pedestrian has the right of way!

stek

If you are driving along turn a corner and come across a pedestrian crossing the road, the pedestrian has the right of way!!! please stop blowing your horns at me!!
quote from the rules of the road-
As a driver, you must not put a pedestrian at risk. In particular, you must give way to pedestrians:

• on or at a zebra crossing (even if they are only waiting to cross),

• on or at a pelican crossing, when the amber light is flashing,

• crossing the road, if you are moving off from a stationary position (for example at a traffic light or a parking space), and

at a junction, if they have started crossing the road

Kess73

The Pedestrian also has a duty not to put themselves at risk and not to run the risk of causing an accident by crossing roads at non designated area ie jaywalking.

Mena

Pick one forum to post in. Cross posting makes it impossible to keep track !

colm_mcm

Why don't you tell this to the people who are actually doing this to you?

DarkJager

I've seen this and I'm shocked by how anybody could be so stupid. I'm not talking about the drivers beeping you of course, I'm talking about this new thing of putting pedestrian crossings just around a blind corner.

There's a roundabout in here in Limerick just opposite Jurys Inn on the dock road. A few months back, they decided to put a pedestrian crossing just on the start of the bridge. Problem is, once you turn the corner, you have a split second to realise there is a pedestrian crossing there, and usually there are cars stopped. It is extremely dangerous and unneeded...

Delirium

And pedestrians have the responsibility of check before they step onto the road. The amount of people who don't even check both ways, and just walk on as if it was still pavement drives me up the wall.:mad:
When on foot, I don't step onto the road if I see a car indicating to turn onto the street I'm crossing and check multiple times before stepping onto the road and while still on the road. Doesn't take much effort and would avoid a lot of nonsense on the streets.

Balmed Out

I find it weird how many people think they have the right of way over pedestrians when they are exiting, houses, bars, garages etc. especially garages actually.

-Chris-

I know that the pedestrian has right of way and that I have a duty of care not to hit them with my car, but I feel I'm well within my rights to blow my horn or flash my lights whenever a pedestrian is rude, arrogant or wreckless enough to walk out in front of a car just because they can.

I drive through the middle of Dublin every day and I will try my damndest not to endanger anyone, but you'd be shocked by how often people just step out in front of you or do that "half limp/half run" across the road.
I mainly get annoyed because, if I was a drunk driver (or an very old person or in the middle of a massive argument or on the phone), the fact that you had right of way would be cold comfort as you sat in a hospital bed with metal rods in your legs.

Cross where you're supposed to cross and when the green man says you can go!

</rant>

trellheim

There are certain places where you <must> cross unsafely.

Example : junction of Ranelagh Road and the Grand Parade [ at the canal bridge ]

there is 4 very busy streams of traffic [ canal east and west, and ranelagh in and out ]. It is also busy with pedestrians going from and to work or to the LUAS

Yet there is no pedestrian lights at the junction, and there is no relief since all lanes are busy all the time

Yet you get beeped when you try and cross.

What is not clearly understood by a lot of drivers is that that is why NO RIGHT TURNS are allowed at the junction for ALL turns

The law regarding rights-of-way is not well expressed or taught in this country.

h3000

stek wrote: »

If you are driving along turn a corner and come across a pedestrian crossing the road, the pedestrian has the right of way!!! please stop blowing your horns at me!!
quote from the rules of the road-
As a driver, you must not put a pedestrian at risk. In particular, you must give way to pedestrians:

• on or at a zebra crossing (even if they are only waiting to cross),

• on or at a pelican crossing, when the amber light is flashing,

• crossing the road, if you are moving off from a stationary position (for example at a traffic light or a parking space), and

at a junction, if they have started crossing the road

Granted some drivers can be very inpatient as can some pedestrians. But no driver goes out trying to put pedestrians in danger. The last thing a driver wants to do is endanger or injure a pedestrian. Some pedestrians have no regard for their own or anyone else’s safety

What about the pedestrians who walk across the road when the pedestrian light is red and then give car drivers who have a green light daggers for trying to drive up the road.

Everyone needs to respect each other on the roads.

MagicMarker

Having just come back from Canada, it's amazing how things differ. It is universally known that pedestrians have right of way at all times. I used to walk to and from work, and there were times where i'm approaching a road and cars would wait until i had crossed before they turned, when they could have easily completed the turn before i had of even stepped foot on the road.

I actually got into the habit myself when walking to work that i wouldn't even look when i crossed the road because i knew if there was any car near me they would stop, and never once was there a beep.

Of course you don't do this at a busy junction, because that's just stupid.

maidhc

stek wrote: »

If you are driving along turn a corner and come across a pedestrian crossing the road, the pedestrian has the right of way!!! please stop blowing your horns at me!!
quote from the rules of the road-
As a driver, you must not put a pedestrian at risk. In particular, you must give way to pedestrians:

• on or at a zebra crossing (even if they are only waiting to cross),

• on or at a pelican crossing, when the amber light is flashing,

• crossing the road, if you are moving off from a stationary position (for example at a traffic light or a parking space), and

at a junction, if they have started crossing the road

You are right, but note that it only applies to a non-signalised junction. Also, common sense must come into play. If you see a car is coming, dont just start walking. It is cold comfort to be in the right when dead.

