Giving way to peds on left turn

[kowhai]

Hey there,

I hope somebody can help me here.

When you are at an intersection with lights and you are turning left and there are pedestrians crossing on the green man, do you have to wait until all pedestrians are back onto the pavement or just until they are out of the way and you can turn?

I've looked through the road code for clarification but can't find it in there.

Ta

[Latte]

I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I believe the same rules as Pedestrian Crossings apply. You have to wait untill they are off the road, unless there is a raised Island in the middle, in which case you only have to worry about "your lane".

Although I just go when it's clear enough not to scare the Pedestrians, never been an issue so far.

[pzkpfw]

I read an article in a Christchurch paper last year, about this. Some Woman whose son had been run over by a truck had been campaigning for this to be enforced - and yes, the peds have to be right off the road. (Your lane, as noted above).

(Frankly, I don't think Wellington rush hour roads would function at all if this were full enforced everywhere. (Not that I advocate people rushing through and driving overs the peds' ankles...))

Don't forget too that flashing red man means they are entitled to finish crossing.

[neels]

Don't forget too that flashing red man means they are entitled to finish crossing.

Nah, that's not right. It means if they haven't finished crossing by then they should start running to avoid holding up traffic.

[SMOKEU]

I just wait till they're out of my way then go.

[Taz]

I just wait till they're out of my way then go.

+1 You'd have to try really hard to hit them. Just use your common sense.

[Berries]

You have to give way to them, once they are past your vehicle you can turn. There is nothing that says you have to wait for them to finish crossing either at signals or a normal pedestrian crossing. Once your way is clear you can proceed. We had an argument about this a few months ago.

The red flashing man legally means that pedestrians should not start to cross but are entitled to continue crossing if they have already started. If you hit a pedestrian though what the lights are doing is irrelevant. You'll feel bad, possibly, and might get a ticket.

Always good to give them a scare though

I've looked through the road code for clarification but can't find it in there.

It is not really clarified in the Road Code - http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...rsections.html You need to look at the legislation behind it which is the Road User Rule. You can find that on the NZTA website as well http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ru...004-index.html

[bikemike]

Surely you should apply the same rules, even out of courtesy...?!

With an Island then you treat as two (or more) crossings.

Pedestrian crossings

• (1) A driver approaching a pedestrian crossing must—
  
  • (a) give way to pedestrians, and to riders of wheeled recreational devices or mobility devices,—
    
    • (i) on the pedestrian crossing; or
    • (ii) obviously waiting to cross it; and
  • (b) if necessary, slow down and stop the driver's vehicle for that purpose.
• (2) A driver approaching a pedestrian crossing must not enter the crossing if the driver's intended passage is blocked by stationary traffic.
• (3) For the purposes of this clause, if a pedestrian crossing is interrupted by a raised traffic island, the parts of the crossing that are situated on different sides of that traffic island must be regarded as separate pedestrian crossings.
• (4) This clause does not apply to a pedestrian crossing that is for the time being controlled by an enforcement officer.

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regul...html#DLM303663

[Gibbo89]

Although I just go when it's clear enough not to scare the Pedestrians, never been an issue so far.

same here.

But legally you will have to wait for them to complete the crossing. if you cut in front of them then you will get fined. my mate was fined in his car doing that.

[Virago]

same here.

But legally you will have to wait for them to complete the crossing. if you cut in front of them then you will get fined. my mate was fined in his car doing that.

The key issue above in bold. You must give way to pedestrians coming towards your vehicle. If they are walking away from you, you do not have to wait for them to complete the crossing.

As it was explained by the police on TV a couple of years ago, it's just like a Give Way sign - you must give way to traffic coming toward you. Once they've gone past, you don't have to wait for them to disappear over the horizon before moving.

[Berries]

But legally you will have to wait for them to complete the crossing. if you cut in front of them then you will get fined. my mate was fined in his car doing that.

If you cut in front of them then you haven't given way so have committed an offence. It gets a bit questionable on very wide crossings where it is perfectly safe to go because the pedestrian is miles away, but you could still get done for it if someone is having a bad day. At a ped crossing I will wait, but if turning left at lights I'll go if the pedestrian is only just leaving the kerb on the other side. But as above, once you have complied you have complied. All waiting for them to finish crossing the road does is annoy the people behind you who actually know the rules.

[Devil]

I want to stab those fuckers who START crossing on the red man, at some intersections making the left turning traffic miss the lights entirely.
Ignorant bastards.

[BMWST?]

if there is any doubt the pedestrian will get the benefit of that doubt

[pzkpfw]

You have to give way to them, once they are past your vehicle you can turn. There is nothing that says you have to wait for them to finish crossing either at signals or a normal pedestrian crossing. Once your way is clear you can proceed. We had an argument about this a few months ago. ...

... If they are walking away from you, you do not have to wait for them to complete the crossing. ...

No, I'm pretty sure this has been changed.


Sadly, the only reference I can find right now is this one, which isn't direct: See point 5... http://www.pedestriansafety.org.nz/M...%20Coroner.htm

"...5.Last year LTSA made changes prohibiting vehicles entering pedestrian crossings while a pedestrian is lawfully using the crossing...."


Still searching...

---------------

Or I could be talking bollocks:

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regul...DLM303690.html

" Pedestrian crossings
The rule removes the driver's right to pass in front of pedestrians on a pedestrian crossing with a centre line. A pedestrian crossing is considered to be 2 separate crossings only if a pedestrian refuge (traffic island) interrupts it."


Still searching...

----------

May have to admit I'm wrong. Bugger.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...destrians.html

"... wait until the pedestrian has crossed in front of you and is clear of your vehicle before you proceed ..."

Better do some work, will search more later...

[kowhai]

Surely a piece of law should be more clearly defined? Every time I go out I have to use it and everyone else will be the same I imagine.

The reason I want to know is because I have my full coming up. I'll probably just stick to everyone of the road for simplicity sake.