Highway Code changes

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by Adam Ef

It's been in the Highway Code for years that you give way if you turn into a road that someone is already crossing on foot. ...

Yes, except previously there was always a reasonable expectation that the 'someone' would have been expected to look and check that there was nothing coming before stepping into the road and taking the right of way. After this change there is no need any more (in law at least) - just step out, it's fine, if they hit you it's automatically their fault.

Originally Posted by Adam Ef

... The more dangerous presence always gets priority on our selfish roads. Same as when HGVs decide they want priority coming onto a roundabout in front of me on the (motor)bike. Happened loads of times and you put the brakes on even though you know you have priority as you know you'd lose, or at least be arguing about it from a hospital bed.

Generally true, I agree, and disappointing of course. But now the ability to 'argue' about the nuance of any actual incident will be much more limited. Type of road user could be taking precedence over behaviour of that road user. This rule change has taken away some personal responsibility from some road users and placed extra, challenging burden on others. I can see it from many perspectives but I'm not yet sure it's definitely a good change. Time will tell.

[Biker Biggles]

This is part of a general trend towards making the powered vehicle automatically liable for any collision and its financial consequences. That way cyclists and pedestrians will always get paid out by the insurance company rather than have to rely on the state for compo and medical bills. Insurance premiums will continue to rise accordingly.

[svenrico]

Hopefully most pedestrians will have the common sense to not step out in front of a moving vehicle (but don't bet on it !)

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by svenrico

...(but don't bet on it !)

Indeed!

[Luckypants]

Time to buy a dashcam.

[keith_d]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Time to buy a dashcam.

Dashcam already installed in the car after watching a few 'crash for cash' programs.

Small memory card installed in case it gets siezed at some point. I don't want some deskbound PCSO going through it looking at how many speeding offenses I committed in the last 12 months of video.


I learned to drive a loong time ago, and even then I was told to give way to pedestrians when turning in to a minor road. So nothing new really. Just creating laws to publicise a problem with stupid pedestrians.

[Adam Ef]

Has anyone ever been hit by a car? I wouldn't advise it. I had two months of being unable to breath anything above a very shallow breath without severe pain, smashed up arms and eventually found out it also caused me a year of PTSD. Still haunts me now. That was a failry slow hit too. Still enough to throw me 30m down the road head over heals. If anyone's thinking of doing it to get compensation I really wouldn't advise it.


As mentioned a very similar law was already in place but widely ignored. The new changes seem to be to try and make people aware / pay attention to it.


More kind, considerate and patient use of our roads would make all our time using them a lot better. It's a pity we need laws to make people care about each other.

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by Adam Ef

. It's a pity we need laws to make people care about each other.

So true and so sad.

Like Mr D I now have a dashcam in the car and already have a saved clip of a food delivery moped rider getting fed up of filtering so took to the pavement to avoid the queue...

[daktulos]

Late to the discussion, I know ... I don't have a problem with giving way to pedestrians when turning left, but the rule also covers turning right across another lane of traffic. There's one near us where it's hard enough to cross the traffic, without taking pedestrians into account.

You'd either have to wait an eternity to cross or put yourself in danger by going half way and blocking traffic in the other direction while waiting for the pedestrians to clear.

[DJ123]

Originally Posted by Adam Ef

More kind, considerate and patient use of our roads would make all our time using them a lot better. It's a pity we need laws to make people care about each other.

i agree to some extent about being considerate/patient, however people need to be aware of how their driving affects others on the road. The volume of incompetent driving is getting worse - i'm pretty sure most people around here actually have their Speedometer in KM/H the way they drive . . . .

- Vehicles driving along roads far too slowly (eg 40mph in a 60/30 in a 50) causing a back up of traffic - these are on roads where the speed is clearly signposted, and the road is safe to do that speed (good visibility, lack of junctions etc).
- Lack of planning ahead/being in the correct lane ahead of time. EG If you're going to turn right at the roundabout in 100 yards, at the traffic lights get into the right hand lane . . . . don't go into the left lane and try to cut across in the last 20 yards.