New road user rules.

[Rha]

Oh dear, I'm not sure they've got it right. Yesterday when turning right into a side road and waiting for oncoming traffic the young man waiting to cross walked out after hesitation which left me a couple of feet across the centre line having reacted at the same time to move. Now it seems that he has the right of way and can if so desired take his right of way with no consideration to traffic turning. While I'm not against this rule it does seem that pedestrians have the right to cross once one foot is on the road surface ( bit like at zebra crossings ). At least in the past they gave consideration at these junctions and didn't just walk out, think advise should have been, " although you have right of way show consideration to traffic turning into the junction", I think new rule is a dangerous one. Now for Cyclists, having been a amateur cyclist for some 17+ yrs I do agree with the 1.5mtr distance when over taking a cyclist and now riding in the middle of the lane, the problem again is consideration to vehicles. Just holding my breath over the next few months to see how most car drivers react to traveling behind cyclists for any length of time without going on their horns and making situ worse. Think most things could have been left alone except cyclists comming up the inside not considering other road users, I really think " consideration " works both ways. In my driver instruction days I used to tell my pupils that the worst thing that could happen to you as a driver would be to knock a child or ped over, so treat all prodestrians and cyclists as children untill your pretty sure they know what their doing. It don't take long watching them to see if they really do have any common. Wouldn't go back on a bike for all the tea in China. If you've ever been to Amsterdam when work hrs finish and driven amongst the cyclists you'll no doubt have consideration for them as they really are vulnerable although some are really stupid, bit like car drivers I suppose. Probably best to just take the train.

RHA,Roy.

 

[Toby]

Agreed Roy, however they dont just have right of way once on the road - its if they are at the curb waiting to cross, you have to stop and let them - fine in an office devising rules and regs - try it out in the real world.

Remember my dad, when I was young(er) , telling me about Sheamus O'Gray's epitaph - has always stayed with me and served me well

 

[Rha]

What was Sheamus's epitaph????
I remember taking my driving test at in Germany in 1960's Toby, my instructor told me that all German drivers will take their right of way, then on their death bed after collision will say " it was my right of way" so there's their epitaph.
Wonder what the Irish would be, bet it's " but the pubs are already open ".

 

[Toby]

Something similar Roy -

Here lies the body of Sheamus O'Gray,
He died while defending his right of way,
He held it fast, and he held it strong,
But he's just as dead as if he was wrong.

Life lessons - and taking some resonsibility for yourself and your actions.
He taught me that when I first started to cycle on the roads at a young(er) age, as well as teaching me my rights/road sense too.

 

[Rha]

What with the cock up with the super highways in taking away the hard shoulder this all smacks of government asking the wrong people for advice, let's face it how many of our politicians who make the decisions actually drive to work every day, bit like Boris fargetting what he's been advised or what he's advised his people. The mind boggles.

 

[Pingu]

The German "rule of the right" is an excellent rule, but only if EVERYBODY knows about it and obeys it. It's fine for Germans, as they have been brought up with it.

This new "rule of the left, but only in some cases" is going to cause chaos - and a few deaths. At least we'll know who was responsible .

As for cyclists coming from your left, they can only do that if there is a space between your car and the kerb. Pingu's rule = no cycle lane, no space.

 

[t-tony]

If you know the USA there is such a thing as an “All way Stop” junction (sometimes called a 4 way stop). They’re used on not so busy roads instead of a traffic signal and they also work fine if all drivers use the brain.
I read earlier that the Govt.is considering bringing in a law for “Causing death by dangerous cycling” a bit ironic really.

Tony.

 

[Rha]

Something similar Roy -

Here lies the body of Sheamus O'Gray,
He died while defending his right of way,
He held it fast, and he held it strong,
But he's just as dead as if he was wrong.

Life lessons - and taking some resonsibility for yourself and your actions.
He taught me that when I first started to cycle on the roads at a young(er) age, as well as teaching me my rights/road sense too.

I'm of the belief Toby that road sense only really comes once your a driver and expecting young cyclists to have any great amount of it is a mistake. The cycling proficiency test goes some way towards it thank goodness but again untill a cyclist has been in hundreds of different situ's it's a bit unfair to expect them to always do what we (the experts )consider the right move,after all there's plenty of real idiots behind the wheel which far outnumber the inexperienced cyclists.
Extra awareness training for all road users is the way forward IMHO and the way to do it is through the media, ad breaks on tele could be used showing us what happens when someone makes an error and how to avoid it. No good putting it in a book and expecting all users to keep reminding themselves what is what. The media will keep it in the public eye. Ideal situ now rears its head with the new rules, why do they think putting it only in print will be sufficient. Now that's " not rocket science " surely!!!!! Is it?????????

 

[Toby]

True Roy, however if parents actually instill some things into their kids when young it may make a difference.
Many dont take the time or trouble to try.

Something I read - if parents when they have kids in the car ask them to count cyclists etc. they then learn from an early age to look and spot them The same for other stuff about on the roads - this stays with them and when they drive, instinctively start to spot them and other road users. However its easier to give em a phone/ tablet to amuse themselves with and more importantly keep them quiet.

Not the best regarding ad breaks, unfurtunately many dont watch or take them in - either stream and run through them, make a drink, comfort break etc. I'll certainly not bother with ads and many younger people dont either.

Remember taking my cycling proficency we did it at school as had the stuff painted on the playground - first lesson was to get us to run through it to show how much we didn't know, 11 yo - I passed, if it had been a test. Did the test the next week. Only becasue I'd stuff instilled into me to keep me safe.

 

[hard top]

The German "rule of the right" is an excellent rule, but only if EVERYBODY knows about it and obeys it. It's fine for Germans, as they have been brought up with it.

The same in the Netherlands but then again, not all roads, so you have to keep eye out for the road signs and the markings on the road, indicating that drivers have the right of way.

 

[Toby]

If you know the USA there is such a thing as an “All way Stop” junction (sometimes called a 4 way stop). They’re used on not so busy roads instead of a traffic signal and they also work fine if all drivers use the brain.
I read earlier that the Govt.is considering bringing in a law for “Causing death by dangerous cycling” a bit ironic really.

Tony.

Love the way the 4 way stops work - everyone so polite, we always said, 'they wouldnt work back in the UK '.
OTOH watching them trying to get to grips with roundabouts

 

[Rha]

Agreed Toby but if what you say is right then we'd all have a weight problem with all the extra food and drink we would consume having over 15mins of adds per hr. I hate ads but it would at least show some commitment towards road safety which I believe is not very well catered for in this country's media. Now tell me you haven't noticed the ad with the children dressed in marshal arts gear in the back of their dads car when he goes over the red light then fails to see ped crossing road.
I rest my case.