probably the very people that wouldn’t take a second look at the highway code changes.
I heard talk of £500 fines for drivers if they dont stop anywhere for pedestrians to cross. Is this true?
I dont understand how it can ever work and it will cause deaths. If im in my truck at a 2 lane junction and stop for someone to cross, whats to stop the impatient nobhead overtaking me and plowing into the crossing pedestrian who is obscured from view by my truck and trailer? ANd does this new rule make every zebra crossing and pedestrain crossing redundant? I know for a fact, if im out walking I will continue to use crossings, I wouldnt trust many road users to stop if I decide to cross the road wherever. In my area, a certain nationality of driver dont even stop for red lights never mind crossing pedestrians!! (I live near Dewsbury, Yorkshire)
I can see an explosion of ‘crash for cash’ type accidents, as pedestrians see the opportunity to jump on any passing bonnet.
“The hierarchy places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy. It does not remove the need for everyone to behave responsibly.”
gov.uk/government/news/the- … tent=daily
The italics in that quote are mine, I was quite relieved to see that spelled out. I agree that this is going to cause problems, and an increase in accidents, but the more I read about it the less worried I am about the actual rules and far more about people not understanding them.
Cyclists are already a regular nightmare for us, I can definitely see the Militant MAMILS getting the rules wrong and causing even more havoc.
I would have imagined the DfT would have had a campaign to promote the changes properly, maybe it’s their turn to be partying?
Swordsy:
I heard talk of £500 fines for drivers if they dont stop anywhere for pedestrians to cross. Is this true?
It’s only “should” not “must” so there’s no legal obligation to do so, therefore almost never could you be fined. Only if you knocked them down and an investigation found you should have given way to them would you be more at risk of being found liable.
I dont understand how it can ever work and it will cause deaths. If im in my truck at a 2 lane junction and stop for someone to cross, whats to stop the impatient nobhead overtaking me and plowing into the crossing pedestrian who is obscured from view by my truck and trailer?
that’s a valid point as there are restrictions about overtaking at crossings that don’t apply to junctions.
ANd does this new rule make every zebra crossing and pedestrain crossing redundant?
no, because they only relate to junctions
I know for a fact, if im out walking I will continue to use crossings, I wouldnt trust many road users to stop if I decide to cross the road wherever. In my area, a certain nationality of driver dont even stop for red lights never mind crossing pedestrians!! (I live near Dewsbury, Yorkshire)
This allowing pedestrians to cross is a daft rule. I’m not talking about actual crossings, I mean about allowing them to cross at a junction for example.
For example you proceed down a road and want to turn left or right at the end of the road.
It may be clear of pedestrians when you first get there , then as your waiting for a clear time to go or for another road user to go, pedestrians arrive and want to cross.
Only thing is, your blocking them from crossing because your already there.
They are now held up waiting for you to go.
They’ll probably be taking photos of your truck so they can get on the phone or twitter to complain about the ‘stupid truck driver’.
I’m aware this applies to all vehicles but its going to make the job already harder than it is.
RogerOut:
This allowing pedestrians to cross is a daft rule. I’m not talking about actual crossings, I mean about allowing them to cross at a junction for example.
For example you proceed down a road and want to turn left or right at the end of the road.
It may be clear of pedestrians when you first get there , then as your waiting for a clear time to go or for another road user to go, pedestrians arrive and want to cross.Only thing is, your blocking them from crossing because your already there.
They are now held up waiting for you to go.
They’ll probably be taking photos of your truck so they can get on the phone or twitter to complain about the ‘stupid truck driver’.I’m aware this applies to all vehicles but its going to make the job already harder than it is.
There are numerous other scenarios.
Effectively the government has made everywhere a zebra/pelican crossing situation in which pedestrians then won’t bother to use them.The obvious plan is to criminalise and victimise drivers off the roads.
LazyDriver:
I can see an explosion of ‘crash for cash’ type accidents, as pedestrians see the opportunity to jump on any passing bonnet.
There are numerous opportunities in all this for any financially desperate pedestrian or cyclist.
All with an equal possibility of their gain being at the expense of jail for the unlucky driver.
Carryfast:
LazyDriver:
I can see an explosion of ‘crash for cash’ type accidents, as pedestrians see the opportunity to jump on any passing bonnet.There are numerous opportunities in all this for any financially desperate pedestrian or cyclist.
All with an equal possibility of their gain being at the expense of jail for the unlucky driver.
I wouldn’t consider a ‘crash for cash’ merchant, ‘financially desperate’. A more fitting description would be a opportunitist, (if that is a word, my spell check doesn’t seem to think so) but I agree, whatever they are called, the legal ramifications for the driver are going to be unfairly huge.
LazyDriver:
Carryfast:
LazyDriver:
I can see an explosion of ‘crash for cash’ type accidents, as pedestrians see the opportunity to jump on any passing bonnet.There are numerous opportunities in all this for any financially desperate pedestrian or cyclist.
All with an equal possibility of their gain being at the expense of jail for the unlucky driver.I wouldn’t consider a ‘crash for cash’ merchant, ‘financially desperate’. A more fitting description would be a opportunitist, (if that is a word, my spell check doesn’t seem to think so) but I agree, whatever they are called, the legal ramifications for the driver are going to be unfairly huge.
OPPORTUNIST. Your spell checker is correct. 
fuse:
Most of the new rules are what a decent driver doe,s now …well I do any way
Yep.
Never read the old one…so won’t bother reading the new one.
Just don’t crash.