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Pedestrians crossing roads - Alan (24th Apr 2022 - 12:04:26) Just a note to the old couple who tried to run me down crossing the end of Malthouse Meadows. You really need to read the new highway code, rather than argue about it! It says: “At a junction you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning.” From January 2022 a pedestrian waiting to cross should be given priority. And yes, I did swear at you as you drove away ! Be warned pedestrians (and cyclists) not everyone is up to date with the law.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Nellie (24th Apr 2022 - 12:34:46) From the old couple! We had already started to turn into Malthouse, when you just stepped off the curb into the road without even looking to see if anyone was coming. Whilst The Highway Code states you can cross the road surely it is common sense to look before you cross at a junction, if a car had been behind us this would have caused a serious accident. You need to take some responsibility when walking across a junction! Next time someone might not to be able to stop.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Ian (24th Apr 2022 - 13:22:47) Although regardless of rules/laws just stepping out on to a road regardless of traffic is a bit dumb! Laws do not remove the personal responsibility of common sense and intelligence when considering one’s personal safety

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Richard (24th Apr 2022 - 15:34:47) Although drivers are asked to give way more often, pedestrians still have a responsibility to cross safely. A new addition to Rule 8 makes it clear that pedestrians should ‘cross at a place where drivers can see you.’ If you were not visible (ie crossing from the right to the left and heading towards the Square) it may well be possible that you were obscured due to the overgrowth of foliage on the left hand side approaching the end of Malthouse Meadows, or from the right (if you just carried on regardless without checking if there was someone approaching) Just because the law has been amended doesn't mean you can just walk without paying due care and attention as well.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Richard (24th Apr 2022 - 17:35:24) Alan, you are correct, but I would also add that the place to point this out is not from underneath a vehicle after a pedestrain has tried to use their "Right of Way". It is all well and good expecting people to be fully up to date with the changes in the Highway Code, but most people won't be, so we should all act acordingly Another example would be all the people who drive through Liphook going over the roundabouts, rather than round them...that is also in the Highway Code!

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Helen (24th Apr 2022 - 22:16:06) Alan I think the key word is a pedestrian “ waiting “ or already crossing the road. It appears that you were not waiting or already in the process of crossing the road when the car turned but stepped off the pavement at the same time that the car was turning which is just foolhardiness.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Alan (24th Apr 2022 - 23:23:49) Hi Helen, I think you are probably right that I was foolhardy. I was walking up from the village and Nellie was also driving up from the village. She had a very clear view of me, but decided not to give me priority. I was deliberately crossing at the very edge of the junction not around the corner. She was not already turning as she said, that would actually have been impossible. I was several feet across the junction before Nellie bipped her horn several times and passed easily between me and the kerb. She than called out of her window that I hadn’t looked.. Judging by the conversation, she had no idea the highway code had changed. She did not have the right of way as would have previously been the case. Of course her argument that someone could run into the back of her is also foolhardy, as no one would be driving too close her when she was indicating to turn left, would they. If of course they did it would be their fault not hers. I have obviously lost one of my nine lives and will no longer assume people know the new highway code. So everyone please remember bikes and cars no longer have priority over pedestrians who are crossing a junction you are turning in to or out off. Also please check the new rules about passing cyclists.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Nellie (25th Apr 2022 - 09:15:18) Alan Whilst I now appreciate the highway code has been amended I think your interpretation of events slightly differ, but that doesn’t excuse as a pedestrian you did not look to see if anyone was turning into the road, just that you had the god given right just to step out, and I tooted you as I could not believe you felt it was the correct thing to do, if you had looked then you would have seen us, what you did was as much a shock to me too. I will never assume again that a person will look right, then left, then right again before stepping into the road!

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Dave (25th Apr 2022 - 10:23:26) Seems Alan has either forgotten his green cross code or simply now assumes that he will be fine just stepping out in front of moving vehicles. I think the laws of physics here need to be considered as well as some ill thought legislative rules.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - er (25th Apr 2022 - 11:48:46) Without getting into the specifics of this spat, one incident in thousands every day I'm sure and thankfully everyone was ok, but I think as drivers it's easy to get caught up in the belief that roads are for cars, vans, lorries, motorcycles and bicycles (in that order) and pedestrians ought to wait, look all around carefully before crossing and then get out of our space and get back onto their pavement area as soon as possible, because we're coming through! OK I've never personally had a crash because of course, I'm a very good driver unlike the rest of you, you get my drift fellow drivers! Then I read this article, which although based in America, I think in principle it applies anywhere, where America lead we all follow. If you read it, I wonder if it will also make you wonder a bit more about everything you think you knew to be true! www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Penny Williamson (25th Apr 2022 - 15:01:57) It is true that the Highway Code was amended in January this year. However common sense and self-preservation spring to mind. I personally think this amendment will cause more problems than it will solve, but that is just my opinion and I may be proved wrong. I am not saying that pedestrians do not have rights, of course they do and motorists should be polite and considerate to them and all other road users. However cars are much bigger than human beings and I was always taught to look right, left and right again before crossing the road and I taught this to my children and grandchildren So far none of us has been hit by a car. Says it all really!

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Richard (25th Apr 2022 - 18:09:21) @er. Great article. Always good to know the origins of something, and the whys.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Jennifer (26th Apr 2022 - 08:33:33) Well, I agree with Alan on this one. If you're driving along a road and about to turn left and you see a pedestrian walking along the pavement near the junction that you're about to turn into, you should assume that the pedestrian will be continuing walking in the direction they're going and will therefore be crossing the side road at the junction. You should wait until they've crossed before turning into the side road. In that respect, nothing has changed - at least not since the early 1980s when I learned to drive. As far as I am aware, cars have always had to give way to pedestrians crossing the road, so Nellie was 100% in the wrong in this case. Clearly, she had seen Alan and should therefore have waited for him to cross. Sounding the horn and shouting at him was unnecessary and inappropriate. The change in the Highway Code referred to is that now, in addition to giving way to pedestrians who are crossing the side road, drivers must also give way to pedestrians who are standing on the pavement and waiting to cross.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Alan (26th Apr 2022 - 08:41:35) Just to clarify, Nellie didn’t shout at me. She just pointed out that I didn’t look and should have waited. She was not aggressive but didn’t know the new highway code, I guess.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Joe (26th Apr 2022 - 09:10:28) I have waited until perhaps people walking on the pavement cross at a junction does not always happen? Sometimes they walk around on the pavement into the side road without wanting to cross the road especially in a suburban situation where there are plenty of pavements around corners on the same side. Giving way to pedestrians already in the road yes and people waiting to cross a road but not people walking along the road not at the junction.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Nellie (26th Apr 2022 - 09:20:12) Thank you Alan on clarifying that I did not shout, good old talkback someone always eager to read what they want in a link!

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Jennifer (26th Apr 2022 - 10:38:30) Apologies Nellie! I made an assumption that you shouted your comments out of the car window. I now stand corrected and withdraw my comment about verbal abuse. Editor please feel free to delete or redact.

Re: Pedestrians crossing roads - Mary W (9th May 2022 - 17:03:03) I think the main lesson we should learn is to keep an eye on all pedestrians everywhere. And be polite. Remember that people are softer than cars.

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