-Chris-

MagicMarker wrote: »

Having just come back from Canada, it's amazing how things differ. It is universally known that pedestrians have right of way at all times. I used to walk to and from work, and there were times where i'm approaching a road and cars would wait until i had crossed before they turned, when they could have easily completed the turn before i had of even stepped foot on the road.

You have to tailor your actions to match the prevailing habits, if the norm is that pedestrians have absolute right of way (I think this is in California as well as Canada), you'll annoy drivers by standing on the corner waiting to cross - they want you to get on with it! You can walk out across the road whenever you want and seeing as everyone knows this, it works well.
Put one of those people in a different city/state and they'll get knocked over in a matter of minutes.

The general wisdom in Ireland as I see it is:
-Don't run over pedestrians
-Don't walk out in front of cars
-Probably wait until the green man shows, but if it's clear you can jaywalk
-Some people will jaywalk, but if they run across in front of your car or if they saunter across while staring daggers at you, you're within your rights to beep

jhegarty

stek wrote: »

If you are driving along turn a corner and come across a pedestrian crossing the road, the pedestrian has the right of way!!! please stop blowing your horns at me!!
quote from the rules of the road-
As a driver, you must not put a pedestrian at risk. In particular, you must give way to pedestrians:

• on or at a zebra crossing (even if they are only waiting to cross),

• on or at a pelican crossing, when the amber light is flashing,

• crossing the road, if you are moving off from a stationary position (for example at a traffic light or a parking space), and

at a junction, if they have started crossing the road

Very good.... I am sure your next-of-kin will get a nice settlement after they scrape you off the road...

Wishbone Ash

Mena wrote: »

Pick one forum to post in. Cross posting makes it impossible to keep track !

+1

I'll have to cut and paste my response from the other Forum.

Wishbone Ash wrote:

While we are on the subject of pedestrians, here's a selection of more Rules of the Road. It's a two-way street if you'll excuse the pun.

Rules For Pedestrians

If there is a footpath, you must use it.

If there is no footpath, you must walk as near as possible to the right hand side.

Do not walk more than two abreast. If the road is narrow you should walk in single file.

You should always wear reflective clothing at night when walking outside built up areas.

You should always carry a torch at night.

Don't cross at a corner or a bend in the road.

Don't cross near the brow of a hill.

Don't cross near parked vehicles.

Don't cross where there are guard rail along the footpath.

Don't run across the road.

Never cross in front of a stopped bus.

Don't cross directly in the area in front of a truck as you will be in the driver's blind spot.

At zebra crossings, you do not have the right of way until you actually step onto the crossing. (This rule contradicts the one for drivers!).


____________________________

Regardless of rights of way and other legalities, a driver should, in the interests of safety, give way to pedestrians at all times. It can be frustrating though, when many pedestrians show no duty of care towards themselves and, in the event of an accident, the general public tend to blame the driver.

ninty9er

DarkJager wrote: »

There's a roundabout in here in Limerick just opposite Jurys Inn on the dock road. A few months back, they decided to put a pedestrian crossing just on the start of the bridge. Problem is, once you turn the corner, you have a split second to realise there is a pedestrian crossing there, and usually there are cars stopped. It is extremely dangerous and unneeded...

+1

This is especially the case in heavy traffic as the inbound left lane is usually free and the traffic in the right lane obscures the centre island of the crossing.

They've also put these on Kilmurry and Groody Roundabouts and the one at the Parkway is a joke....never heard of a footbridge??:mad::mad::mad:

ergonomics

ninty9er wrote: »

They've also put these on Kilmurry and Groody Roundabouts and the one at the Parkway is a joke....never heard of a footbridge??:mad::mad::mad:

The one at Parkway is a joke, as are the one's at Groody but the ones at Groody are desperately needed. It now drives me mad when I am crossing there (and I try to get across as quickly as possible, often running) and have drivers beeping and revving at me. Yes, I know it's in a stupid place but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to cross there. Drivers come flying across the roundabout, see me desperately trying to get across and then slam on their brakes and horn simultaneously. Like I said, I try and get across as quickly as possible but if someone beeps at me I stop, point at the pelican lights and walk at my normal pace.

cyclopath2001

Kess73 wrote: »

The Pedestrian also has a duty not to put themselves at risk and not to run the risk of causing an accident by crossing roads at non designated area ie jaywalking.

That's not an accurate understanding of the RoTR. Pedestrians are permitted to cross at non-designated areas. Any area that is not a pedestrian crossing is a non-designated area.

But if they decide to cross at designated areas they must obey the traffic signals (timed for vehicular convenience) and may be required to cross three junctions and wait at up to five signals before they are permitted to reach their destination. They are forbidden to cross within 5 car lengths of a designated crossing.

When crossing they must (by law) allow a sufficient time for vehicles to slow down safely and give way. It's recommended that pedestrians choose locations that are convenient for vehicle drivers.

