Attention car drivers in SE22 - Red means, er, stop.

[moak]

The zebra crossing on East Dulwich Road by the little Tescos is not the safest crossing either.

[kford]

There is a fundamental problem with pelican crossings in that the green man and flashing amber activate at the same time, so you get impatient drivers trying to get away and you get impatient pedestrians entering the crossing when they should stay put.

The Highway Code says that the flashing green man means 'Pedestrians should not start to cross if the green man is flashing'. But they do, as green means 'go'.

Far better to do away with both and have a flashing RED man and no flashing amber, just go straight to green, like in Australia.

I bet there are dozens of accidents caused by this poor design and interpretation of the rules.

[mako]

good point kford

[Earl Aelfheah]

I think that's a bit of a poor excuse to be honest. Regardless of whether the light is just changing - as a driver, you must be aware of pedestrians who may run across on a flashing green. It's not good enough to take the 'it's my right of way so I'll go regardless' attitude. You may be technically in the right, but you've still run over someone. Result.

[Jeremy]

You're right, rrr, emphasis is of course on the cars to proceed with caution. But at the same time, pedestrians running out onto the crossing is clearly dangerous, and I think kford is suggesting this is what the flashing green man encourages.

[kford]

RRR, I always look at the pedestrians, like many other road users, yet there's often someone who sees the flashing green man and thinks 'all clear' and dashes out from nowhere. Especially in central London where there are tourists just see green for go. It's a flawed design.

[kford]

+

[rodneybewes]

The new lights with timers in central London are much better in that respect. Pedestrians know exactly how much time they have left.

[wulfhound]

@ JohnL separating cars and bicycles on main roads can't happen soon enough. But I think we'll be waiting a while, the Cycle Superhighway that was supposed to run along LL and DKH has been cancelled.

If you can get a picture of them texting at the wheel and the number plate then I don't think you need much more, evidentially, for the police to take it up.

If only this were true. A friend of mine recently saw a driver in a Ferrari California (?150,000 supercar) with instantly recognisable custom numberplate using an iPad as he drove across Tower Bridge. She reported almost immediately to a police officer on a bike (don't know if City Police or Metropolitan); the officer took absolutely no interest whatsoever.