4 ms·

In most countries in Europe (certainly in the UK, and other places I have visited), pedestrians have a separate crossing phase to the rest of traffic. The US i

In most countries in Europe (certainly in the UK, and other places I have visited), pedestrians have a separate crossing phase to the rest of traffic. The US is unusual in expecting pedestrians to cross while traffic is also trying to negotiate an intersection.

gambiting 8y ago
In some EU countries(Poland) pedestrians have a green light to go, even though cars turning right also have a green light - cars are expected to watch out for pedestrians crossing, even when they have a green light to go. I live in UK and the part of the traffic codex that seems to be unknown to literally all British drivers is the one that says "pedestrians have priority over cars making a turn" - so if you are crossing a road near an intersection and a car is making a turn into that road you are just crossing, you have absolute priority even in the absence of a designated crossing - but drivers get really upset and honk and wave as if you are in their way. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203#rule170 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-... "watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"
- nothrabannosir 8y ago
  > part of the traffic codex that seems to be unknown to literally all British drivers is the one that says "pedestrians have priority over cars making a turn" They have a very efficient system for reminding fellow road users, though. Two fingers in the air slightly apart, a pedestrian’s walking legs upside down, indicating the priority reversal. People are generally very receptive to this, because it is quintessentially British to understand you have to live together harmoniously to get ahead in life.
  - teddyh 8y ago
    Please don’t spread dangerous misinformation, even as a joke. Note to non-UK-residents: The described gesture is, in fact, a very rude insulting gesture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#As_an_insult https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#As_an_insult
    - watermanio 8y ago
      > dangerous misinformation Oh come on, making a V sign is not dangerous. Most likely, someone shouts an original insult to you.
      - glenneroo 8y ago
        I've been followed home and threatened in the US for giving a driver who was tailgating the middle finger. Are you saying that in the UK this would never happen? I certainly wouldn't risk provoking random strangers, especially those who are not following traffic codex.
        Plasmoid2000ad 8y ago
        Very unlikely. Fuels costs are way too high for anyone in the UK to consider diverting from their regular commute.
- justincormack 8y ago
  I think pedestrians have priority almost all the time on UK roads but drivers don't care.
- n4r9 8y ago
  Wow! All along I'd been thinking that those pedestrians who cross near a junction with barely more than a glance over their shoulder were reckless and unjustified. Now I guess I think it's just reckless.
distances 8y ago
> In most countries in Europe (certainly in the UK, and other places I have visited), pedestrians have a separate crossing phase to the rest of traffic. I don't have numbers but I think this is the other way around: UK is the exception while most of Europe have pedestrians cross with turning traffic. As a pedestrian I prefer the "normal" way of sharing the crossing with turning cars. In UK you'll have to wait for a way too long time for the pedestrian green light, and as a result (?) people cross pretty regularly against the red light. This is the case for London at least -- could also be that people are just more impatient in such a crowded metropolis.

gambiting 8y ago

In some EU countries(Poland) pedestrians have a green light to go, even though cars turning right also have a green light - cars are expected to watch out for pedestrians crossing, even when they have a green light to go. I live in UK and the part of the traffic codex that seems to be unknown to literally all British drivers is the one that says "pedestrians have priority over cars making a turn" - so if you are crossing a road near an intersection and a car is making a turn into that road you are just crossing, you have absolute priority even in the absence of a designated crossing - but drivers get really upset and honk and wave as if you are in their way. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203#rule170 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-... "watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"

nothrabannosir 8y ago
> part of the traffic codex that seems to be unknown to literally all British drivers is the one that says "pedestrians have priority over cars making a turn" They have a very efficient system for reminding fellow road users, though. Two fingers in the air slightly apart, a pedestrian’s walking legs upside down, indicating the priority reversal. People are generally very receptive to this, because it is quintessentially British to understand you have to live together harmoniously to get ahead in life.
- teddyh 8y ago
  Please don’t spread dangerous misinformation, even as a joke. Note to non-UK-residents: The described gesture is, in fact, a very rude insulting gesture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#As_an_insult https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#As_an_insult
  - watermanio 8y ago
    > dangerous misinformation Oh come on, making a V sign is not dangerous. Most likely, someone shouts an original insult to you.
    - glenneroo 8y ago
      I've been followed home and threatened in the US for giving a driver who was tailgating the middle finger. Are you saying that in the UK this would never happen? I certainly wouldn't risk provoking random strangers, especially those who are not following traffic codex.
      - Plasmoid2000ad 8y ago
        Very unlikely. Fuels costs are way too high for anyone in the UK to consider diverting from their regular commute.
justincormack 8y ago
I think pedestrians have priority almost all the time on UK roads but drivers don't care.
n4r9 8y ago
Wow! All along I'd been thinking that those pedestrians who cross near a junction with barely more than a glance over their shoulder were reckless and unjustified. Now I guess I think it's just reckless.

distances 8y ago

> In most countries in Europe (certainly in the UK, and other places I have visited), pedestrians have a separate crossing phase to the rest of traffic. I don't have numbers but I think this is the other way around: UK is the exception while most of Europe have pedestrians cross with turning traffic. As a pedestrian I prefer the "normal" way of sharing the crossing with turning cars. In UK you'll have to wait for a way too long time for the pedestrian green light, and as a result (?) people cross pretty regularly against the red light. This is the case for London at least -- could also be that people are just more impatient in such a crowded metropolis.