BOB.T

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that when pedestrians cross the road in relatively slow moving traffic they don't look?!

When I'm walking I like to make eye contact with drivers so that we all know what's about to happen, mainly so I don't get twatted by a car, I imagine it would smart a bit! Round here the fashion now seems to be to not only, not look at oncoming traffic but to look completely the other way and remain as aloof as possible!

A coincidence with the driver now being guilty even before a collision has occurred?

WRX_Dazza

yeah, you didnt mention the people that also think they have all day to cross the road, with the urgency of a disabled snail on crack.

while im sitting there idling my optimax into the ozone.

*****!!



- i feel better now

FlightMan

Had this on Wednesday but with a cyclist. He entered the roundabout about 10 feet in front of me, looking left, and wearing an iPod. I alerted him to my presence, by pressing the horn as hard as I could and he just gave me a little wave and never stopped.

I should have run the **** over.

ChefDude

i'm just about to buy a volvo - do i get free reign with pedestrians and motorbikes? (Volvos didn't take any notice of me when I was bike training )

my94wrx

iTrader: (4)

one of my pet hates is when people insist on crossing the road just 10 ft away from a pelican/zebra crossing.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Where there is blame there is a claim, may have something to do with people not taking responsibility for themselves.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

As a trespasser on Her Majesty's highway you should yield to a pedestrian...

LOL

dunx

mr_D

iTrader: (12)

that is so weird. i only mentioned this yesterday to my mate.

they never look anymore. they take a million years and dont care if your actually stopped waiting cos there slow *** is taking forever, no wonder pedestrians are getting hit by cars. its not speeding, its them being dull

rabbos

Unfortunately the law advise against giving them a small knock to teach them a lesson

coolangatta

Pressing the horn harder does not increase it's volume (dB)
Nice of him to give you a wave though

falkster

Or even worse, when someone walks across the crossing (in traffic) without pressing the button.

This woman looked at me with amazement yesterday when I shouted at her. She had two young children and even though the traffic was slower moving, the limit is still 40 down that road.

j4ckos mate

Its a ******/chav thing, they walk slower you slow down thus showing them some respect.

personally i dont, i just rev the car or van slightly and the turn round giving me evils

Leslie

I have mentioned this before as well. Down here they treat the roads in the town as a pedestrian precinct and walk down the centre of the road instead of on the pavements which have been provided at great cost for them.

As above they never look before crossing a road and if you nearly hit them it will always be the fault of the driver of course. They just step straight off the pavement if they happen to be on it for once and walk across the road with their backs to the traffic!

It is not fair on the car driver and it is about time some action was taken against them for being so irresponsible.

Les

mr_D

iTrader: (12)

i have just had this now. i only went to get something to eat for my lunch and someone thought it was hard and clever to walk across the road while i was coming. soon **** them self when i speeded slightly, but sounds faster cos of how loud the cars is

spider

iTrader: (1)

Change down - even if you aren't going faster it sounds like it and they tend to shift.

Alternatively, try the Parisian driving method: aim to clip whatever they're carrying. Note, this shouldn't be tried if they're carrying a child!

Still remember the clip of Clarkson being driven round the Arc de Triomphe by some local and she clipped a pedestrian. Clarkson whips round all panicked - "You just hit that pedestrian!". Woman driving glances in her mirror "oh, he looks alright, anyway, this is a road" Good girl!

corradoboy

In Britain we have a bolted horse attitude to road safety. We allow people to go all the way through childhood with no compulsory training on road use until they get to an age when they decide to attempt to drive a car. Suddenly they are required to read a book which tells them all sorts of weird and wonderful rules, regulations and guidelines about how to correctly use the public highway in a safe, legal, courteous and respectful manner. It's strange how the title of that book is, 'The Highway Code: A Guide For Pedestrians, Cyclists, Motorcyclists and Drivers'. Much of its target audience seems to not be encouraged to read it I see it all day every day. Pedestrians tootling along with a careless disregard for their own, or other peoples safety, often restricting their vision with clothing (hoodies), compromising their hearing (ipods), and their attention (texting) amongst other distractions.

94% of all pedestrian/vehicle KSI incidents in urban areas happen within 100m of a suitable crossing, but NOT ON IT It is also quoted that in over 80% of pedestrian/vehicle KSI incidents, the pedestrian is proven to have voluntarily stepped into the path of moving traffic. The usual response to these incidents is to punish the driver and enforce stricter controls on how cars are driven As is always the case, the easy target, the one with a big identifying number emblazoned fore and aft, the one with obvious financial cover (insurance), and the one with an easy to punish legal entitlement (license endorsement or removal), rather than the brain-dead half-wit who actually caused the problem is targeted.

I've been saying for many years that road safety and training needs to begin at school. Everybody jumps up and down in hysterics when a child gets run over, but prior to it I see no-one teaching kids safe and responsible behaviour on/near roads. It wouldn't hinder basic education much to have 1/2 an hour a week dedicated to the Highway Code, including compulsory Cycling Proficiency testing.

