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Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

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Mike
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Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by Mike » Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:07 pm

They come into force on Saturday 29/01 :- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the- ... nuary-2022

Absolute madness IMHO, especially Parts 2, 4 and 8. :roll:
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Nighthawke
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Re: Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by Nighthawke » Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:22 pm

Totally agree Mike. I foresee a lot of hold-ups and potential collisons - opening for deliberate blame-claims probably. My wife and I both drive and cycle (usually off road where possible) so appreciate both from the other perspective. Riding two-abreat and further into the road is just ridiculous and just pushes vehicles even further towards the offside kerb/verge. Both sets of road users are at more risk IMHO.

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Mike
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Re: Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by Mike » Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:07 pm

Part 8 (The Dutch Reach) makes my blood boil, the photo shows a guy with his head half out of the driver's window looking backwards, how about just using that thing called a mirror before opening the door!

It'll be interesting to read what everyone says to my same post over on FC - especially from our retired driving instructor chap. :)
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Re: Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by Nighthawke » Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:25 pm

I will wait and see what responses come before deciding whether or not to "chip in" over there! :halo:

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andygolfer
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Re: Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by andygolfer » Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:55 pm

My guess is that it was written by a sponsor of 'just for profit' ambulances and crash recovery companies! Some of it does make a bit of sense (but implementing common sense would have sufficed without producing this document), but some seems to increase the danger rather than eliminate it - much as the way smart motorways work!.

section 1: The hierarchy places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy. It does not remove the need for everyone to behave responsibly. Assuming that pedestrians are likely to be top of that hierachy will they be expected to read and understand these rules (I know they are only guidance but that will get challenged when someone sees the chance of a claim) before they set foot on a public road or footpath? The only people who HAVE to read it are drivers before taking their driving test, for everyone else it's a matter of choice, if someone rolls out of a pub blind drunk onto a road do they have no responsibility for their actions?

section 2: when people are crossing or waiting to cross at a junction, other traffic should give way fine if they are already crossing but supposing they are standing on a junction talking on a mobile phone and not concentrating on the road(s) because they get a better signal there - 1: will drivers know if they are going to suddenly walk out because the signal dropped and thus form an orderly queue along the road (until a driver on the phone doesn't see the queue and causes a shunt), there will be 3endless cases of drivers stopping on a road because they 'think' that a person standing there is likely to walk out. 2: will pedestrians especially those distracted by a mobile phone have any responsibility not to hang around on street corners for any reason including business opportunities? 'Were you kerb crawling sir?' - 'no officer, I was just watching that pedestrian - honest!'
There needs to be a bit of common sense from pedestrians on that one - look and if the approaching car is indicating to turn WAIT! if not then proceed with caution.
It also doesn't state whether this applies to pedestrians crossing the side road only or can they stand there and cross the 'main' straight road at will and without consideration and expect all the traffic to stop (from both directions) even if it's a classified A road. At a minimum it needs to be clear that pedestrians only start to cross if the road(s) are clear.

Section 3 - is actually quite reasonable

section 4: Cyclists, 'riding in the centre of their lane on quiet roads, in slower-moving traffic and at the approach to junctions or road narrowings' how on earth does that improve safety? many roads are quiet roads at time but how do you define when they become not quiet i.e. noisy? As for staying in the centre of 'their lane' where the road narrows especially where there is no centre line for a stretch - surely you need to move over a bit and leave enough space for an oncoming vehicle to pass safely
The 0.5m away from the kerb is a sensible idea as it creates a small buffer between the cyclist and that person still on their mobile phone who suddenly steps out because they are looking at their screen rather than where they are walking.
cycling 2 abreast when in groups, you see thus a lot especially from cycling clubs I always thought it was a bit inconsiderate but my son in law who is a keen cyclist did explain why they do it - it narrows the road space so that a vehicle overtaking them will not try to squeeze through a gap that is barely a car width. A single cyclist is actually more at risk. The clubs will generally move into single file as soon as it's safe to do so (I know - there will always be exceptions) if they know a car is approaching from behind - electric cars will make that more interesting, If I'm overtaking a cyclist I always drop a gear or two so that he will hear my engine but I still pass at a slowish pace.
passing a parked vehicle - 'watch out for people walking into their path' how about pedestrians taking a bit of responsibility and looking before they walk out - again will pedestrians have to demonstrate a knowledge of the highway code before they step onto a public footway let alone a road. Again that modern invention of the mobile phone can be a big distraction for them - I often wonder why a driver can't use a mobile phone when driving) I understand that bit) but apparently a pedestrian bears no responsibility for his/her actions whilst using one on a public highway if it distracts them - how often do you see someone walk out in a road using a phone oblivious to what is going on around them?
(I'm really getting some of my pet hates off my chest here!).

