A Question on Road Rules in Britain.. Almost got run over, again

[Radomu]

I made the following post a while back where I recounted several aggressive encounters that I have had with drivers as a pedestrian, some of which were near-death experiences.

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1344422

 

Since then I've been in two more incidents, one of which involved a pedestrian walking next to me getting his arm hit. Both incidents took place when I was crossing a side street. As you normally would when you're walking on the pavement, you would have to cross a side street, and sometimes a driver would abruptly turn into it from the main street without the use of any blinkers to indicate that he or she is changing direction. Most of the times they just stop and honk, but in these following cases they came really close to me that I was almost scared for my life.

 

1. About a week ago I was walking down infirmary road on a rainy day, and I was crossing the side street on the corner of the Infirmary Superstore (the big Tesco). As an Audi sedan went ahead to drive into the side street from the main street without waiting for us, a man who happened to be walking next to me had his arm struck by the side mirror of the car. After it slipped into the road, we shockingly glanced at the car that drove away as fast as possible. The fellow pedestrian who was just hit looked like he was about to tear up.

 

2. Today, after I came out of the Swim Inn (Wetherspoon branch) on Glossop road, me and my friend crossed a side street called Victoria Street just by Orient Express, and a white van drove in to the road so close that I almost felt like the tip of it was nudging into my chest. I was startled as my friend exclaimed, and the van drove away after saying something that I couldn't catch.

 

I of course don't want to generalise about all drivers in Sheffield, but it seems that this kind of thing happens much more frequently then I think should. So the question that I was wondering was whether if I was walking the streets 'wrongly', of if the drivers were at wrong. In driving class, I was taught to always give way to pedestrians and only honk them when they suddenly jump in front of the car as an irresponsible jaywalker.

 

Are drivers here taught the same too? Is it actually the law that drivers have the upper hand on the streets when pedestrians are just being pedestrians and crossing the side street to walk onto the other side of the pavement?

 

I would appreciate all of your responses as I sometimes feel like I'm scared for my life living in this city.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Radomu

[AndrewC]

Not sure about the highway code, but in reality it has to be a bit of common sense on both sides. What I would say (as a pedestrian myself for most of the time), you've certainly no right to expect to just walk out across the junction without a vehicle turning in. It might say it's your right of way in the highway code, but to cross first, then look, and expect the driver to take full blame would be pretty foolhardy.

 

For me, if I'm about to cross a side street, I will look to check that nothing is about to turn in off the main road immediately - if it isn't, I will cross. If someone is on the far side of the road, waiting to turn right in to the side street, but can't because there is oncoming traffic, then I'll judge the situation. If there are clearly no gaps in the oncoming traffic, then that car is going nowhere, so I'll cross; if a gap appears as I am stood there, then I'll make a quick judgement and more than likely wait to allow the car through. It keeps me safe, and helps keep the road clear too.

 

I am most often met with courteous thanks when I do this, but I'm afraid radumo, that you have to expect a number of drivers do have tiny willies that they are absolutely furious about owning.

[The Joker]

. . . I'm afraid radumo, that you have to expect a number of drivers do have tiny willies that they are absolutely furious about owning.

 

Yes, usually drivers of germanese bin wagons, as you witnessed in your first encounter.

[Radomu]

Not sure about the highway code, but in reality it has to be a bit of common sense on both sides. What I would say (as a pedestrian myself for most of the time), you've certainly no right to expect to just walk out across the junction without a vehicle turning in. It might say it's your right of way in the highway code, but to cross first, then look, and expect the driver to take full blame would be pretty foolhardy.

 

For me, if I'm about to cross a side street, I will look to check that nothing is about to turn in off the main road immediately - if it isn't, I will cross. If someone is on the far side of the road, waiting to turn right in to the side street, but can't because there is oncoming traffic, then I'll judge the situation. If there are clearly no gaps in the oncoming traffic, then that car is going nowhere, so I'll cross; if a gap appears as I am stood there, then I'll make a quick judgement and more than likely wait to allow the car through. It keeps me safe, and helps keep the road clear too.

 

I am most often met with courteous thanks when I do this, but I'm afraid radumo, that you have to expect a number of drivers do have tiny willies that they are absolutely furious about owning.

 

I do the exact same thing. I always check to see if any cars are trying to get in. The problem, as I mentioned, is that many (most?) drivers here don't use blinkers (direction indicators) to show which way they are going. If I see a car that is telling me that he wants to turn in the road, I will gladly wait. But there are many times where they don't and they blame me for crossing the street.

 

But isn't it the case that for crossings between pavements on side streets, I have the upper hand? I mean, I was taught as a driver to wait by the junction for pedestrians to cross the street before I drive in. If that isn't the case in Britain, it would mean that cars essentially own the road and pedestrians have to constantly apologize just for crossing the road. I understand that it is bad if you're jaywalking on the main road, but this is just the side street between two pavements...

 

---------- Post added 09-04-2015 at 23:08 ----------

 

Yes, usually drivers of germanese bin wagons, as you witnessed in your first encounter.

 

This stereotype about Audi drivers is something that I've encountered for the first time when I moved here, and have been amused ever since by how they're the symbol of 'bad drivers'

[Gordonb]

If I remember correctly a pedestrian walking alongside a road has priority over the cars coming out of the side road but does not have priority over cars turning off the main road.

