Rules for pedestrians Flashcards
What are the 4 rules about pavements for pedestrians?
Should be used if provided
Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic
If you have to step out into the road, look both ways first
Always show due care to others
Where should pedestrians walk if there is no pavement?
Keep to the right hand side of the road so you can see oncoming traffic
What other 2 things should pedestrians do if there is no pavement?
Be prepared to walk in single file, especially on narrow roads or in poor light
Keep close to the side of the road
What should pedestrians do at a sharp right hand bend if there is no pavement?
It may be safer to cross the road well before the sharp right hand bend so that oncoming traffic has a better chance of seeing you. Cross back after the bend
What 2 things can pedestrians do to help other pedestrians see them?
Wear or carry something light coloured, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight conditions
When it is dark, use reflective materials which can be seen by drivers using headlights up to 3 times as far away as non-reflective materials
What should young children not be doing on pavements?
Should not be out alone on the pavement and road
What 3 things should adults do when taking children out?
Keep between them and the traffic and hold their hands firmly
Strap very young children into push chairs or use reins
When pushing a young child in a buggy, don’t push the buggy into the road earn checking to see if its clear to cross, particularly from between parked vehicles
What 5 things should pedestrians on organised walks do?
Large groups of people walking together should used a pavement if available
If a pavement isn’t available then they should keep to the left
Lookouts should be positioned at the front and back of the group and they should wear fluorescent clothes in daylight and reflective clothes in the dark
At night the look out in front should show a white light and the one at the back a red light
People on the outside of large groups should also carry lights and wear reflective clothing
What should pedestrians on motorways do?
Pedestrians MUST NOT be on motorways or slip roads except in an emergency
What is the first thing a pedestrian should do when crossing a road?
Find a safe place to cross
What 7 things should a pedestrian do when finding a safe place to cross?
Find a safe place where there is space to reach the pavement on the other side
Where there is a crossing nearby, use it
It is safer to cross using a subway, a footbridge, an island, a zebra, pelican, toucan or puffin crossing, or where there is a crossing point controlled by a police officer, a school crossing patrol or a traffic warden
Otherwise, choose a place where you can see clearly in all directions
Try to avoid crossing between parked cars, on a blind bend, or close to the brow of a hi;;
Move to space where drivers and riders can see you clearly
Do not cross the road diagonally
What is the second thing pedestrians should do when crossing a road?
Stop just before you get to the kerb
What 3 things should pedestrians do when stopping just before the kerb?
Stop where you can see if anything is coming
Do not get too close to the traffic
If there’s no pavement, keep back from the edge of the road but make sure you can still see approaching traffic
What is the third thing pedestrians should do when crossing a road?
Look all around for traffic and listen
What should pedestrians do when looking all around for traffic and listen?
Know that traffic could come from any direction. Listen as well, because you can sometimes hear traffic before you see it
What is the fourth thing pedestrians should do when crossing a road?
If traffic is coming, let it pass
What 3 things should pedestrians do when letting oncoming traffic pass?
Look all around again and listen
Do not cross until there is a safe gap in the traffic and you are certain that there is plenty of time
Remember, even if the traffic is a long way off, it may be approaching very quickly
What is the final thing a pedestrian should do when crossing the road?
When it is safe, go straight across the road - don’t run
What 3 things should pedestrians do in the final stage of crossing the road?
Keep looking and listening for traffic while you cross, in case there is any traffic you did not see, or in case other traffic appears suddenly
Look out for cyclists and motorcyclists travelling between lanes of traffic
Do not walk diagonally across the road
What should pedestrians do when crossing at a junction?
When crossing the road, look out for traffic turning into the road, especially from behind you
If you have started crossing and traffic wants to turn into the road, you have priority and they should give way
What should pedestrians do at Pedestrian Safety Barriers?
Where there are barriers, cross the road only at the gaps provided for pedestrians
Don’t climb over the barriers or walk between them and the road
What is tactile paving and how can it help pedestrians?
Raised surfaces that can be felt underfoot provide warning and guidance to blind or partially sighted people
The most common surfaces are a series of raised studs, which are used at crossing points with a dropped kerb
Or a series of rounded raised bars which are used at level crossings, at the top and bottom of steps and at some other hazards
What should pedestrians do when crossing the road on one way streets?
Check which way the traffic is moving
Do not cross until it is safe to do so without stopping
Bus and cycle lanes may operate in the opposite direction to the rest of the traffic
What should pedestrians do when crossing over bus and cycle lanes?
Take care when crossing these lanes as traffic may be moving faster than in the other lanes, or against the flow of traffic
What 5 things should pedestrians know about routes shared with cyclists?
Some cycle tracks run alongside footpaths or pavements, using a segregating feature to separate cyclists from people on foot
Segregated routes may also incorporate short lengths of tactile paving to help visually impaired people stay on the correct side
On the pedestrian side this will comprise a series of flat topped bars running across the direction of travel (ladder pattern)
On the cyclist side the same bars are orientated in the direction of travel (tramline pattern)
Not all routes which are shared with cyclists are segregated so take extra care where this is so
What should pedestrians do when crossing between parked vehicles?
