[Drivingforfun]

A woman tried to cross the road in front of my car about 30 yards away from a zebra crossing and got the right hump when I didn't stop...She started crossing from the opposite side of the road, too, so I had time to pass her before she got to "my" bit of road, if that makes a difference

I know the pedestrian technically has to put a foot out onto the crossing, so she was well shy of that... but I still try to go beyond that, even I thought this lady was taking the mick a bit though, I'd expect a half hearted attempt to be vaguely near the crossing..

I'm usually told by family and friends I'm the most reasonable driver they know as I am often yielding when I'm perfectly within my rights to proceed, just sometimes you have to make a quick decision and to my subconscious it just seemed inappropriate to stop for her...

I'm probably overthinking this because I don't often encounter anger on the roads, probably as I'm usually too yielding, but just wondering if anyone would've done something different?

[Mark07]

I've done it many myself, but why don't pedestrians take the extra steps to cross safely at a crossing?

[Drivingforfun]

I agree, Mark

I've said this before but I'm well aware that in modern society people like to make a point of being victims or "in the right" - however, surely you'd want to ensure your safety regardless of who has the moral or legal high ground??

Knowing your rights doesn't protect you from 2 tons of metal, even if the person driving those 2 tons is in the wrong!!

[NMNeil]

You mean like this?
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/164594...ters-blocking/

[Rolebama]

I had a guy step out in front of me near a crossing causing me to an emergency stop. (From about 20/25mph.) I grabbed a piece of paper and a biro, leapt out of my van and, in a very loud voice, asked for his autograph. This was on a very bust high street, and my raised voice attracted a few watchers. The guy gave me a puzzled look, and I said that he must be Superman as he was totally happy that he would walk away unscathed if I had hit him. The onlookers began to laugh and he was obviously very embarrassed. Haven't seen him since and I wonder if he got the message.

[TC1474]

The problem we have at the moment is that the public have very quickly latched onto the new elements put int the most recent addition of the Highway Code and are using it to their advantage.

What the current HC now says is

There is now a hierarchy of road users who is most at risk in the event of a collision, starting with pedestrians at the top, followed by cyclists and it goes all the way down to HGV drivers at the bottom.

To this end, an additional requirement was included within the Highway Code that makes it a requirement for drivers to give way to pedestrians at junctions as well as at Zebra or other controlled crossings, which means that -if a pedestrian steps into the carriageway at a junction because they cannot be bothered to use the pelican or zebra crossing 20 yards away and a collision occurs resulting in injury, the car driver will be held liable.

But it is also being interpretated as "If a pedestrian crosses in any part of the road" the driver will be held liable, and the worry is that these people (schoolkids becoming some of the worst offenders) are using these new rule to make fake cash for crash claims and making easy money. (I should add its not just kids but a whole spectrum, but the kids loiter on street corners and are playing chicken knowing they can make easy money in the right conditions)

This new rule was added by a member of the Pedestrian society and there was no consultation on the inclusion> I know of a dozen personal injury cases where already settlement has had to be made because of this ruling which has been in for about 18 - 24 months.

So back to the original point made by the OP, I think now there is no such thing as being unreasonable. I take any pedestrian stepping out as a potential threat, and most/many of them are playing on this fact, other than the other reason namely they have their faces planted so deeply into their mobile devices they are not even on the planet, but that is another story.