The lights are on, but nobody is in!

[louise90]

I live in a seaside town and quite often drive along the seafront. This time of year is very busy with tourists. Quite often when I'm driving along the seafront I notice that people don't look before crossing the road! They just cross! 'HELLO? You're crossing a main road!' This really makes me cross and it happens more often than you think!

Maybe I've just got a short tember when I'm driving, but I just wish they'd stop and look before crossing the road! I know they're on holiday, but surely they didn't leave their brains at home?!

I'm sure my town isn't the only town with people like this in them!

[Mark]

Surely not. Louise, I've traveled the world and tourists are the same everywhere. They do sort of leave their brains at home, don't they? Their guard is down, way down. You particularly have to watch out for tourists from countries where they drive on the other side of the road from what you are used to, as they will invariably look the opposite way when stepping in front of moving cars.

[Maria]

Oh yes whether a walker is a tourist or home grown, it seems they walk agaist lights, cross the street between cars, not use the cross walks etc. Now for the drivers who don't use directions, think a yellow light mean 'hurry up' and the rest of the drivers that are rude rude rude and careless. Of course, I live in one of the states that have the worse drivers in the US!

[Dabbit]

I've seen that on Marine Parade too Louise, but I have to say that crossing that often very busy road is not the easiest of things to do, although I do always look both ways (Green cross code - remember that).... I also think a lot of it is to do with alcohol if you ask me - with quite a few places to obtain a drink peoples senses are down I guess.

But there and again pedestrians are a blloming nuisance for other pedestrians too...

[Mark]

I recall that in London everyone seemed to obey the zebra crossings. Is it the same elsewhere in the UK? If so, why aren't pedestrians restricted to those when crossing streets? It seemed to work quite well to me as long as the pedestrians didn't dilly dally about and got on across.

[louise90]

Yes, generally speaking, when it comes to zebra crossings drivers/pedestrians are rather obedient! And Dave, that crossing they've put up by Britannia Pier is far too wide for my liking. I hate driving by that now! Still, won't be so bad in the winter when it's quiet!

[Dabbit]

It is quite wide isn't it...I guess the width increased when they shortened the length - had to do something with the extra bit of road - lol (Sorry couldn't resist)

[Mark]

You mean you don't have 'road stretchers' in the UK, Dave?

[Dabbit]

Not unless it involves a dozen men in bright jackets sitting, looking and talking about a road...

[Fluffy]

I used to live in a seaside tourist town, and frequently had to walk in the road as visitors had
parked their prams/buggies side by side on the pavement as they stopped to chat! Grrrrrr

I lost count of the number of times drivers went the wrong way round the one way system!

[Dabbit]

Talking of that Jane I completely lose my rag when cars park on the path - they have all that road and they want the little bit of safety walk that we 'walkers' have - argh!

[louise90]

It's a common problem wherever you go, Dave. There's always cars parked on bends and on pavements here (as you probably are too well aware!). This irritates me immensely as I think of those in wheelchairs and mobility scooters. They show no consideration for those people, do they?

[Dabbit]

They seem to have no respect for anyone or anything these days do they

[Mark]

Courtesy, ethics, moral values, etc should be taught at home and enforced in the schools. Sadly, not enough of either takes place at either location.