If you have to cross between parked vehicles, use the outside edges of the vehicles as if they were kerb. Stop there and make sure you can see all around and that the traffic can see you
Make sure there is a gap between any parked vehicles on the other side, so you can reach the pavement
Never cross the road in front of, or behind, any vehicle with its engine running, especially a large vehicle, as the driver may not be able to see you
What should pedestrians do when crossing behind reversing vehicles?
Never cross behind a vehicle which is reversing, showing white reversing lights or sounding a warning
What should pedestrians do in regards to moving vehicles?
Pedestrians MUST NOT get onto or hold onto a moving vehicle
What should pedestrians do when crossing roads at night?
Wear something reflective to make it easier for others to see you
If there is no pedestrian crossing nearby, cross the road near a street light so that traffic can see you more easily
What should pedestrians do at all crossings?
Always check that the traffic has stopped before you start to cross or push a pram onto a crossing
Always cross between the studs or over the zebra markings. Do not cross at the side of the crossing or on the zig zag lines, as it can be dangerous
Must not loiter on any type of crossing
What do zebra crossings have?
Flashing beacons
What are the rules for pedestrians on zebra crossings?
Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross
Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery
Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossings
Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing
Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped
What should pedestrians do when there is an island in the middle of the zebra crossing?
Wait on the island and follow the rules of a normal zebra crossing as it is a separate crossing
What are the 6 rules for pedestrians at traffic lights?
May be special signs for pedestrians
Should only start to cross the road when the green figure shows
If you have started to cross the road and the green figure goes out, you should still have time to reach the other side, but do not delay
If no pedestrian signals have been provided, watch carefully and do not cross until the traffic lights are red and the traffic has stopped
Keep looking and check for traffic that may be turning the corner
Remember that traffic lights may let traffic move in some lanes while traffic in other lanes has stopped
What are pelican crossings?
Signal controlled crossings operated by pedestrians
What are the rules for pedestrians at pelican crossings?
Push the control button to activate the traffic signals
When the red figure shows, don’t cross
When a steady green figure shows, check the traffic has stopped then cross with care
When the green figure begins to flash you shouldn’t start to cross
If you have already started you should have time to finish crossing safely
How are puffin crossings different from pelican crossings?
The red and green figures are above the control box on your side of the road and there is no flashing green figure phase
What should pedestrians do at puffin crossings?
Press the button and wait for the signal to cross
What should pedestrians do at puffin crossings when the road is congested?
When the road is congested, traffic on your side of the road may be forced to stop even though their lights are green. Traffic may still be moving on the other side of the road, so press the button and wait for the signal to cross
What are toucan crossings?
Are light controlled crossings which allow cyclists and pedestrians to share crossings space and cross at the same time
They are push button operated
Pedestrians and cyclists will see the green signal together. Cyclists are permitted to ride across
What do some toucan crossings have?
At some toucan crossings there is a bleeping sound or voice signal to indicate to blind or partially sighted people when the steady green figure is showing, and there may be a tactile signal to help deaf blind people
What are equestrian crossings?
They are for horse riders. They have pavement barriers, wider crossing spaces, horse and rider figures in the light panels and either two sets of controls (one higher), or just one higher control panel
What are ‘staggered’ pelican or puffin crossings?
When the crossings on each side of the central refuge are not in line they are 2 separate crossings
On reaching the central island, press the button again and wait for a steady green figure
What should pedestrians do at crossings controlled by an authorised person?
Don’t cross the road unless you are signalled to do so by a police officer, a traffic warden or school crossing patrol. Always cross in front of them
What should pedestrians do when there are no controlled crossing points?
Where there are no controlled crossing points available it is advisable to cross where there is an island in the middle of the road. Use the Green Cross Code to cross to the island and then stop and use it again to cross the second half of the road
What should pedestrians do with emergency vehicles?
If an ambulance, fire engine, police or other emergency vehicle approaches using flashing blue lights, headlights and/or sirens, keep off the road
What should pedestrians do with buses?
Get on or off a bus when it has stopped to allow you to do so
Watch out for cyclists when you are getting off
Never cross the road directly or behind or in front of a bus
Wait until it has moved off and you can see clearly in both directions
What should pedestrians do with tramways?
These may run through pedestrian areas
Their path will be marked out by shallow kerbs, changes in the paving or other road surface, white lines or yellow dots
Cross at designated crossings where provided
Elsewhere treat trams as you would other vehicles and look both ways along the track before crossing
Do not walk along the track as trams may come up behind you
Trams move quietly and cannot steer to avoid you
What should pedestrians do at railway level crossings?
You MUST NOT cross or pass a stop line when the red lights show, (including a red pedestrian figure)
Do not cross if an alarm is sounding or the barriers are being lowered
The tone of the alarm may change if another train is approaching
If there are no lights, alarms or barriers, stop, look both ways and listen before crossing
A tactile surface comprising rounded bars running across the direction of pedestrian travel may be installed on the footpath approaching a level crossing to warn visually impaired people of its presence
The tactile surface should extend across the full width of the footway and should be located at an appropriate distance from the barrier to projected line of the barrier
What should pedestrians do with street and pavement repairs?
A pavement may be closed temporarily because it is not safe to use. Take extra care if you are directed to walk in or to cross the road