Vehicles drivers, for their part, are not allowed run over pedestrians unless they have a really good reason to do so.

seclachi

MagicMarker wrote: »

Having just come back from Canada, it's amazing how things differ. It is universally known that pedestrians have right of way at all times. I used to walk to and from work, and there were times where i'm approaching a road and cars would wait until i had crossed before they turned, when they could have easily completed the turn before i had of even stepped foot on the road.

I found in Australia and Denmark that you use the pedestrian crossing at all times, jaywalking is a big nono. Thats for the major cities anyway, simply because theres such a large volume of traffic and the roads tend to be so wide. At busy junctions your liable to get killed, and then corpse would probably get a fine on top of it.

I actually got into the habit myself when walking to work that i wouldn't even look when i crossed the road because i knew if there was any car near me they would stop, and never once was there a beep.

Of course you don't do this at a busy junction, because that's just stupid.

Thats a pretty funny statement, I think it might one of those universal truths that its the quiet junction that always gets you in end, when some looney that goes blasting through.

On topic, I think as a driver you see far more bad pedestrians than seeing bad drivers as a pedestrians, especially in Ireland. You have to remember when you on the black tarmac remember the laws of physics more than the laws of the road, because the rules of the road are not going to protect you if you walk out infront of 5 tonne car on a blind corner.

Stark

AudiChris wrote: »

I know that the pedestrian has right of way and that I have a duty of care not to hit them with my car, but I feel I'm well within my rights to blow my horn or flash my lights whenever a pedestrian is rude, arrogant or wreckless enough to walk out in front of a car just because they can.

I do that to cars on the main road who keep coming at me just because they can! Gets me some odd looks though! (</sarc>)

AudiChris wrote: »

I drive through the middle of Dublin every day and I will try my damndest not to endanger anyone, but you'd be shocked by how often people just step out in front of you or do that "half limp/half run" across the road.
I mainly get annoyed because, if I was a drunk driver (or an very old person or in the middle of a massive argument or on the phone), the fact that you had right of way would be cold comfort as you sat in a hospital bed with metal rods in your legs.

Just because you're bigger doesn't mean you automatically have right of way.

AudiChris wrote: »

Cross where you're supposed to cross and when the green man says you can go!

If there's so signalised crossing with 15m or so, then the law says you can cross whereever.

ztoical

Stark wrote: »

If there's so signalised crossing with 15m or so, then the law says you can cross whereever.

cross where ever but not just step from pavement on to the road without any break. Was I the only one who had to do the whole look, listen, look, cross the road thing in school [I even got a badge] If you say cross where ever we'll have children flinging themselves out on the road. I can't count the amount of times I've driven along a road with someone walking on one side who out of the blue steps on to the road in front of me, no indication they are going to cross, no quick glance to see what else is around. I don't do that as a pedestrian, I would always look in both directions before crossing. Even on one way streets I look both ways as I had an idoit on a push bike going the wrong way up the street plow into me after I only checked the direction traffic should have been coming.

Like a few people have said there's not much joy in being right if your dead.

-Chris-

I said...

AudiChris wrote: »

I know that the pedestrian has right of way and that I have a duty of care not to hit them with my car...

and...

AudiChris wrote: »

...the fact that you had right of way [as a pedestrian]...

so you said...

Stark wrote: »

Just because you're bigger doesn't mean you automatically have right of way.

I don't getcha...

Sorry to everyone else for being pedantic, I don't mean to bring us OT.

Lilliput69

DarkJager wrote: »

I've seen this and I'm shocked by how anybody could be so stupid. I'm not talking about the drivers beeping you of course, I'm talking about this new thing of putting pedestrian crossings just around a blind corner.

There's a roundabout in here in Limerick just opposite Jurys Inn on the dock road. A few months back, they decided to put a pedestrian crossing just on the start of the bridge. Problem is, once you turn the corner, you have a split second to realise there is a pedestrian crossing there, and usually there are cars stopped. It is extremely dangerous and unneeded...

That pedestrian crossing is even more dangerous at night or even at dusk, cars fly around that roundabout because its so busy and then have to brake suddenly................ complete madness

Stark

AudiChris wrote: »

I don't getcha...

Sorry to everyone else for being pedantic, I don't mean to bring us OT.

Ah yes, you acknowledge someone's right of way in the technical sense but you left out the part about the beeping and the flashing despite them having right of way.

-Chris-

Stark wrote: »

Ah yes, you acknowledge someone's right of way in the technical sense but you left out the part about the beeping and the flashing despite them having right of way.

I grant them right of way, but I reserve the right to express my frustration if I think they're being wreckless or inconsiderate.

Kalotus

-Chris- wrote: »

I grant them right of way, but I reserve the right to express my frustration if I think they're being wreckless or inconsiderate.

Nope, horns are not supposed to express frustration:

Only use a horn to:

• warn other road users of on-coming danger, or
• make them aware of your presence for safety reasons when reasonably necessary.

Remember, the horn does not give you the right of way.
Do not use a horn in a built-up area between 23.30hrs and 07.00hrs unless there is a traffic emergency.

http://www.rotr.ie/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice/using-a-horn.html

Alanstrainor

Please don't drag up 4 year old threads.