When it comes to cyclists, I would make it illegal for children under 14 to ride on any road with a limit over 30mph, unless they have completed the CPT. Once completed they could be allowed on 30-50 roads, and at 14 once they have taken the Hazard and Theory Part 1 Driving Test and acquired suitable insurance, they can use all roads (except motorways).

The other thing which annoys me with cyclists, particularly young ones, is their flagrant disregard for all laws. I regularly see a young lad ride through a town centre near my home, usually listening to his iPod, often with his phone in one hand, hoodie up, and his normal route sees him using the pavement to avoid a red traffic light, dropping back onto the road to cross oncoming traffic back to the correct side, then turning left through 'no entry' signs into a one-way street the wrong way, usually needing him to pop back onto the pavement to avoid any traffic about to squash him. He does all this on a bike which is NOT road-worthy. It is too small for him (BMX), and he has obviously removed the brakes (common amongst BMX'ers). I've witnessed him do this in front of a Police car and they didn't even give him a second glance. If I had my way he would be charged with the multiple traffic offences, as well as the illegal bike, costing him a lot of money and possibly banning him from road use proper come his 16/17 birthday, if indeed he lives that long

I've always said, whenever I see a cyclist on the road, if they aren't already breaking a road traffic law, they will within 30 seconds, and yet no-one seems to care until they need scraping off the tyres of a bus. The same is so with pedestrians. In the US they have the jaywalking law, whereby you cannot step into the road except at a designated crossing within the city limits. But if we were to adopt that law, who would uphold it ?

GC8WRX

pedestrains, like most cyclists think driver have no right to be on the road, we pay ffs!


Round here its old people who decide to cross when im 100 meters in front of them, i wouldnt mind but it takes some of them literally 1 minute to cross the road, wait till ive passed ffs!

jonny_693

iTrader: (5)

What boils my **** is when they loiter around zebra crossings talking and then when you get 10 metres away they decide to cross the bloody road.

falkster

I know its slightly off topic but whilst we are talking about things that make our blood boil, I find horse riders (not the horses) totally **** me off. They ride side by side, s**t all over the road and then give you grief if you dont push your car passed them.
Why dont they pay some sort of road tax or a fine for dropping s**t......I pay road tax and have to pick up my dogs mess....or get a fine!!!

GC8WRX

Horse riders are worse than cyclists for having a "how dare you be on the same road as me, damaging the enviroment" attitude!


Horses are meant for fields, why do tw@s ride them down busy roads two abreast, holding everyone who hasnt got the ***** to overtake up, and when some one does overtake, they get abuse, and reported to the police!



GET THE **** OFF THE ROAD AND GO IN A FIELD WHERE THE BIG HUNK OF WALKING GLUE BELONGS, *****!

falkster

I feel bad for bringing that up You've blown a gasket mate!!

GC8WRX

Horses ride past my house 5 times aday, and if i dare to start the car when they ride past, they give me evil looks and the horses become jumpy, if you cant control a horse 100% it shouldnt be on the road.

That includes being frightened by noises they are not used to, what happens if a massive tarmac laying machine wants to get passed and the horse rears up and throws the rider off, its the driver of the machine who gets done!


Its madness, how can they be allowed on the road, they are jumpy, they **** everywhere, they kick stuff and generally pi55 off every other road user and their owners are all *****, this isnt 1853, go somewhere appropriate!

charlieogden

Just Play chicken, I drive a 32ton lorry (with air horns) and haven't lost yet .......

Sonic'

Then hurry the **** up then

falkster

I agree with you mate.
When my wife was learning to drive we drove down a quiet road to find horses 2 abreast, I told Sarah to get as far over as possible and she did really well as she had never come across this situation before but the horse riders were shouting at us.
They have no idea!!

DYK

cyclists well the lycra wearing type i find alot of them ignorant,horse riders well the other day i drove past two women quite young on horses coming in the opposite direction to me,and they actually looked and gave me the smiles.pedestrians well thats all they are,if they cross a traffic light on green i don't stop for em,but will always stop at a zebra crossing.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

Some pikey looking folk on horse and carts go past our house quite regularly. Their stupid damn horse has a fit going past my car everytime. Even when it's not running.

Get out of my damn street if your damn horse is scared of parked cars!

corradoboy

Agree completely. In the 21st century, horses have no place on the public highway. They are a leisure pursuit and have no other legitimate purpose. If they want to use the roads, third party liability insurance must be a minimum requirement IMHO. Allowing a 5st 8yo to be in charge of 1/2 a tonne + of wild animal with minimal to no training and no insurance to compensate all involved if/when it all goes bad is madness. Much the same as pedal cycles, let's face it. How many of you are parents and have given your child a bicycle for a present ? And just where exactly do you think they are now playing with that gift And how many of you have actually ensured your child is fully conversant with the rules of the road and have had adequate training to ensure their safety ? As a driving instructor I can tell you that almost NONE of the 17yo's whom come to me to be taught how to pass a driving test have EVER read the HC I can only assume that the vast majority of them have ridden bikes, possibly horses, and ALL have been pedestrians

DYK

yea but what im thinking about is picture this,your driving along a quiet b road on foggy but sunny morning,and your sport tyres happen to loose grip as it travels through a big pile of steaming horse sh1te.