Comments on: True Grit

By: Jon d

Jon d — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:54:18 +0000

there’s a section of the driving test called the emergency stop where the examiner asks you to simulate a pedestrian unexpectedly dashing into the road in front of your vehicle. Going for the horn is a fail. Acceptable use of the horn imo is pretty much limited to tapping out ’shave and a haircut’ when going through a tunnel and seeing if any other drivers give you the ‘two bob’

By: Nearly Oxfordian

Nearly Oxfordian — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:08:48 +0000

I see that the ghastly prat Hoon has told us all not to ‘whinge’. To me, at least, this proves that we are very right to whinge. But then, we have been ‘governed’ by these incompetent crooks for almost 12 years.

By: Nearly Oxfordian

Nearly Oxfordian — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:56:40 +0000

Same goes for cyclists. In Oxford, a cyclist displaying a light, never mind wearing reflective clothing or stopping at red lights or stop lines or giving way as required under the HC, are regarded as proof of being a mummy’s boy or girl. Once a year the police mount a raid – it should happen every week, really – and always some of the idiots caught riding illegally write whining letters to the papers about ‘Why ME! Everyone does it!”.

By: Expat

Expat — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:37:48 +0000

Pedestrians are frequently unaware of the fact that a lot of road traffic laws restrict what they do. They seem to think that traffic consists only of wheeled vehicles. If the police bothered to enforce the many laws pertaining to pedestrian behaviour quite a few of the cockier pedestrians posting above would be in strife. I am always hugely amused when the cops here go out into the CBD and start hauling in people for jay-walking. The indignation when they get fined! It only happens about once a year, the rest of the time they get away with it. Needless to say I jaywalk all the time myself but I’m not one of these whiny types that complain when I get caught (or run over).

By: gev pearce

gev pearce — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:13:11 +0000

I blame the BBC, unions and liberal lawyers
Eh Brett

By: Brett

Brett — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:46:04 +0000

Hahaha, yes, very funny. ;-)

On that note, it’s friday night and I have Ikea stuff to build.

By: Sea Kitten

Sea Kitten — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:35:28 +0000

I’m not convinced that this poor gentleman on the zebra crossing really stood in the middle of the road, glaring at Brett and hurling obscenities.

I think the more likely explanation is that this man was attempting to go about his lawful business when Brett came hurtling out of nowhere (visiblity being very restricted), at a speed which had this man paralysed with fear on the spot, a rictus of terror twisting his face into an ugly visage. Braced for a bone-shattering impact that was very narrowly averted, in a state of shock he may have waived his arms about trying to retain his balance on a slippery surface, and some expletives, heaven-directed, may have escaped his lips as they would for anyone suddenly faced with a life-or-death situation.

(The prosecution rests it case, m’lud)

By: Brett

Brett — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:01:13 +0000

I’m glad it’s clear to you, because my point from the beginning was that this young man began to cross abruptly and without warning AFTER the point at which sufficient stopping distance could be reasonably expected. That’s my whole point: that pedestrians should be extra careful because stopping distances are compromised. I still think that is good advice.

By: JuliaM

JuliaM — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:43:37 +0000

“My question to Brett is how he should proceed through a road junction he is approaching that is showing a green traffic light.”

I’m guessing ‘Full speed ahead, and damn the torpedos!’… ;)

By: Sea Kitten

Sea Kitten — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:41:24 +0000

NB. Brett’s citation of the Highway Code covers how pedestrians navigate road junctions, and how drivers navigate zebra crossings.

My question to Brett is how he should proceed through a road junction he is approaching that is showing a green traffic light.