[Radomu]

If I remember correctly a pedestrian walking alongside a road has priority over the cars coming out of the side road but does not have priority over cars turning off the main road.

 

Interesting... I guess that's because it disrupts the flow on the main road?

[muddycoffee]

Radomu,

are you from a different country? I notice that while grammatically very good, you seem to use terms that are more common in international English.

 

In my time I have known many people from quieter parts of the UK and other countries who find the local driving style to be extremely aggressive.

Recently it has been especially noticeable of Chinese students, of which there are very many in our city nowadays. They seem to walk right next to the dangerous kerb and step out into the traffic.

 

As a native Sheffield person, for me it is both "common sense" and "normal" to be very cautious when dealing with traffic. When I'm walking along a pavement I never walk in the kerb. This seems to be a foreign concept to many. I have been on a bus that hit a young man about 18 months ago, who was severely injured. Why wasn't he walking in the safe part of the pavement?

[Radomu]

Radomu,

are you from a different country? I notice that while grammatically very good, you seem to use terms that are more common in international English.

 

In my time I have known many people from quieter parts of the UK and other countries who find the local driving style to be extremely aggressive.

Recently it has been especially noticeable of Chinese students, of which there are very many in our city nowadays. They seem to walk right next to the dangerous kerb and step out into the traffic.

 

As a native Sheffield person, for me it is both "common sense" and "normal" to be very cautious when dealing with traffic. When I'm walking along a pavement I never walk in the kerb. This seems to be a foreign concept to many. I have been on a bus that hit a young man about 18 months ago, who was severely injured. Why wasn't he walking in the safe part of the pavement?

 

You are correct that I am not a native here, but I have been living in Sheffield for the past four years.

 

I am struggling to understand what you mean by 'walking in the kerb'. Apologies on my behalf for struggling with traffic language (I had to look up how to say 'side street' when posting the OP), but the 'kerb' is supposed to be the demarcation between the pavement and the street? So some people walk on the line that separates the two?

 

If you mean walking inside the pavement and not on the street where the cars drive, that is what I do myself and something that I would also consider to be 'common sense'. It is also 'common sense' for me to be cautious about traffic and constantly be aware of the cars (which is probably why I am still alive), but what does put my life in danger is when motorists drive on the streets pretending that pedestrians would never leave the pavement.

 

But that's not the problem here. The problems happens when I need to cross the junction to a side street, like you would when you're walking by the main street, and a car that isn't making any indication of direction nonetheless decides to go ahead without waiting for me as if I am invisible to them.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Radomu

[biotechpete]

I do the exact same thing. I always check to see if any cars are trying to get in. The problem, as I mentioned, is that many (most?) drivers here don't use blinkers (direction indicators) to show which way they are going. If I see a car that is telling me that he wants to turn in the road, I will gladly wait. But there are many times where they don't and they blame me for crossing the street.

 

But isn't it the case that for crossings between pavements on side streets, I have the upper hand? I mean, I was taught as a driver to wait by the junction for pedestrians to cross the street before I drive in. If that isn't the case in Britain, it would mean that cars essentially own the road and pedestrians have to constantly apologize just for crossing the road. I understand that it is bad if you're jaywalking on the main road, but this is just the side street between two pavements...[COLOR="Silver"]

 

---------- Post added 09-04-2015 at 23:08 ----------

 

[/color]

 

This stereotype about Audi drivers is something that I've encountered for the first time when I moved here, and have been amused ever since by how they're the symbol of 'bad drivers'

 

This could be your issue. Only if you are already crossing do you have right of way. Otherwise you are at fault.

 

The rules for pedestrians state.

If you have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and consideration for others.

Stop just before you get to the kerb, where you can see if anything is coming. Do not get too close to the traffic.

If traffic is coming, let it pass. Look all around again and listen. Do not cross until there is a safe gap in the traffic and you are certain that there is plenty of time.

At a junction. When crossing the road, look out for traffic turning into the road, especially from behind you

.

 

---------- Post added 09-04-2015 at 23:38 ----------

 

 

But that's not the problem here. The problems happens when I need to cross the junction to a side street, like you would when you're walking by the main street, and a car that isn't making any indication of direction nonetheless decides to go ahead without waiting for me as if I am invisible to them.

 

I generally find that Sheffield drivers are more considerate than in other cities. They also generally indicate well.

 

Even so it is possible to tell by the manner of driving that a person will turn or not. If you can make eye contact with the driver this is the best thing. Is it possible that you are habitually looking in the wrong direction being from a country that drives on the wrong side of the road?

[Radomu]

This could be your issue. Only if you are already crossing do you have right of way. Otherwise you are at fault.

 

The rules for pedestrians state.

 

 

 

.

 

---------- Post added 09-04-2015 at 23:38 ----------

 

 

I generally find that Sheffield drivers are more considerate than in other cities. They also generally indicate well.

 

Even so it is possible to tell by the manner of driving that a person will turn or not. If you can make eye contact with the driver this is the best thing. Is it possible that you are habitually looking in the wrong direction being from a country that drives on the wrong side of the road?

 

Thanks for your helpful reply. Actually, I'm also from a country that drives on the left hand side of the road But this tendency of making eye contact with the driver is something that is completely new to me. I could start trying to do that.