[devonlady]

Now, I hate being driven and am clutching at handles etc. all the way, whilst trying not to be a "back seat driver" but today Jim and I almost fell out (for the first time in 25 years) as he was driving me to pick up a grandson from school.
Firstly, he went over a pelican crossing and someone had to snatch a wheelchair back to safety. "you could have stopped to let them cross" I said mildly. "The lights were green, it was my right of way" he said. "I thought pedestrians always had right of way, red or green lights" said I. He wouldn't have this so I had to bite my tongue and let it go.
Then, on the dual carriageway, whilst trying to cringe backwards I quoted "Only a fool breaks the 4 second rule!"
"2 second rule" he argued, "if it were a four second rule the traffic would be in chaos"
Now, I know I'm right in both cases but what do you think?
Now Jim is the dearest, kindest man you could wish to meet AND drives a bloody lorry for a living.

[Buttermilk]

Unfortunately for you it is 2 second rule and on a light controled crossing if the pedestrian is at red and car at green the car has right of way, only if the pedestrian is already crossing when the lights change does the pedestrian have right of way.

[Fleecewife]

Well you can hardly just squash pedestrians because you have the right of way 

And surely how long it takes you to stop, and therefore how far you should stay back from the vehicle in front, depends on the speed you are going?

For both the points, I would say that the legalities are fairly irrelevant - you just drive in a safe way for the conditions you find, as long as you don't exceed the set max.

[Womble]

If you could see a green light, they'll have been looking at a red man. I'm with Jim on this one, sorry!


Also, I think the reason it's called the 2 second rule is that's roughly how long it takes to say "only a fool breaks the two second rule".


Either way, blokes hate having their driving questioned - Mrs Womble knows there's nothing in this world more guaranteed to rile me. She also knows that if I respond calmly, I believe I was in the right, and if I respond defensively and angrily, I already know I was in the wrong! 

[Daisys Mum]

My OH knows that the best way to avoid any arguments is to let me drive, I too hate being driven.

[devonlad]

I'm with fw. Having been in "the right" would be little consolation of id hit a pushchair or a pedestrian. I slow down at every crossing. Pedestrians are a fickle and unpredictable species and id rather not take the risk. Fraid its two second rule, tho nothing pees me off more than being tailgated, except for those incapable of flicking that little thing called an indicator

[devonlady]

How long does it take to say "Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule" Womble?

[Womble]

About 50% of four seconds? 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I agree with [member=4333]Fleecewife[/member]  and [member=26878]devonlad[/member]  on this one. it doesnt matter whether its in the rules if you hit someone thinking that what will be your defence in court? As far as I'm aware if a person steps out into a road in the UK it automatically becomes their right of way; In America it is illegal to cross not on a crossing or when the sign is red. The first being Jay walking. It may be a 2 second rule but you have to think outside the box in terms of safety, what if it was a child running out in front of the car?

[pgkevet]

The so-called 2-second rule only allows for the average person's reaction time. There is still a matter of bringing the vehicle to a halt.. your brakes compared to the ones in front and whether you just happen to be travelling faster at that point (as in accelerating to the gap etc). And most folk would get a suprise if they actually measured that gap.

My old Dad taught me to drive..in his way. One trick he used to pull was to bslance a small bag of flour on a stick out of the window and hold a second one. He'd drop the one he held and shout 'stop'. As you hit the brakes the balanced one would fall.....I then had to pace from the point of stop back to both bags...

As to pedestrians... they have no chance against a ton of steel whether they've had a daft moment or not. Driving is all about thinking, observing and defensive, preventative behaviour.

[mojocafa]

Regardless of colour of lights.....


..... If I am driving, I have right away, however equally if I am a pedestrian , I have right away

[Fleecewife]

....and cyclists never have the right of way, although they always think they do.  They are just as squashy as pedestrians, with a bit of mechanical crunch.

[Lesley Silvester]

The full rhyme is Only a fool breaks the two second rule. If the weather is poor, make it four. This was drummed into me when I was doing my advanced driving training. Of course, this is based on the car in front going at the same speed.


I was also taught that I should read the road conditions and only proceed if it was safe to do so. Therefore, if someone is crossing the road, whether on a crossing or not, the driver should allow them to get across not expect them to jump back.


Devonlady was right on one count and Jim on the other. I'm so glad though, that my OH doesn't drive and what's more, can't see what I'm doing when I'm driving so can't comment.


Oh and, yes, I did pass the advanced driving test.

[YorkshireLass]

Always heard it as the two second rule, in good conditions. The crossing was the car's right of way but that doesn't give you the right to squish anyone. I always maintain a constant speed through crossings and junctions so people or drivers waiting don't think I'm slowing down to let them out (leading to a will-they-won't-they situation). If I AM letting them out I do so very clearly.

[Q]

Can I squish them if they are looking at their mobile though?