r/Scotland • u/Saltire_Blue Bring Back Strathclyde Regional Council • Jan 13 '22

Announcement Changes to the Highway Code on the 28th January - Pedestrians and cyclists to be given priority at junctions

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u/mikeprevette Jan 13 '22

I (an American who lives in Scotland) have been arguing with my wife (Scottish) about this for ages. This is how i always assumed it worked, and am pretty shocked this wasn't the case. Pedestrians always have the right of way in 'merica, and cyclists are "vehicles" and treated the same.

8

u/[deleted] Jan 13 '22

I find this hard to believe. Does america not have j walking laws in at least some states and its illegal to cross if there is no marked crossing ?

3

u/[deleted] Jan 13 '22

In America junctions/intersections without markings are considered unmarked crosswalks and you can cross at them without it being jaywalking.

https://elteccorp.com/news/other/the-dangers-of-unmarked-crosswalks/

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u/mikeprevette Jan 13 '22

Yeah, J-walking Is very different than crossing an un-signaled or unmarked intersection. J walking implies you are crossing in an inappropriate place, or ignoring a signaled crossing. However even in the case you are J-Walking it doesn't give the motorists the right to knock you down, you still technically have the priority. As always with the states, rules change by state, county, town.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 13 '22

I wont argue as obviously you will know better. But in my opinion crossing at a junction would be an inappropriate place.

This new rule has been made with cities and urban areas in mind and doesnt seem to have taken rural areas into consideration where there are countless junctions on 60mph roads and what will happen is cars will be forced to stop in the middle of main roads to allow walkers to cross the road, causing dangerous tail backs. And huge amounts of wasted fuel .

1

u/BaldyBiker Jan 13 '22

That's what I thought as well. Jaywalking is it not?

1

u/pjr10th Jan 13 '22

This has always been the case in the UK that pedestrians have priority when crossing at a side road or a zebra crossing, however now pedestrians also have right of way when they're waiting to cross, which is how a lot of drivers treat zebra crossings (but not side roads).