Jogger on Peckham Rye (Road) this evening

[Miss P]

I would like to apologise to the jogger who I obviously gave a bit of a fright to this evening. I saw you jogging with another woman along Peckham Rye and I had slowed down as the raised pedestrian crossing was just ahead. I wondered if you were both going to stop and continue or whether you were both going to turn to the right and expect to use the crossing. As the jogger on the left continued past the crossing, I honestly thought you were going with her & really did not expect you to continue jogging without even breaking your stride, straight onto the crossing. At this point, I was already on the crossing & wouldn't have been able to stop safely. It was very busy, & I was going less than 20 miles an hour, but you really do need to give a car more than 5 yards to stop at a crossing. I genuinely thought you were continuing up the Rye as you didn't even look to your right into oncoming traffic as preparation for crossing. I'm a very careful driver & very aware of all other road users, but please be prepared to stop and jog on the spot, just for a couple of seconds, for your own safety & to give drivers the chance to stop for you.

[ibilly99]

Too late she died on the emergency table at hopital - at least her organ donation will enable others to see ..the eyes have it...

[Miss P]

To be clear, she was fine, if a little cross, hence the reason for the apology. Very poor taste, ibilly.

[RosieH]

It wasn't really an apology though was it, Miss P? It was a bit of a telling-off.

[Miss P]

I thought my opening sentence was precisely an apology.

I didn't deliberately drive onto the crossing to cut off a pedestrian, so my post was to apologise for any misunderstanding between myself & the jogger. I was merely trying to explain the event from my point of view & urging caution on the part of the pedestrian given recent events in ED.

My advice is often mistaken for "a telling-off", so I also apologise for that, this was not my intention, I was a little shaken too.

[treehugger]

Oh for goodness sake! Stop being so negative and picky! It is very scary when you nearly cause an accident (I am a cyclist, driver and pedestrian, and know what it's like when bad things nearly - or do - happen) and I think you could cut Miss P some slack and not be so cynical. she may well have been posting with the best of intentions - why should you assume any different?

[rayd]

I agree with treehugger - I have only posted once before but reading through different threads people do seem to like attacking others without knowing the full story.

[RosieH]

To quote treehugger, "oh for goodness sake"! Can anyone on here lighten up a bit and take things as tongue in cheek instead of wringing their hands incessantly about just how mean everyone is. It's most unbecoming.

And Miss P, I didn't mean you. I was just joshing with you. It sounds like the telling off was completely warranted - but while your opening line said "I would like to apologise", over half your post was dedicated to telling the jogger precisely what she did wrong, which sort of overrides the apology really.

Like I say though, sounds like she deserved it. She should be handing back her Tufty club badge.

[Miss P]

Thank you treehugger and rayd for your positive comments, I really appreciate them.

[Jeremy]

Treehugger's right, it can shake you up if you have a near miss, either as a pedestrian or motorist. Miss P, it sounds like you did nothing wrong, it's quite magnanimous of you to offer an apology.

[helew]

I'm with you Rosie H ... that was really passive aggressive anger disguised as an apology ...

and the little gang, backing up that kind of behaviour ...Jesus

[the-e-dealer]

You are supposed to stop and look at a crossing.

[jim_the_chin]

What helew said.

But, Miss P's suggestion that pedestrians stop at zebra crossings is very valid. I get it all the time as a cyclist; people mistake laws with rights and march straight on.

[paragon]

Yeah very silly of the jogger to run out on a pedestrian crossing without stopping but it can be done. :(

In the spirit of apologies, If the cyclist who I ran out in front of at Camberwell Green last night reads the forum then please accept my complete apology. I pride myself on being aware in most situations (opening car doors, crossing roads when walking) but had total leave of my senses and ran into the road in front of him.

There was a queue of stationary traffic and I simply didn't look as I went to jog through the cars. Which was really stupid and nearly caused both of us some real damage. He must have seen the sheer terror and embarrassment in my face as I was apologising as he didn't make a big deal of it.

I sometimes think if you are going on long jogs and getting tired you pay less attention the further you go on for fear of breaking stride or stop-starting.

It shook me up, I hate jogging home but it helps my exercise-life balance. If anyone knows a nice car free, people free, litter free, traffic free, danger free route to run home from St Pauls then please let me know!

