Speed ramps becoming pedestrian crossings?

jasonb

Hi there,

I live in Kildare and I've noticed over the last few months that some new speed ramps are basically being treated like pedestrian crossings. It doesn't help that two white lines are being painted on them, forming a 'corridor' from one side of the road to another, and plastic bollards with arrows on them (to tell motorists that the road narrows at the speed ramp) also look like they're telling pedestrians to cross here.

It's got to the stage at some of them that pedestrians are assuming right of way and just crossing the road thinking that traffic will stop.

So, what's the story with these? Are they actually meant to be pedestrian crossings or are they just badly designed speed ramps?

Thanks...

J.

9935452

jasonb wrote: »

Hi there,

I live in Kildare and I've noticed over the last few months that some new speed ramps are basically being treated like pedestrian crossings. It doesn't help that two white lines are being painted on them, forming a 'corridor' from one side of the road to another, and plastic bollards with arrows on them (to tell motorists that the road narrows at the speed ramp) also look like they're telling pedestrians to cross here.

It's got to the stage at some of them that pedestrians are assuming right of way and just crossing the road thinking that traffic will stop.

So, what's the story with these? Are they actually meant to be pedestrian crossings or are they just badly designed speed ramps?

Thanks...

J.

Proper pedestrian crossings have flashing orange lights on both sides of the road. However the pedestrians have right of way and you will be in the wrong if you knock them down.

There seems to be a craze in the last few years of putting pedestrian crossings on all roads on roundabouts. Causes a lot of accidents

NIMAN

Agree with you, also traffic islands in the middle of roads are also being treated as crossings, with a lot of drivers stopping abruptly to let people cross when they don't have to.

corktina

pedestrians are road users too and if they get there before a motorist, they have the right of way. They may cross wherever they chose

jasonb

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that pedestrians shouldn't be allowed on the road and all that. I'm just saying that there are certain crossings (like at pedestrian traffic lights or Zebra crossings) where traffic is used to the idea of pedestrians crossing the road and having to stop for them, and pedestrians are also used to this.

However, it is safe to say that on most other sections of the roads, cars don't expect pedestrians to just walk in front of them, and most pedestrians wouldn't just cross wherever they want, and expect the traffic to stop. And these speed ramps are designed to look like a place for pedestrians to cross, and I'm wondering are they actual 'legal' pedestrian crossings (if you know what I mean?) or are they just standard speed ramps that are badly designed to potentially lure pedestrians into a false sense of security, i.e. by thinking 'we're meant to cross here and traffic will stop if we do'.

Put it another way. If I'm driving towards a Zebra crossing and I see someone at it waiting to cross, I'll stop. If I'm driving down a road with no crossings etc., and I see someone waiting to cross, I might not stop, depending on other factors (like how much traffic there is, what speed I'm doing, the weather etc.). Should I treat one of these speed ramps like I do a Zebra crossing, or like I do a normal section of road? And should pedestrians treat it like a Zebra crossing, or like a normal section of road?

J.

corktina

you have the situation wrong. You don't have to stop at a zebra unless someone is actually crosssing. Same applies to anyone waiting to cross anywhere. If they are actually in the road though, you have to give way to them whereever they are. When you think of it, a speed bump is a sensible place to cross as traffic will be going slower

listermint

corktina wrote: »

you have the situation wrong. You don't have to stop at a zebra unless someone is actually crosssing. Same applies to anyone waiting to cross anywhere. If they are actually in the road though, you have to give way to them whereever they are. When you think of it, a speed bump is a sensible place to cross as traffic will be going slower

If the pedestrian crossing has flashing beacons the onus is on the driver to stop to allow people to cross.

corktina

yes, if they are crossing.

stefanovich

corktina wrote: »

yes, if they are crossing.

You would need to be a mind reader!

corktina

corktina wrote: »

pedestrians are road users too and if they get there before a motorist, they have the right of way. They may cross wherever they chose

So a car travelling at 50km/hr on a normal road is expected to miraculously stop because once a pedestrian sets foot on the road "wherever they chose" they have right of way?
Pedestrians should follow the rules of the road.

Bigus

corktina wrote: »

pedestrians are road users too and if they get there before a motorist, they have the right of way. They may cross wherever they chose

How dare they cross where traffic is already going at its slowest at the ramps !

Op ; motorists are pedestrians with cars , the metal box you're travelling in doesn't give you automatic right of way.

visual

Need to be sending in repair cost to council for unnecessary damage to suspension. No car was designed to spend it's life bouncing up and down these things.

With the increase in pedestrian deaths a Jay walking law should be considered

jasonb

You know what, I didn't ask this question to start yet another motorist/cyclist/pedestrian debate, and it doesn't have to descend into one.

Let's be clear, I don't think driving a car gives you 'automatic right of way' and clearly if someone is crossing the road I'm not going to continue at full speed and possibly hit them just 'cos there's no Zebra crossing there!

However, and maybe I'm wrong here, but I believe in general practice traffic will stop at a Zebra crossing if someone wants to cross, but won't automatically stop in the middle of a normal road (with no crossings) if someone wants to cross. In other words, if I stand at a Zebra crossing, I expect the traffic to stop. If I stand at the side of the road, where there is no crossing, I expect to have to wait for a natural break in traffic.

All I'm asking is are these new speed ramps to be treated the same way? Should a pedestrian expect traffic to stop if they stand at one? It's a simple enough question I think, and can be answered without descending into the usual hyperbole that can get thrown around...

J.

Ah Jason, how can you deny everyone the opportunity!

I totally agree with your last post. Those speed bumps are not pedestrian crossings and shouldn't be treated as such.

listermint

corktina wrote: »

yes, if they are crossing.

if they are standing at the cross, that is their intention. Its up to the driver to stop. Please tell me you do this and not continue on over it leaving people not crossing ?

Sheldons Brain

9935452 wrote: »

There seems to be a craze in the last few years of putting pedestrian crossings on all roads on roundabouts. Causes a lot of accidents

Pedestrians always have the right of way while continuing on at junctions, so the pedestrian crossings don't change anything other than bring people's attention to the fact that this is the case. The accidents are caused by reckless drivers.

Riskymove

Deleted User wrote: »

So a car travelling at 50km/hr on a normal road is expected to miraculously stop because once a pedestrian sets foot on the road "wherever they chose" they have right of way?
Pedestrians should follow the rules of the road.

of course they should...however that doesn't negate the basic legal fact that pedestrians have right of way

right of way does not absolve you of blame in the event of an accident nor does it shield you from being run over

corktina

listermint wrote: »

if they are standing at the cross, that is their intention. Its up to the driver to stop. Please tell me you do this and not continue on over it leaving people not crossing ?

well of course I do, however I don't actually have to. Whoever gets to the crossing first has right of way, however a prudent pedestrians checks to make sure that they will be able to cross safely in the same way as I stop to facilitate a pedestrian I see trying to cross (at a crossing and sometimes elsewhere depending on circumatances).

jasonb

corktina wrote: »

(at a crossing and sometimes elsewhere depending on circumatances).

And this is exactly my point. At a crossing I'll stop to facilitate someone crossing whereas when I'm not at a crossing whether I stop or not depends on other factors. And that's what I'd expect as a pedestrian too.

However, I'm unsure as to whether these new speed ramps are meant to be treated the same way or not. In other words, do the local councils who put them up expect them to be treated as a crossing or not?

J.