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Evening

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but as someone who has just relocated to Sheffield, I have noticed the following:

 

A zebra crossing does not provide a safe crossing for pedestrians

 

Letting a vehicle out will secure a gestured thank you (less than one in ten)

 

Am I just being old-fashioned but has anyone else noticed this?

 

As always, your thoughts are appreciated.

 

Cheers

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I love all debates concerning driving because I do it for a living and and try to be as professional as I can at all times.

 

On zebra crossings...the pedestrian ONLY has right of way once they have actually stepped onto the crossing! The pedestrian MUST NOT cross or attempt to cross if it's not safe!! A lot of pedestrians THINK they have priority but this is not the case.

 

When you let a vehicle out it is because you are courteous and like to keep momentum of traffic. If the person doesn't respond then simply rise above it because you have already proved you are a better person and a driver. (Also remember reg number and don't let them out again).

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My fave has to be the zebra crossing on the roundabout junction; think it's on/near/or off Barnsley Road.

 

---------- Post added 20-03-2015 at 21:21 ----------

 

Indeedy WeedNoMore.

 

Maybe you are being a tad negative po15aw - noticing all of the dodgy stuff and not the good?

 

You know like the way you always think your toast lands jam side down when in fact it's more like 50/50!

 

Just a thought -:thumbsup: Welcome to Sheff.

 

I wouldn't say that - I've met some fantastic people too and sure that I'll meet a few more . . .

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My fave has to be the zebra crossing on the roundabout junction; think it's on/near/or off Barnsley Road.

 

:D read my post above re zebra crossings

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Oops! it is a Z for zebra and not a z :rolleyes: What the hell has spelling got to do with knowing the road courteous procedure (I can spell ;))

 

I should OF realised....or should that be should HAVE realised :D

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I moved to Sheffield 8 years ago from just outside London and the first thing I noticed was how much more courteous the majority of drivers here are. For a start, people do actually let you out into traffic. Down south you have no option but to gradually push your way out. Also, in my experience, it's very rare not to receive an acknowledgement if I give way to another driver.

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I agree with anne53, comparing to Dutch drivers, even in rural circumstances, drivers in Sheffield are twice as polite. Sure you still get your unaware, make-up applying BMW 1-series driverettes (Yes, you at 4.45 on Parkside Road S6.) but in general drivers here are great, don't believe me? Try Manchester or Leeds for nearby comparison, it isn't a patch on what we have here.

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Evening

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but as someone who has just relocated to Sheffield, I have noticed the following:

 

A zebra crossing does not provide a safe crossing for pedestrians

 

Letting a vehicle out will secure a gestured thank you (less than one in ten)

 

Am I just being old-fashioned but has anyone else noticed this?

 

As always, your thoughts are appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Sounds like a different Sheffield. The vast majority of drivers I let out at junctions or let through past parked car's for example, give me a "thank you" gesture. I don't pass many zebra crossings, but I've never seen any problems at the ones I do use (either as a pedestrian or driver).

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I love all debates concerning driving because I do it for a living and and try to be as professional as I can at all times.

 

On zebra crossings...the pedestrian ONLY has right of way once they have actually stepped onto the crossing! The pedestrian MUST NOT cross or attempt to cross if it's not safe!! A lot of pedestrians THINK they have priority but this is not the case.

 

While this is true you need to be careful about bullying your way across the crossing as a motorist.

 

You must look out for pedestrians that might want to cross and you must be prepared to slow down and stop in case they do want to cross. If they start to cross then you must stop and let them cross.

 

While the pedestrian must only cross if it is safe to do so the motorist is the one with the responsibility to make it safe as they approach the crossing.

If a motorist is speeding up to a crossing or are travelling at a speed where the pedestrian would be unsafe to step out then the motorist is the one that is breaking the rules. The pedestrian is likely to be injured or die but the motorist will be the one at fault.

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You missed out:

 

Trying to overtake on T junctions.

 

Trying to overtake buses or other long vehicles when there is oncoming traffick 50 feet away.

 

People closing their eyes and hoping for the best when driving onto a roundabout.

 

People in oncoming traffic see you are waiting to turn right and deliberately slown down.

 

When you are turning right at a triangle juntion and waiting for oncoming traffic travelling at speed to pass ... only to see them break suddenly and turn up the road you're aim to take.

 

What are pedestrians anyway?

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I love all debates concerning driving because I do it for a living and and try to be as professional as I can at all times.

 

On zebra crossings...the pedestrian ONLY has right of way once they have actually stepped onto the crossing! The pedestrian MUST NOT cross or attempt to cross if it's not safe!! A lot of pedestrians THINK they have priority but this is not the case.

 

When you let a vehicle out it is because you are courteous and like to keep momentum of traffic. If the person doesn't respond then simply rise above it because you have already proved you are a better person and a driver. (Also remember reg number and don't let them out again).

 

If you fail to stop for a pedestrian that is waiting to cross at a zebra crossing you will fail your driving test.

 

Zebra crossings work best when all drivers slow down when they see a pedestrian waiting to cross, the pedestrian will then feel safe to cross and more often than not can get across before the driver stops.

 

The rules for drivers and pedestrians contradict each other.

 

The highway code tells a driver to look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross, and be aware of pedestrians approaching from the side of the crossing. You MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing.

 

A pedestrian is told to give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross, and to wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing. Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing.

 

The one thing they both agree on is that the driver MUST stop if you step onto the crossing, so I step onto them and this encourages all drivers to slow down and most of the time they have no need to stop.

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