[helew]

Yes fair enough ...aren't people suppose to stop at crossings and wait for traffic to slow down ...but there seems there's some grey area here around how to use these crossings ... I've seen men ( less often women ) with children walk straight out despite moving traffic having to screech to a halt

[Jeremy]

helew - that's not a grey area, anyone walking straight out without waiting for traffic to stop is plain wrong!!

[paragon]

I believe if you are standing on the crossing (e.g. the road) then the cars and bikes have a legal obligation to give way but not until then, so you should slow down, try and make eye-contact and wait till it is clear.

Someone will no doubt be googling it now

[Penguin68]

I believe if you are standing on the crossing (e.g. the road)

If memory serves (and I took my test with a version of the highway code which included whip signals for carriages) the pedestrian at the zebra crossing shows intent by placing a foot on the carriage way (i.e. doesn't have to be fully on the crossing) - in practice, as a driver, as you slow down at a crossing, if you see someone standing at the crossing and clearly looking at oncoming traffic (whether standing on the carriageway or not) you will stop, but if they are at the crossing but not with a foot on the carriage way or looking towards the traffic you probably proceed, unless they have been evidently distracted, i.e. by a child with them, when you might anyway want to stop until you are sure of their intentions.

Those adults who simply turn onto a crossing with their back to the traffic and not looking (it does happen) are making a Darwinian decision to improve the race, and should be accommodated.

[DJKillaQueen]

I think the rule is that once a pedestrian has steeped onto a crossing you must give way but that a pedestrian must wait for approaching traffic to stop before doing that or be sure approaching traffic is far away enough for it to safely stop. That means the onus is on the pedestrian to facilitate safe crossing.

[Penguin68]

but that a pedestrian must wait for approaching traffic to stop before doing that or be sure approaching traffic is far away enough for it to safely stop. That means the onus is on the pedestrian to facilitate safe crossing.

Evidently true (and sensible) however pedestrians are not tested on their understanding or knowledge of the highway code, nor are they required to pass a test to be allowed unsupervised near or on roads.

Perhaps they should?

[maxxi]

When I took my test (via Peckham BSM in a Metro back in the 80s) being aware of a zebra crossing was a driver's responsibilty. You were told that as you approched one you should be aware that - though they shouldn't just jump out - pedestrians could walk across at short notice so you should slow down and be extra alert. Like those signs in Australia warning about the possibility of big red 'roos crossing the road without notice.

I think eye contact has a lot to do with it. If a pedestrian makes eye contact with the driver an understanding can be reached but that requires both parties to be paying attention.

[cornelia]

Paragon, which way do you run from St Paul's? I was planning to start running home from there as soon as the clocks go forward but can't see any obvious route... I would cycle but am too cowardly these days.

[paragon]

cornelia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Paragon, which way do you run from St Paul's?

Normally I run;

Blackfriars Bridge, Blackfriars Road, London Road, The Elephant Roundabout's, Walworth Road, Camberwell Road, then past Kings and up (and then down) Denmark Hill.

It's not particularly pleasant to be honest. Also - it is really well lit and loads of people the whole route so don't feel you need to wait for lighter evenings...

If you fancy taking the plunge, I do it in about 45 mins including traffic lights and crossing roads etc. Welcome to join one night.

[taper]

I run to St Pauls from Peckham (Lyndhurst Way). So thinking about a route in reverse, I would head over the wobbly bridge, down the Thames path to city hall and then cut down towards the Bricklayers flyover on the Old Kent road (there are good backroutes avoiding the main road) You can then go under the underpass and make your way to Burgess Park (either down OKR or through the backstreets). When the park is open you could head across it, either to Surrey Canal Path or Benhill road. You can do this at the moment by going around the park. Depends if you're heading to Goose Green or Denmark Hill. So if the former all the way up Bellenden from the end of Surrey Canal to Goose Green. If the latter, you can give your glutes some hammer going up Camberwell Grove which has a good surface and on the right hand side no roads to cross until you get to the top. Down champion Hill to the cycle path to JAGs if you live at that end of ED or across to the top of Denmark Hill. Not traffic or people free, but a lot less grim than the elephant and Walworth.

[Cas59]

That comment is uncalled for ibilly. i cant believe the attitude that certain menbers on the forum have at times . ive seen many comments made that are so rude and thoughtless and at times its felt a lot like there is a bit of bullying that goes on, what was the purpose of ibilly making that sick comment, or was it a Joke ? Whos Laughing ?