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shadowlight

Joined:

Jul 12

Posts: 2

shadowlight says:

DAS Mod 2 Question, Should I have Failed?

Ok done DAS mod 2 couple of weeks ago. Got back to the test centre only to be told I had failed. BUT.....was the reason I failed a valid one? After reading up on certain topics im not so sure. Here goes.

I was riding into the town. We approached a zebra crossing. There was a few pedestrians at the side of the road. They werent on the crossing or attempting to cross it. They were simply waiting to cross ON THE PAVEMENT.

I carried on going. The examiner stopped behind me to let them cross. When I got back to the test centre he had marked it as a serious fault because "what if the pedestrians had started to cross, I wouldnt have been able to safely stop and would probably have hit one of them". He reckoned I didnt take a blind bit of notice of them apparantly.

In reality, we were travelling at about 20mph, I seen them on the pavement waiting to cross and not one of them attempted to cross. I didnt argue the point at the time but the law states that IF and only IF any pedestrian has started to cross then you MUST give way.

I think him failing me was unfair tbh, because I would have passed otherwise. What do you guys think?

Im doing it again very soon but it has been pissing me off when I think about it and just wanted to get other peoples opinions.

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  • Posted 339 days ago (16 July 2012 23:34)

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James600zx

Joined:

Sep 07

Posts: 2252

James600zx says:

Pedestrians at zebra crossing.

Sorry but you're supposed to stop and let them cross, just as your examiner did.

Wishing you well next time though.

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  • Posted 339 days ago (16 July 2012 23:40)
jaffa90

Joined:

Mar 09

Posts: 8103

jaffa90 says:

zebra

As James says,if they are waiting to cross you should stop and more so if they start to cross:shock:.

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  • Posted 339 days ago (16 July 2012 23:59)
shadowlight

Joined:

Jul 12

Posts: 2

shadowlight says:

zebra crossing

ok thanks

Heres hoping I pass next time around! :biggrin:

I think all pedestrian crossings should have traffic lights to be honest. Think it would be safer and there would be no confusion then.

Cant say Ive ever once stopped to give way to pedestrians standing on the pavement waiting to cross the road in all the years Ive been driving....not without a traffic light telling me to do so anyway :hmmm:

Also, cant say Ive stepped out onto a zebra crossing in front of oncoming traffic because the law says I have the right of way either :laugh:

[This Reply has been modified by the Author]

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  • Posted 339 days ago (17 July 2012 00:15)
AdieR

Joined:

Apr 08

Posts: 2987

AdieR says:

Agree with

James here: "not one of them attempted to cross" - they could have been waiting for a gap to cross, which many people fail to provide.

If you'd stopped, and they hadn't bothered to cross, then at least you've taken account of them - which is what your examiner is looking for.

In reality, many people approach crossings either too fast, or with a "I'm in a vehicle, so fuck the pedestrians" type attitude - which can (and does) lead to accidents. There's a zebra crossing down the road from me (near a school) and, traffic calming measures or not, many people only slow down when the school bus is there (and only then because the bus takes up so much space).

Indeed, I was crossing one a few weeks ago at my local supermarket when some dizzy tart took a huff to the fact that I were there before she was by blasting her horn at me - she promptly got a gobful of abuse for her "efforts".....

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  • Posted 339 days ago (17 July 2012 00:18)
jaffa90

Joined:

Mar 09

Posts: 8103

jaffa90 says:

crossing

shadowlight,any crossing of a pedestrian on a zebra,pelican,puffin crossing with green light or red light or waiting in the middle of the road you/we should give way to.

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  • Posted 338 days ago (17 July 2012 00:52)
eatcs01

Joined:

Aug 02

Posts: 3054

eatcs01 says:

Zebras

You only have to give way to someone once they are ON the crossing. If they are not on the crossing, then you DO NOT have to stop.
People waiting to cross have to look and ascertain that it is safe to cross ie that the traffic has time and space to stop safely.

It's all in the highway code.

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  • Posted 338 days ago (17 July 2012 07:47)
Amateurcynic

Joined:

Jun 09

Posts: 753

Amateurcynic says:

Clarification

Technically eatcs01 you're right, you "MUST" give way to someone ON the crossing However, Before you get to the "MUST" there's 

  • "look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross"
  • what the examiner saw here was probably a lack of forward planning & consideration, on approach seeing there's somone waiting to cross you're Supposed to Slow Down, this gives them the confidence that you're a considerate/aware motorist following the guidelines of the highway code, if on approach you don't slow the liklihood is the pedestrian is going to think you'll run them over!

    Personally I'll start crossing even if the driver/rider hasn't slowed, it's more fun!:lol: 

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    • Posted 338 days ago (17 July 2012 09:26)
    Valko

    Joined:

    May 12

    Posts: 103

    Valko says:

    about the lights

    careful next time, note there is no such thing as "right of way", say you have green light and pedestrian crossing, you MUST stop highway code says:

    "GREEN means you may go on if the way is clear" obviously the way is not clear and the green light means nothing in that scenario, you should stop and let them cross.

    Passing the exam is easy, the hard part is to survive later. For example today I've got running mom with 2 small kids and a baby in a wheelchair running in front of me in the middle of the road she just pop up in between cars queue, thank god I have stopped and "right of way" means nothing :sunglasses:

     

     

     

    [This Reply has been modified by the Author]

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    • Posted 338 days ago (17 July 2012 21:32)
    bbstrikesagain

    Joined:

    Nov 08

    Posts: 842

    bbstrikesagain says:

    Valko

    Zebra = black and white stripes.  No green or red lights!


    shadowlight

    It seems a tad harsh to call that a SERIOUS fault, if it was exactly as described, if the pedestrians showed no likelihood or wish to cross, but, if you didn't demonstrate consideration for pedestrians at a zebra, then maybe the examiner felt there was a general too keen to make progress thing going on, and maybe that's just the one he hung his hat on?

    Of course he may have been over zealous.  It's amazing how much more notice of things you get when you're riding behind observing someone.  A couple of seconds can make all the difference.

    In some parts of the country, Stockport for one, no motorist ever seems to slow for a zebra - I don't know how any of them ever got their licences.  In other parts, like Oldham, motorists are brilliant at zebras but instead they straight-line every mini roundabout.

    Take it on the chin, make sure you demonstrate due consideration and anticipation wherever you can, it will put you in good stead for a lifetime, and help your examiner pass you next time.

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    • Posted 337 days ago (18 July 2012 13:30)
    arryace

    Joined:

    Apr 10

    Posts: 197

    arryace says:

    HC says

    pedestrians should wait until traffic has stopped before crossing.

    as said pedestrians only have right of way once on the crossing.

    there is no requirement for a driver to stop for pedestrians stood on the pavement.

    but he is a DSA examiner and he can do as he likes even if you complain and are succesful the best you will get is the offer of another test free of charge no one can overturn the examiners decision once he has completed the paperwork.

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    • Posted 337 days ago (18 July 2012 20:30)

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