Should I Complain?

Mingey

This morning on my way into work at the artane roundabout on the malahide rd, I was in the right lae stopped at the pedestrian lights. In the left lane beside me was a coach. There were a couple of schoolgirls walking across while pedestrian lights were still green. As they got to the centre bit, their lights began to flash and our traffic lights flashed orange. The girls started to run and the coach started to go and beeped at them and proceeded to pick up others from the bus stop a few metres beyond the lights.

What I want to know is, I am fairly certain the pedestrians have right of way when this happens. The coach nearly hit them because he wasn't looking to the right and then made it out that they were in the wrong. Should I make a complaint to the company?

Stevie Dakota

Yes. Professional drivers have a great responsibility and need to know they are accountable for their driving. Even he gets a mild telling off he may be more vigilant next time.

Anan1

I'm pretty sure you're right too, i'd complain.

biko

Yeah, when flashing cars must still give way to pedestrians.

Apparently cars are not even allowed to hit pedestrians when lights are green. Heh.

Mingey

biko wrote: »

Apparently cars are not even allowed to hit pedestrians when lights are green. Heh.

Lousy Pedestrians, and they'd complain too if I drove on the footpath

Mingey

Not answering their phones and no email address. Gradys coaches if anyone knows them.

stesaurus

Mingey wrote: »

This morning on my way into work at the artane roundabout on the malahide rd, I was in the right lae stopped at the pedestrian lights. In the left lane beside me was a coach. There were a couple of schoolgirls walking across while pedestrian lights were still green. As they got to the centre bit, their lights began to flash and our traffic lights flashed orange. The girls started to run and the coach started to go and beeped at them and proceeded to pick up others from the bus stop a few metres beyond the lights.

What I want to know is, I am fairly certain the pedestrians have right of way when this happens. The coach nearly hit them because he wasn't looking to the right and then made it out that they were in the wrong. Should I make a complaint to the company?

I believe the correct course of action in this situation is to rev your engine really loud and then proceed to p*ss yourself laughing at the results!

Yeah I'd report them, traffic watch, local guards, his employers and maybe even let the school know. They might want to get involved.

cormac_byrne

I'm not certain the coach was in the wrong. It there's a central island, then the two crossings should be considered as seperate.

If the 'orange man' was flashing before the girls got to the island they should not have attempted the second section. They should have waited on the island until the lights changed again.

If the girls hadn't started crossing the second section when the traffic signals changed from red to flashing amber, then the bus was correct to move off, he would not have been expecting further pedestrians to step onto the road.

(because their signal would be indicating to them not to start crossing i.e. 'flashing orange man')

However having said that, a smart motorist will always keep an eye out for pedestrians who try to do a last second dash if they see that traffic hasn't started moving yet.

OldmanMondeo

cormac_byrne wrote: »

(because their signal would be indicating to them not to start crossing i.e. 'flashing orange man')

The light for the traffic was also flashing amber, therefore the bus driver should have waited. By the sounds of the junction, as I don't know it, there is a school nearby, the coach driver probably knew that, sounds like a local company doing school runs, so he should know what kids are like.

OP your right to complain.

With saying the above, someone here mentioned about reving the engine when the lights change / flash. When I was younger and stupid I remember reving the engine at a red light as some auld lad cross the road, poor fecker nearly poo'd himself, I and my passangers broke our sh1t laughing. Wasn't nice on hte poor bloke and I do feel bad and havn't done since. (await's Boards punishment / abuse).

Drummerboy08

After seeing the damage that coach in Enfield done ths morning, that driver needs a good kick up the ar*e.

stealthyspeeder

OldmanMondeo wrote: »

With saying the above, someone here mentioned about reving the engine when the lights change / flash. When I was younger and stupid I remember reving the engine at a red light as some auld lad cross the road, poor fecker nearly poo'd himself, I and my passangers broke our sh1t laughing. Wasn't nice on hte poor bloke and I do feel bad and havn't done since. (await's Boards punishment / abuse).

(Mounts high horse)

Thats terrible, you are a terrible driver, very cruel.

(dismounts high horse)

Its funny doing it it to a group of lads who know they shouldnt be crossing, they start off swaggering across and end up on the other side challenging Usain Bolt for a sprint!:D

stesaurus

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

(Mounts high horse)

Thats terrible, you are a terrible driver, very cruel.

(dismounts high horse)

Its funny doing it it to a group of lads who know they shouldnt be crossing, they start off swaggering across and end up on the other side challenging Usain Bolt for a sprint!:D

Yeah um theoretically if you were to do this to a group of girls dressed up in some nice mini skirts and loose fitting tops it could be very amusing! Theoretically speaking of course!!! :cool:

Esel

s.welstead wrote: »

Yeah um theoretically if you were to do this to a group of girls dressed up in some nice mini skirts and loose fitting tops it could be very amusing! Theoretically speaking of course!!! :cool:

I would have thought you'd flash them?

stesaurus

esel wrote: »

I would have thought you'd flash them?

Nah just gave my horn a bit of a bang afterwards:D

Big Wave

cormac_byrne wrote: »

I'm not certain the coach was in the wrong. It there's a central island, then the two crossings should be considered as seperate.

If the 'orange man' was flashing before the girls got to the island they should not have attempted the second section. They should have waited on the island until the lights changed again.

If the girls hadn't started crossing the second section when the traffic signals changed from red to flashing amber, then the bus was correct to move off, he would not have been expecting further pedestrians to step onto the road.

(because their signal would be indicating to them not to start crossing i.e. 'flashing orange man')

However having said that, a smart motorist will always keep an eye out for pedestrians who try to do a last second dash if they see that traffic hasn't started moving yet.

The rules for an amber light are that you don't proceed if someone is crossing or ABOUT to cross - this is from the ROTR. Complain to them!

cormac_byrne

Big Wave wrote: »

The rules for an amber light are that you don't proceed if someone is crossing or ABOUT to cross - this is from the ROTR. Complain to them!

actually it says :-

"A flashing amber light at a pelican crossing gives priority to pedestrians"

I'm not disagreeing with anyone in saying that pedestrians have right of way on the road. I am saying that you might not assume a pedestrian is about to cross a road when they havn't quite reached the crossing point yet and you can see that the signals there are telling them NOT to cross.

We cannot condemn the bus driver if we don't know how far from the crossing point the girls were when the traffic signal changed from red to flashing amber.


more from ROTR:-

If there is a central island at the pedestrian lights, the "green man" or "cross now" sign will let you cross only as far as that. You must then press the push button at another set of lights to cross the rest of the way.

You do not have the right-of-way over other traffic until you actually step onto the crossing.

http://www.rotr.ie/rules-for-pedestrians-cyclists-motorcyclists/pedestrians/pedestrians_safe-crossing-places.html#pedestrian-lights

AAARON

i know the area very wel where that happend its on going there you should see it at lunch time every week day someone is gonna get killed think they should swap them for traffic lights