Highway Code ?

[Observer II]

Is everyone clued up on the changes ?   Hopefully including cyclists and pedestrians !    I guess we won't see cyclists crossing traffic light junctions on red or suddenly by-passing the red lights via a pedestrian crossing.   As cyclists have to be given a full car space, I guess we'll no longer see then squeezing between two rows of cars in a traffic queue ?  

[Evil Sid]

I do wonder how many people are actually aware that the highway code exists let alone have read it.

The new changes are only advisory though, so you can choose to ignore them and you are are not subject to a fine if you do.

So business as usual as far as the cyclist is concerned, go through  the red lights, ride without lights and generally annoy both motorists and pedestrians alike.

[Observer II]

Actually, I think some of the advice is quite dangerous;  placing the decision to cross a road on a pedestrian, expecting traffic to give way and wait, introduces mutual confusion. Is the pedestrian intent on crossing or just standing there waiting for a clear crossing; does the driver wait to turn into the junction, when he's got cars piling up behind him ?  Frankly a distinctly unsafe idea imo.   

[Bill]

I’ve come across that problem several times in the States and learnt not to stand near the edge of the road  looking like you might want to cross. I don’t know if that’s a rule there or whether the Americans are just a bit more gentlemanly than us Brits.

It certainly doesn’t sound safe to me and may end up encouraging more people to simply walk out without looking.

 

Bill 😊

[Observer II]

The safest situation is for everyone to know the intentions of other road users, which means cars using their indicators and cyclists giving hand signals.  Seems the same mentality has been applied to this, as was applied to the wasted £thousands on 20mph signs.     

[ninearches]

Even when i took my driving test in the 60s, the Highway Code told me that i should give way to pedestrians who were crossing the road at junctions ,leave 6feet wobble room for cyclists & give horses a wide berth. These rules are not really new but perhaps today's drivers need reminding of them.

[Bill]

Ah but the difference here Davy is that the person doesn’t have to be crossing the road but just looking like they need to. So for example you're turning left and someone is standing at the edge of that road, you have to stop and give them priority and hope the car behind stops as well. 😐

I could be wrong on that but that’s the way they explained it on TV. It's a bonkers idea probably dreamt up buy the anti-car brigade.

 

Bill 😊

[ninearches]

I see ,Bill . So no need for pelican or zebra crossings anymore then.

[Bill]

It would appear not, unless pedestrians only have the right of way at junctions.

 

Bill

[Evil Sid]

all we have to do now is get all the cyclists to read and understand the highway code.

for example use lights at night and wear something reflective rather than the ninja cyclists we have at present.

I still think it is time cyclists were made  more accountable.

As a motorist i have to carry insurance. if i hit another car my insurance covers the damage and any injuries to the driver/passengers.

if i hit a cyclist or a pedestrian, the same applies.

However if a cyclist runs into my car or worse knocks me over whilst i am a pedestrian they usually get away with little more than a few oaths and any damage or injury is down to me to cope with.

so far i have been lucky in that i have not yet had a close encounter of the third kind with a cyclist or a pedestrian whilst driving or walking,but i have had several very very near misses.

[Bill]

A few other points that don’t make a lot of sense to me. Cyclists are now being advised to ride in the middle of the road and if there’s two of them, then to ride two abreast. Begs the question how that can be safe if it forces passing cars onto the wrong side of the road? And, after all the expense of building cycle lanes all over the place, bike riders are told they don’t need to use them if they don’t feel like it.

 

Bill 😊

[Evil Sid]

They have always had the option to ride two abreast as far as i am aware but are advised to go into single file to allow vehicles to pass them.

You are allowed to use your horn to warn them of you presence. probably more relevant these days with the electric cars being almost silent.

In theory you should drive up behind them then toot your horn to let them know you are there. This will alert them to the fact you want to pass them safely, or frighten the life out of them causing them to swerve all over the road and probably run into each other.......😈

cyclist feel put upon when using the road they complain that other road users do not consider them when they are riding along, that they do not consider other road users is irrelevant to them, after all they are saving the planet.