Does anyone stop for zebra crossings in London?

[utubenz576]

No

[karateandy76]

Happens everyday. Taxi drivers are the worst culprits, in my experience.

[westcountrytim]

@karateandy76 Very true. London drivers are in a rush to join the back of the next traffic queue.

[MegaOptionzTV]

@Wildfox01 you sound like the kind of driver who is always in a hurry and does a lot of speeding around town and I quote; "My reflexes were spot on and I managed to brake just in time!" Also I will quote your other sentence; "I will try to stop for that person providing I'm given enough time!" gavsky23 is correct in his opinion.

[Wildfox01]

@MegaOptionzTV I'm afraid you don't know me very well, I'm not the kind of driver who is always in a hurry and does a lot of speeding around town (as you put it). Please get your facts straight! The fact is the lady walked onto the zebra crossing without looking both ways from a blind alley and the fact I wasn't speeding, allowed me to brake in time! Regardless of what type of crossing, it is advisable to look both ways before walking into the road (basic green cross code)!

[TYDiMaria]

Almost got hit by a car today, these morons don't know how to drive.

[gavsky23]

True, dumb pedestrians don't help themselves! A driver always needs to slow down and be prepared to stop if they see any pedestrian standing near/walking towards the crossing, that's basic good driving. If a pedestrian walks onto the crossing without looking they are daft BUT it is the responsibility of the car driver if they run them over, you have to give way as soon as they put a foot onto the crossing (unless someone runs out and you have no chance!).

[Wildfox01]

@gavsky23 Exactly, well said!

[aaronfromhastings]

I learned to drive with BSM, more than 20 years ago and still remember the first thing my instructor said to me: "What's the first rule of the road?" he said "The pedestrian has right of way." I don't know if it's factually true or not, but I've driven by this rule for 500,000 miles and it has made me a better driver than most. You can never be too considerate. That's someone's family crossing the road, someone's whole life, not an obstacle. If you can't wait 10 seconds you should not be driving

[gavsky23]

Technically they only have a right of way once they have put a foot on the crossing (which most people don't realise - pedestrians or motorists!). It is polite to stop as they are obviously waiting, but in law no-one committed an offence (except anyone who zooms past when people are on the crossing - and they are scum!).

[aaronfromhastings]

@gavsky23 It's an offence to overtake on the approach to a zebra crossing, so these drivers are all committing an offence. (rule 191 highway code) If another car has stopped at a zebra crossing, you MUST stop also.

If the law is not reason enough, consider that if a car has stopped for a child who is too small to be visible and you overtake the stopped car, hitting the child as they emerge.

[gavsky23]

@aaronfromhastings It's a very good point - a moments stupidity because drivers don't obey the law can so easily result in a pedestrian injury, or death. "You MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing" - (Highway Code 195), which was my original point, if someone puts a foot onto the crossing, they have right of way. Standing and waiting does not give a right of way, but any good driver would know they should be driving slowly and be prepared to stop anyway.

[aaronfromhastings]

@gavsky23 Yep, and incidentally, when there is an island, the crossing, under the new(ish) rules, counts as one whole crossing, so the traffic should stop both ways.

[Wildfox01]

@gavsky23 I disagree with you! Today, a lady quickly walked onto the zebra crossing without looking both ways! Fortunately for this lady, my relaxes were spot on and I managed to brake just in time! Pedestrians must look both ways, wait for the car to stop or slow down, before walking onto a zebra crossing! However, If a person is waiting or on the zebra crossing, I will try to stop for that person providing I'm given enough time! Remember cars do have stopping and braking distances!

[CyclingMikey]

@Wildfox01 It's called anticipation, Wildfox. Anticipation beats reflexes, every time.

[Wildfox01]

@CyclingMikey Anticipation and reflexes go hand in hand, especially if cars or lorries in front of you are changing lanes suddenly without indicating and also pedestrians that don't know the green cross code!

[roossi]

good point but with motorcycle or bicycle its pointless to stop cos theyre so small so u can go just quickly before them...

[exploz2]

most of cyclists and scooters never stop, but you did

[abermin]

Things are getting worse. We need police giving out fines to those who don't give way to pedestrians wanting to use the zebra crossing.

[HongKongKanto]

like moscow

[prj45]

That deffo needs to be a pelican crossing, I regularly see people on the crossing with carrigeway users whizzing by them.

If I stop for somebody there I'll often tell them to be very careful when crossing.

[drsquirrel0]

@prj45 I agree... the posts/trees don't help with visibility, but the cynic in me says it wouldn't help all that much if it was corrected anyway...