Section 5 - again I think this is quite reasonable except the bit about people cycling may pass slower-moving or stationary traffic on their right or left can be quite dangerous, cyclists coming along between the kerb and car are a real hazard in my opinion and it should be discouraged.

Section 6: no comment

Section 7: Roundabouts, I thought the basic rule on a roundabout (in the UK) is give way to the right. follow that and roundabouts generally work well (even mini roundabouts). So ' people driving and or riding a motorcycle should allow people cycling to move across their path as they travel around the roundabout' yest it says cyclists (and horses) should keep to the left - if they do that there is surely no need to cross lanes, and quite simply the only time that should apply is when a driver is moving off the roundabout and then using common sense you turn off BEHIND the cyclist or horse. I wonder how long it will be before that Insultate Britain group cotton on to this and fill a roundabout with cyclists going round and round so that nobody can get on or off the roundabout?

Section 8 - the Dutch Reach (I'm sure I saw that advertised in a rather sleazy window in Amsterdam many years ago), I have been aware of this idea for a while which might work if you are young and nimble but there will be loads of elderly folk queueing up at hospitals because of torn muscles and wanting physiotherapy on the NHS (another drain on it's resources). YES like Mike says - use the mirror and just make sure it's angled right to avoid blindspots, there again that puts responsibility on the user which is something elements in our society are dead against. ~And what about those rules for cyclists to keep a safe distance in section 4 : take care when passing parked vehicles, leaving enough room (a door’s width or 1 metre) to avoid being hit if a car door is opened the author clearly doesn't think cyclists (or pedestrians) will read this! As for pedestrians, as long as they haven't got their face in their mobile phone they should be aware enough to see a door opening and keep out of the way (unless they are running of course).
And charging electric vehicles - I bet the lawyers of this country have been preparing the 'not your fault- let us make a claim for you' literature for ages hoping to pick up business from trailing cables. That really is going to be a problem especially for people who hang leads out of the 5th floor of a tower block directly onto the road, I've wondered for ages how this will work and at chucking out time from the clubs and pubs I'm sure those that don't trip over them in a drunken stupor will find ways of improving them as a weapon for inflicting all sorts of injury - did our death penalty ever include execution by electrocution? or of course disconnecting the leads from a car and dropping it into an adjacent fish pond to watch the fish convulsing ad nauseum. And to make matters worse the warning signs will be handy weapons to throw around when the football result hasn't gone the right way. I wonder what scams will arise out of the electric car age and charging at the roadside. I bet someone has already fabricated an extension lead to tap onto their neighbour's charging lead in the dead of night! Sorry - I digress

Anyway let the fun begin tomorrow morning - what will be the first accident caused by these rules?
Andygolfer (or at least I was once), now just plane crazy

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Mike
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Re: Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by Mike » Fri Jan 28, 2022 6:21 pm

So you're quite happy with the changes then, Andy? :lol:
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andygolfer
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Re: Are all you drivers ready for the Highway Code changes?

Post by andygolfer » Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:44 am

Mike wrote:
Fri Jan 28, 2022 6:21 pm
So you're quite happy with the changes then, Andy? :lol:
some make sense but some don't and some are totally ridiculous. :mad: :???:

The worst one of all is in section 2 : when people are crossing or waiting to cross at a junction, other traffic should give way. That's fine is somebody is already crossing the roadbut as I said previously how will a driver know if they are planning to cross the road or not - they could be standing there for a multitude of reasons.

Think about this - what do cars have to tell others what they are doing that pedestrians don't? (although as an aside aircraft marshalls do) - INDICATORS!!!!!!!
so, who is better informed about the other's intentions? the pedestrian because he can see the driver's signals, the driver doesn't have a reciprocal luxury.
taking that into consideration who is better placed to react to the other's actions appropriately? - the pedestrian (the driver potentially has no idea of what the pedestrian is going to do, he can only best guess).
It is therefore logical that the best way to prevent an accident is for the pedestrian to give way to the driver because he has more information to help his decision making, for the driver it's pure guesswork.
The driver is expected to drive with due care and attention and by using indicators he is doing that yet he can still be at risk because the pedestrian cannot tell him what they are going to do - it makes far more sense for the better informed party to be the one giving way, not the other way round
rant over for now!
Andy
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