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Highway Code Changes

Naturally I'll continue to use indicators while driving (except when I'm driving my BMW) and when cycling will carry on steaming through red lights, bowling up one way streets contra flow style and using the pavement whenever I like. Because I wouldn't want to disavow people's moronic stereotyping.
 
Ponty said:
I’d very much doubt it. They can use whichever route they please in any way shape or form, with complete disregard and impunity to other legitimate users in order to make progress, whether that be road, pavement, pedestrian crossing or footpath.
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I think you will find that they are just managing their own risks.
 
Woodface said:
Its a sensible change, probably doesn't go far enough as i would prefer 'presumed liability'. Hopefully there will be some wide ranging public information campaigns around this?
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Was the code in Holland back in the 80s when I learnt to drive - failed my test twice because of it :(
You were expected to anticipate whether a pedestrian/cyclist might be going straight ahead and adjust speed accordingly well before the turn.

The 'Dutch reach' was well needed advice - had a fair few door collisions when cycling in Amsterdam at the time....
 
miktec said:
Was the code in Holland back in the 80s when I learnt to drive - failed my test twice because of it :(
You were expected to anticipate whether a pedestrian/cyclist might be going straight ahead and adjust speed accordingly well before the turn.

The 'Dutch reach' was well needed advice - had a fair few door collisions when cycling in Amsterdam at the time....
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My driving has definitely changed for the better since I took up cycling; just makes you more aware of speed.
 
hifinutt said:
yes seen it in various places but you have put it clearly here . so many folks just walk out in front of cars and expect them to stop that it may not make much difference . just might make rear end collisions even more likely as you cant see why car in front is stopping suddenly
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Are you not able to look more than one car length ahead? Perhaps you need an eye test?
 
Tony L said:
Good to see. I doubt it will prevent much injury to cyclists and pedestrians as so many drivers are just clueless, but it should make suing the shit out of them after an incident a lot easier.

PS I’m surprised not to see ebikes and scooters as a new and distinct category. There are some very fast (and quite heavy) modes of transport that don’t require a license at present, e.g. if you know what you are doing you can certainly build a 50mph ebike! Almost certainly not entirely legally, but the technology is widely available.
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E-bikes & scooters are regulated, very harshly in terms of scooters, so illegal use is mandated against. Hundreds of e-scooters have been confiscated apparently but they still seem to be a popular Xmas present.
 
Woodface said:
Are you not able to look more than one car length ahead?
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Maybe it depends on the traffic. I commute across South London on a moped. Some days every other vehicle is a HGV/cement mixer/etc. Sometimes very hard to see beyond them in slow moving traffic (apart from when they decide to occupy both lanes...) I can often position myself in the lane to see a bit further ahead but I'm guessing that's a bit harder to do in a car.
 
So now at traffic lights with a pedestrian crossing, motorists seeing a pedestrian waiting to cross will stop in the middle of the junction even though the pedestrian is waiting for their green light.

Already seen it several times. Chaos.
 
misterdog said:
So now at traffic lights with a pedestrian crossing, motorists seeing a pedestrian waiting to cross will stop in the middle of the junction even though the pedestrian is waiting for their green light.

Already seen it several times. Chaos.
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The rules don’t come into force until the end of January so you are just witnessing poor driving or caution depending upon viewpoint.
 
I don't think the pictures help, especially wrt turning. So you've just turned left and there's a pedestrian standing on the kerb to your left.. and you are supposed to know that they want to cross? What about traffic on the opposite carriageway? Do you stop and encourage 'your' pedestrian to cross and walk under an oncoming bus on the opposite carriageway?

The rules would presumably remain the same as now for a junction controlled by lights?

I frequently stop my car for people crossing close to a mini roundabout in our village, because it is obvious what they are trying to do.. the bollards are a fairly massive hint too, but I still wonder if the vehicles behind me are going to also stop.
 
'Cars have to give way to pedestrians'. They did that some years ago in Sweden. Result: MORE injuries. Not only that, when pressed about that fact they aknowledged that they knew that would happen!!!

If you really want a safer traffic environment the one with the shorter stopping distance should give way. Usually pedestrians.
 
RJohan said:
'Cars have to give way to pedestrians'. They did that some years ago in Sweden. Result: MORE injuries. Not only that, when pressed about that fact they aknowledged that they knew that would happen!!!

If you really want a safer traffic environment the one with the shorter stopping distance should give way. Usually pedestrians.
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This seems ridiculous. So I consulted The Wikipedia.

Vision Zero - Wikipedia

Eurostat - Data Explorer (europa.eu)

And it does seem to be nonsense.


Whenever I make the mistake of visiting the UK I am reminded that I have forgotten how much in love with the car people that live there seem to be. I am amazed at the lack of painted crossings. Where I live they are everywhere and I would estimate that upwards of 99% of vehicles stop at them to allow pedestrians to cross. People know to use painted crossings but even for the few people that just cross randomly, most vehicles will still stop for them (and it is an offence to cross randomly if there is a crossing within 100m).
 
As a follow up to my previous comments. I always try and make eye contact with vehicle drivers and mostly thank them for stopping. Very occasionally I get drivers who just stare straight ahead ( I suspect that they are very aware that I am waiting to cross ) so I don't step out in front of them.

Stopping at crossings is so ingrained in the culture here that my wife tells a story of a car driver not stopping and then a few minutes later(in a supermarket) she gets a tap on the shoulder from the driver who has bought her a small box of chocolates as an apology.
 
All it takes is one twat and you're off the bike. Until we get rid of all twats, I don't see much point having overly optimistic rules which will be ignored. Risk is people feel safer because of them. I don't think feeling safe is a good idea, because you're not. 9 people give you 3 meters leeway, one give you 6cm. Accidents happen, always have done, always will. Educate rather than legislate.

Nearly taken out on the pushbike yesterday, culprit turned up my road. I know who it was. Surprising. They are amongst us. Don't feel safe...
 
I still think that all road users need to adopt a more collaborative attitude to road use. Even in this thread you can see the parties dividing. Cyclists criticising drivers, drivers criticising pedestrians and so on.The fact remains that for every driver behaving like a moron there is a cyclist doing the same and a pedestrian doing the same. Some people are just selfish idiots and their mode of road use will not change that. I cycle and drive and I see good and bad in both. I also have the misfortune to visit London quite often and the driving and cycling standards of some down there are about as bad as it gets and you can see how a 'them and us' mentality is taking over. The best thing we can all do is try and avoid the idiots and wehn a car driver does something idiotic or a cyclist does something idiotic not think of them as a driver or a cyclist but as an idiot because that is what they are and they will still be an idiot whether on a bike, the pavement or in a car.
 
It would be good if rule changes like this were made available to us expats coming in to hire a car. Malaysia has similar but nothing like identical diving rules, so I expect that the accumulation of changes in the 24 years I have been away are significant
 
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