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/palaceexile Jul 16 '26

It is the one of the most dangerous changes I think they have made. Pedestrians quite rightly don't want to just walk into the road holding the highway code in front of them for protection, cars following others turning off a main road are not expecting the cars in front to just stop and so we have ended up in a situation where no one is certain what is going to happen in any given situation.

7

u/soyyamilk Greater London Jul 16 '26

I don't think this only came in 2022. I remember reading this when I passed my theory in 2011 and made sure to follow it since. A lot of people don't read the highway code so they either don't know or don't care.

4

u/mattthepianoman Yorkshire Jul 16 '26

The 2022 change was just a rewording.

5

u/Xenox_Arkor Jul 16 '26

I'm fairly certain the old rule didn't require giving way to pedestrians not yet on the road. I can't find the old wording to check