{"id":422,"date":"2022-01-24T09:21:08","date_gmt":"2022-01-24T10:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/?p=422"},"modified":"2023-10-12T09:17:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T09:17:17","slug":"common-myths-about-what-uk-highway-code-changes-will-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/2022\/01\/24\/common-myths-about-what-uk-highway-code-changes-will-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"Common myths about what UK Highway Code changes will mean"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There is, we are told in the Daily Mail, \u201cfury\u201d over<\/a> changes to the Highway Code. There is \u201cconfusion\u201d among road users. Cyclists and pedestrians will, the more breathless news coverage intimates, have carte blanche to weave across the highways, with drivers held culpable for every mishap.<\/p>\n

This is, of course, nonsense. After a weekend of yet more misleading coverage, and with the new rules<\/a> due to come into effect later this week, here\u2019s a brief, potted guide to what will change \u2013 and what will not.<\/p>\n

Cyclists won\u2019t be \u201cin the middle of the road\u201d<\/h2>\n

One of the sillier weekend headlines, from the Sunday Times, suggested just this<\/a>. And as I\u2019m sure the headline writer knew well, the Highway Code simply says cyclists should use the centre of the lane<\/strong>, and even then only at certain times, for example approaching junctions or on narrow sections of roads, where a car overtaking would cause danger. This is a change to the code, but it\u2019s not new, or even new guidance. Cyclists have been formally advised for years to take what is known as the \u201cprimary position\u201d<\/a> at such moments.<\/p>\n

There is no new rule on riding two abreast<\/h2>\n

The new text just makes it clearer. The old version says people should \u201cnever ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads\u201d, which was slightly vague and a bit sweeping. The code will now say: \u201cYou can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders.\u201d Hopefully over time more drivers will understand why it can be safer<\/a>. Note to the Sunday Times: the rules do not \u201cencourage\u201d riding two abreast.<\/p>\n

There is no new rule on not having to use cycle lanes<\/h2>\n

Another slightly excitable paragraph from the Sunday Times story said that the new Highway Code would mean cyclists are no longer obliged to use bike lanes when one is provided. But this was the case anyway. The language has simply been made clearer, saying cyclists \u201cmay exercise their judgment and are not obliged to use them\u201d.<\/p>\n

There is a tweak to priority for pedestrians at crossings<\/h2>\n

One of the most debated changes is that drivers about to turn into a junction should now give way to pedestrians \u201ccrossing or waiting to cross\u201d that road. That\u2019s what good drivers do anyway, but it is a change to the previous version, which said pedestrians had priority only \u201cif they have started to cross\u201d. As anyone will know if, say, they have walked through a city with a small child, or a frail older person, it can be daunting to have to step out into the road just to claim a place to cross.<\/p>\n

Many changes just formalise basic courtesy<\/h2>\n

One fairly long new section describes actions you would hope were everyday behaviour for any driver, for example to not turn at a junction \u201cif to do so would cause [a] cyclist, horse rider or horse-drawn vehicle going straight ahead to stop or swerve\u201d. Similarly, it sets out minimum space requirements for overtaking cyclists, and also for pedestrians and horse riders. Another new element says that in slow-moving traffic, drivers should allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross in front of them.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just drivers who are asked to be considerate<\/h2>\n

For example, a new instruction notes that cyclists should give way to pedestrians on shared pathways, and to horse riders on bridleways \u2013 again, something that should be happening anyway. More widely, the updated Highway Code sets out the \u201chierarchy of road users\u201d, making the uncontroversial point that quicker and\/or heavier modes of travel should be especially careful for those who are more vulnerable. While this, as the code says, \u201cmost strongly applies\u201d to those in charge of a motorised vehicle, cyclists should be careful for horses, and everyone should be careful for pedestrians, especially children, older people, or people with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Finally: it\u2019s not the fault of cyclists if drivers don\u2019t know this<\/h2>\n

Much of the negative coverage of the new Highway Code has focused on supposed confusion and ignorance<\/a>. And I\u2019m sure a good publicity campaign would do something. But to reiterate the earlier point, much of this is standard good sense and courtesy anyway, while other elements, such as the primary position and riding two abreast, have been in the rules for many years but are still routinely unknown to drivers. Maybe the changes to the code aren\u2019t the problem?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is, we are told in the Daily Mail, \u201cfury\u201d over changes to the Highway Code. There is \u201cconfusion\u201d among road users. Cyclists and pedestrians will, the more breathless news coverage intimates, have carte blanche to weave across the highways,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=422"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":425,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422\/revisions\/425"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kevinfell.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}