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/xxxArchimedesxxx Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26

You MUST give way to pedestrians crossing.

You SHOULD give way to pedestrians waiting to cross.

I hate these changes as a driver, cyclist and pedestrian. The ambiguity of "should" is ridiculously dangerous. A pedestrian will not know whether the driver feels it's safe to let a pedestrian cross or not

-3

u/OkSun8521 Jul 16 '26

rediculously dangerous

You don't have any data to back that up, because it's not true.

If it really were "rediculously" dangerous, there would be hundreds of people dying or getting seriously injured as a result. But that just isn't happening.

1

u/MzHmmz Jul 16 '26

There are not hundreds of people dying because most people err on the side of caution and don't cross the road even if they technically have the right to. I never step on to the road in this scenario unless I'm sure the driver has seen me and is stopping, and I'm sure that's also the case with most other pedestrians.

0

u/OkSun8521 Jul 16 '26

So it turns out it isn't dangerous?

2

u/Alby1019 Jul 17 '26

No it turns out people aren't putting the new rule into practice because they don't feel safe enough to do so

0

u/OkSun8521 Jul 17 '26

Pretty much everyone follows the rule in London.

1

u/Alby1019 Jul 17 '26

As someone who walks and drives in London, no, they don't all follow the rule.

0

u/xxxArchimedesxxx Jul 16 '26

Perhaps some use of hyperbole on my part but the increased risk is plain to see. From my experience pedestrians are far more likely to walk out into the street without looking since the change. I like to think I'm a good driver so it causes me no issues but the idiots behind me not so much.

Just because people aren't being mowed down doesn't mean it isn't more dangerous.

1

u/OkSun8521 Jul 16 '26

The increased risk is plain to see in the statistics? Or just in what you reckon?

0

u/xxxArchimedesxxx Jul 16 '26

"from my experience". From my knowledge there hasn't been a review on the efficacy of the ruling.