dbermant wrote:
No one seems to have mentioned the fact that accidents also occur because many pedestrians don't pay attention when crossing the road. The current move has more to do with politics than safety, that local roads belong to residents not motorists. There is a certain amount of hypocrisy here. Residents everywhere want 20MPH zones in their local streets but aren't prepared to drive at that speed themselves when outside their neighbourhood.
Whenever we dare suggest that anyone other than a motorist is responsible for an accident - we get "flamed!"
Long time ago now - different and general discussion forum - one of us dared to suggest that if he were run over - it could be his fault for stepping off the kerb without looking, or choosing an unhsafe place to cross. He came under viscious attack from the pro-scammers over this. (Chap happens to be motoring law expert and road safety nerd based in Germany and is the wife's eldest cousin
) In fact, the wife made similar comment on PH and got blasted by a BiB for it!
We have noted for ourselves that the ramblers and pedestrians along the 20mph stretches seem to be more oblivious to traffic than they were previously, and we wonder if the lower speed is lulling them into false sense of security or even whether they are less able to judge lower speed in any case.
As for the humps - my Ma lives in Manchester area. Her road has humps. Child aged about 8 was riding his bike
faster than I was driving. In fact he did pedal straight at me twice and swerve at last minute (and this is leafy posh residential area - very des res Worsley!
) Was doing about 15mph - but if he had rammed me - he would have received some nasty injuries, and I would bet it would have been all my fault - of course! Did complain to little tyke's parents - who were, in fairness, concerend at their son's behaviour and promised to have words with him. But had this been a different area -
what is betting I would have come off worse!