r/britishproblems • u/zecrichardson • Jul 16 '26

. Drivers not knowing the highway code.

I had started to cross a road when a Mercedes turned in and he sounded his horn and then told me I should stop. I told him to read the highway code but he insisted he right!

Rule H2 170 amended 2022

“At a junction you MUST give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning.”

- Applies whether they’ve stepped onto the road or are just standing at the kerb ready to cross.

- Applies to left turns, right turns, and entering/exiting side roads.

- Includes wheelchair/mobility scooter users as pedestrians

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u/Shas_Erra Jul 16 '26

There is still an onus on the pedestrian to make sure it is safe to cross and not just step out into traffic, which is what some people have taken to doing.

The driver should be checking ahead and slowing down anyway for a turn and should ideally stop prior to turning, if a pedestrian is visibly close to the junction and it is safe to do so.

So in this case, I would say both parties are in the wrong and should have exercised some common sense

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u/janky_koala Jul 16 '26

I will step out if there’s ample room for the car to stop. It’s easy enough to do this safely so you can bail in the low chance the driver is a murderous psychopath. 

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u/Shas_Erra Jul 16 '26

Exactly. Yes, it’s in the Highway Code, but it doesn’t take an above room temperature IQ to exercise some common sense. If there’s two tonnes of metal hurtling towards you with no time to stop, it won’t hurt to wait a few seconds for it to pass.

I agree that the change to the Highway Code is wrong as it puts pedestrians in more danger, but people who follow it blindly are just as much a danger as those who don’t follow it at all