Pedestrians Set to be Given Priority Over Vehicles at Crossings

[presta]

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and...s-set-given-priority-over-vehicles-crossings/

I can't see why this isn't being trialled more widely TBH.

"the current set-up automatically detects when pedestrians are waiting at a crossing and vehicles are approaching but that the average waiting time to cross the road was 20 seconds"

Not in my experience. Round here you can press the button, wait until the traffic stops, and then wait some more whilst it gives green to the traffic on the other leg of the junction.

The only problem I foresee is that it gives instant gratification to kids who like pressing the button just for fun.

 

[Arjimlad]

It's especially annoying whenever it is chucking it down - on the shared pavement infra round here sometimes, to avoid a very busy roundabout, you need to stop and beg to cross four sets of traffic lights - as if anyone ever wanted to rest a while in the middle of the dual carriageway - whilst those in motorised vehicles in the warm and dry carry on their merry way. It can take five minutes just to turn right at the roundabout using these crossings.

 

[MontyVeda]

most ped crossings in Lancaster are timed to let the traffic flow into and across the one-way system... I imagine a free for all on the crossings might cause gridlock, which is fine by me. I don't drive.

 

[mjr]

Good! It's long overdue. Ban 'beg buttons' that make you wait until the road clears or minutes pass, and especially 'placebo pushbuttons' that only light a 'wait' sign until the point in the cycle when a green man is displayed anyway.

Legally, walkers already have priority regardless of crossing lights and the red man/whatever is only advisory, but the threat of motorised killing and public victim-blaming rather dissuades people from asserting it in practice.

 

[Oldhippy]

Good, as above.

 

[Drago]

Motor vehicles should be confined to th narrow footway and us humans, who are supposed to be the dominant life form, should have the nice wide roads to ourselves. The world as it is has become utterly topsy turvy.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Motor vehicles should be confined to th narrow footway and us humans, who are supposed to be the dominant life form, should have the nice wide roads to ourselves. The world as it is has become utterly topsy turvy.

Totally
If I can afford a RangeAudiMW withe all the extras then I have a right GIVEN BY GOD to go first

you'll be telling me that cyclist can share the damn road next!!!

 

[Bonzothechippy]

Sounds reasonable,I’ll just have to remember to avoid the crossings outside schools 😂

 

[yello]

Tbh, I thought pedestrians always had right of way - crossing or no. Or maybe times have changed since my driving instructor told me that... in the 70s. In reality, it doesn't work like that though and we all know and have experienced it.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

On a more reasonable note

can;t really see it working that well except in a few places

at school kicking out time - even if the little darlings behave - the a whole load of kids turning up at random but within 30 minutes or so - could mean main road backing up

and before you know it there are letters to the local paper which sees the opportunity for a campaign
and then it all gets reversed and the money spent on detectors and stuf - plus installation - goes to waste

 

[Drago]

Tbh, I thought pedestrians always had right of way - crossing or no. Or maybe times have changed since my driving instructor told me that... in the 70s. In reality, it doesn't work like that though and we all know and have experienced it.

Your instructor should have been telling you that there is no such thing as right of way in this context.

There is only  priority, a courtesy you should extend to other users as when rules dictate, and never blithly assume for yourself.

 

[yello]

Hah, I actually said priority when I asked my wife about it and she 'corrected' me! (It was her experience. I didn't have a driving instructor, didn't do my test in the UK even) But whatever, over 40 years ago, who remembers word-for-word conversations from that long ago.

 

[blackrat]

Around here the permissive walk lights are at every junction that have traffic lights but none of them actually work. As the city says: We can't have pedestrians interrupting traffic flow.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Not in my experience. Round here you can press the button, wait until the traffic stops, and then wait some more whilst it gives green to the traffic on the other leg of the junction.

Same here, one waits ages before pedestrian or cycle traffic lights change.
A Spanish friend of mine once remarked on it, she said it takes a long time to cross here compared to Spain.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

most ped crossings in Lancaster are timed to let the traffic flow into and across the one-way system... I imagine a free for all on the crossings might cause gridlock, which is fine by me. I don't drive.

Here in Copenhagen they do a similar thing, but it's called "The Green Wave" (as in lights are all green as you get to them) and you'll never guess which transport mode it's timed for