WELL done to David J Crawford (Letters, November 8) for saving Miss J Walker’s life. However, for me it highlights a couple of serious road safety issues.
The first obviously is the use of devices making the user completely oblivious to serious danger to themselves and more importantly other innocents.
The second is the complete disregard or lack of knowledge of Rule 170 of the Highway Code (Road Junctions), of most motorists and cyclists, certainly in Scotland. Without quoting the whole rule, I’m only a minor anorak, there are two main points I’d like to highlight.
Firstly motorists and cyclists are obliged to watch out for pedestrians as Mr Crawford did. Secondly and perhaps more significantly, they are also obliged to give way, to pedestrians if the pedestrian is already on the junction into which they are turning.
As someone who loves walking round the West End of Glasgow carefully crossing many junctions, it’s clear that many motorists and cyclists either have no knowledge of this rule or they blatantly and dangerously ignore it. Especially by lazy, ignorant non-signalling road users. Sorry, drivers and cyclists, but if we are on the crossing we have right of way and you legally have to give way.
If we are to get more people safely cycling or walking all users need to have better knowledge of the rules of the road and certainly be more considerate.
If someone breaks Rule 170 and kills me I’ll certainly be suing them.
Ian McNair, Glasgow G12.
DAVID J Crawford reveals the misplaced sense of entitlement that many vehicle drivers have, that vehicles have absolute precedence over pedestrians. In most aspects of society we encourage those with power to give way to the weaker, in nautical terms power gives way to sail. So why is it that if you put someone behind the wheel of a car they frequently turn into Mr Toad, thinking that their travel needs trump the needs of those on foot? If a pedestrian is crossing a side street, stop your car and let them pass. It's the law.
Bob Downie, Glasgow G43.
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