I thought about that example too as Leeds Rhinos were at home today and similar happens outside the stadium. You’d be sat blocking the main road for 20 minutes waiting for everyone to clear the junction.
You're right but it makes it quite hard to really enforce. Can you fine someone for parking 9.5metres by accident? Another similar one is on brows of hills or blind bends when its open to interpretation what is and isn't legal. Basically I don't like rules that aren't clear.
In Germany, pedestrians and cyclists have priority when walking/cycling straight on at a turn off or roundabout. It's been like that for decades and works very well, everyone knows where they stand and what to do. I've spent years trying to educate my wife not to get run over here in the UK - out of habit she just steps out into the road at a junction without looking. Conversely, when I'm in Germany I usually stop and look, often resulting in a bizarre "after you Claude" situation if a car is waiting for me to cross. Cycles must ride on the pavement, not on the road, except where there's no pavement or where there are designated cycle lanes on the road. The system works very well, far better than here, and I honestly believe it's just a case of us getting used to it.
What is the actual benefit of it though? Of people just being allowed to walk out? I genuinely don't see any benefit apart from it saves pedestrians a few seconds
Apart from cycling on pavements, which is just silly, it's pretty much the same for The Netherlands. Having cycle lanes in all but the smallerst of roads helps a lot too though. I think the new rules are good, though as with most British road rules, it irks me that most of them are recommendations and not actualy rules. Way too few of the things in the highway code specify "must" or "must not" but are limited to "should' or "should not".
I've cycled in both Germany and UK, and much prefer Germany as it's safer by far. In fact, I wouldn't cycle here, other than off road on a trail or whatever. To clarify the cycling on pavements issue, cyclists use the outside, near the road, and pedestrians use the inside. In most big cities there are cycle lanes so the pavements are free for pedestrians. It really works well, because everyone is used to it, even though most people over here (or in Holland ) initially think it's daft.
Safety is, I believe, the main benefit. Also, the Germans want more people to walk or cycle, for environmental and fitness reasons, so they try to encourage it by giving them priority.
I get the encouraging walking part but then my head says that surely it's worse for the environment stopping and starting cars than legs. I really don't understand the safety part though because someone stood on a pavement waiting for a car to pass is surely safer than someone stepping in front of a car that should but may not stop
The cycling on pavements works very well inDenmark,but they have designated cycle lanes that everybody knows about. The pedestrian thing I can only image was written by a car repair specialist
In many places if cars had priority it would be impossible to get across because of traffic. As for safety, it just works because everyone knows what to do.
Everybody knows what to do when there is a pedestrian crossing controlled by lights, or even a zebra crossing. The concept of having to stop for anyone waiting to cross is a recipe for confusion in my eyes. This is one of those areas where we might try to be more like other countries but it will take a generation and a lot of heartache to get there. Where there is an issue with crossing at a junction, build a pedestrian crossing. Otherwise, leave well alone.
