Turning into a main road - with pedestrians waiting to cross.

[FidoNick]

Hi all,

So we all know that we should give way to pedestrians crossing the minor road into which we are entering..... but what about the scenario that the pedestrian is trying to cross the main road, close to where there is a minor road.i.e.:

(car waiting behind give-way line)
-----------------/.......I====\--------------
MAIN ROAD
------------------------------------------------
xXx (pedestrian waiting)

Where 'C is the Car waiting to turn right into the main road.

My question, which I can't seem to find the answer to is:- should the car give way to the pedestrian. It's a dilemma I face while trying to walk my children to school each day. Some days are fine, other days, the road users are just complete tossers. And not the type to be found on this forum!

Any advice with backup references would be useful, even if it's so I can become self-righteous in my rantings - or have a go at the local coach companies.

 

[columbus]

Unless it is at a crossing pedestrians should give way to vehicular traffic.

 

[chrisfreeth]

You should be looking for a safe place to cross. Minimal hazards clear view. The side road is a hazard as it complicates the crossing move along the road or cross sooner. Your also causing problems for the drivers as your something else that might be in the way as they pull out

 

[gwigglesworth]

Technically unless the pedestrian is on the road the car should go.

But a number of other factors needs to be considered too...
1) Are they going to run out anyhow... in which case no good in being technically correct but have run someone over

2) Once the feet hit the road they then should be treated like any other car... and again you know they are walking in the road... so best avoided..

Myself what would I do... make a judgement call.. will I be sat for hours waiting on the people to cross? Are they going to walk out anyhow?

Or as an even better solution change your route to avoid the tricky junction

 

[Klanky]

Technically unless the pedestrian is on the road the car should go.

But a number of other factors needs to be considered too...
1) Are they going to run out anyhow... in which case no good in being technically correct but have run someone over

2) Once the feet hit the road they then should be treated like any other car... and again you know they are walking in the road... so best avoided..

Myself what would I do... make a judgement call.. will I be sat for hours waiting on the people to cross? Are they going to walk out anyhow?

......

^^^^ Wot he said.

Once the pedestrians step onto the road - they have priority. Before they step out - then it's a judgement call.

 

[Bem]

Or as an even better solution change your route to avoid the tricky junction

My preferred solution.
It is little consolation to be lying in the road and hear someone say "SIDSY" or similar.
Risk Assessment approach? If you cannot reduce the risk itself look for other ways of doing the job to eliminate that risk.

 

[Tinytim]

My preferred solution.
It is little consolation to be lying in the road and hear someone say "SIDSY" or similar.
Risk Assessment approach? If you cannot reduce the risk itself look for other ways of doing the job to eliminate that risk.

Eliminate the risk BEFORE ya reduce it.

"ERICPD"

 

[Bem]

Well said - Thats exactly what I meant to say - I think !

 

[STUBBS]

100 points per pedestrian

 

[FidoNick]

I think Columbus has hit it on the head for me with his first reply - i.e. give way to traffic that's already on the main road - irrespective of whether they started in the minor one.

As for the 'pedestrians in the road' argument, then I could, technically speaking, have a right of way very easily. But as has been pointed out, it's pointless to be technically right if you're lying in the road....

I'll still rant on when the b******s won't let me cross my road .

ERICPD? Had to Google that one