Motoring Discussion > Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: CGNorwich Replies: 17
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 17:49 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - CGNorwich
www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/23106868.norwich-woman-blocks-cars-pedestrianised-city-road/
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 18:35 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Bromptonaut
No, I don't think she is. Something about the right to pass and re pass on the King's highway?

OTOH have the Council made a Traffic Regulation Order regarding the road and erected the prescribed 'No Motor Vehicles' signs.
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 19:26 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Zero
Probably not, but only a nutter would be at the end of her tether, it's not like she crossed the road several times a day, every day of the week.

She's just being a PITA like the stop oil mob
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 19:38 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - CGNorwich
>> She's just being a PITA like the stop oil mob
>>

Not really. The road has narrow pavements and pedestrians naturally spill onto the narrow street. That’s why it was pedestrianised. The stop the oil mob are clearly breaking the law in obstructing the highway. In this case the motorists are clearly breaking the law by driving through a pedestrianised zone.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Tue 8 Nov 22 at 19:39
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 19:32 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - CGNorwich
The police are standing by their decision i and given the rather weak excuse that whilst the road is pedestrianised she was potentially blocking access to emergency vehicles.. I’m sure she would have moved! They have intimated that the officer waving through the vehicles might possibly have been a mistake.

The council have said they will enhance the signage.

I’m sure it’s symptomatic of the poor relationship between the police and the City council

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New Tue 8 Nov 22 22:23 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - bathtub tom
I ,inadvertently, went through an 'all vehicles prohibited (at certain times)' sign on a road I'd previously used many times before. Just glad I didn't get a PCN and won't do it again.
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 22:36 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Manatee
I'd say she has a point.

But the council has clearly created a problem. Cars are allowed "for loading", judging from the photos. Which means cars must be allowed to drive on it.

The answer must me to block one end so as to stop through traffic. Which will require a turning head.
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New Tue 8 Nov 22 23:01 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - CGNorwich
The street is one way.

There is a large road sign (apart from the one on the planter)

It says in large letters. “Pedestrian and Cycle Zone” It has a red circle containing a car and motorbike and beneath that “Except for loading between 4pm and 10 am”. Seems clear enough to me.
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New Wed 9 Nov 22 09:40 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Terry
In stark contrast to the "Stop Oil" crowd.

In Norwich a pedestrian justifiably blocked the road to protest her rights as a pedestrian in a pedestrian area.

Stop oil protesters unlawfully block traffic being driven legally

The police seem not to grasp the difference - little or no action on Stop Oil protesters who are causing an obstruction and breaking the law, arrest pedestrians trying to protect their rights to a pedestrianised area.

Completely daft!!!
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New Tue 29 Nov 22 06:25 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - CGNorwich
Drivers still refusing to accept this is a pedestrianised area.

www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/23153971.marshal-hit-drivers-ignore-norwich-exchange-street-ban/
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New Tue 29 Nov 22 10:01 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Manatee
>> Drivers still refusing to accept this is a pedestrianised area.
>>
>> www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/23153971.marshal-hit-drivers-ignore-norwich-exchange-street-ban/

Good to see that the council is trying to enforce. Unfortunately the fact that drivers are threatening the staff does indicate where the problem is, and it isn't old ladies on crutches.
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New Tue 29 Nov 22 10:15 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Zero
>> Good to see that the council is trying to enforce. Unfortunately the fact that drivers
>> are threatening the staff does indicate where the problem is, and it isn't old ladies
>> on crutches.

You are right, its not, the problem is with the council, who just need to put automatic bollards up, as they do in many other areas. I dont know the road personally but photos seem to show conflicting signage.

marshalls is NOT the way (possibly not even RTA legal) to enforce traffic restrictions.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 29 Nov 22 at 10:15
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New Tue 29 Nov 22 09:57 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Manatee
>>Seems clear enough to me.

I take your point about the one way. If blocked it would have to be two way, but it would stop people using it as a through route.

The signs may well be clear as it is but it's not working if it is continually trafficked by drivers who are not loading or parking. It's not reasonable to expect peds to be deferring to or jumping out of the way of cars in a pedestrianised street. The drivers must accommodate the peds. And as mentioned there is no reason to suppose she would have obstructed an emergency vehicle.

Do people in authority never just stop, and say to themselves "what's the right thing to do here?". In this case it is perhaps to give words of advice to both the pedestrian and the drivers. And to enforce against drivers who have not stopped to load or unload.

Video here. How did the PO pushing a woman on crutches get to be a sergeant?

twitter.com/CarFreeNorwich/status/1589290236089335809

There's a problem with the ingrained attitude of drivers in the UK (and some other countries no doubt). Being in a car should not confer VIP status, rather the other way round. I fully support the hierarchy now set out in the Highway Code. Unfortunately it will never make sense to some people as they don't understand it and make no effort to.
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New Tue 29 Nov 22 10:10 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Zero

>> There's a problem with the ingrained attitude of drivers in the UK

No there isn't. The vast majority of drivers in the UK are well disciplined, we just have a very large number of them, and we have social media to expose the very small percentage who are not well disciplined.


>>(and some other
>> countries no doubt).

Yeah, check them out then you realise just how good the majority of UK drivers are.

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New Tue 29 Nov 22 10:18 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Zero

>> Video here. How did the PO pushing a woman on crutches get to be a
>> sergeant?

It happens when you get people behaving illegally to stop other people behaving illegally. Rather like oil protesters being assaulted by drivers. You fix the problem by stopping the first set of illegality.
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New Fri 9 Dec 22 18:44 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - CGNorwich
The controversy continues

www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/23182171.norwich-man-stand-trial-exchange-street-car-protest/
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New Fri 9 Dec 22 19:22 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - Zero
So he is being charged with "unlawfully obstructing free passage on the road." and has pleaded not guilty. I have to say he might have a point when the traffic he stopped didn't have lawful free passage.
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New Fri 9 Dec 22 19:31 
 Was this pedestrian behaving illegally? - tyrednemotional
The RTA describes such an obstruction as an offence, even if the highway itself has been closed via means of a "temporary" traffic order.

Any conviction might then depend on the interpretation of that clause (or possibly on whether the order in place was "in perpetuity", or renewable at intervals, hence "temporary").
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