NEW HIERARCHY OF ROAD USERS BEGINS
From 29th January, rules for all types of road users were updated in The Highway Code to improve the safety of people walking, cycling and riding horses. The changes introduced a new ‘hierarchy of road users,’ with those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bearing the greatest responsibility for taking care and reducing the danger they pose to others. This principle applies most strongly to drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles, cars and motorcycles, while other more vulnerable road users have a responsibility to reduce danger to people walking. None of this detracts from the responsibility of all road users, including people walking, cycling or riding a horse, to have regard for their own and other road users’ safety. The latest changes to The Highway Code include:
Giving people walking across and people cycling going straight ahead priority when turning in and out of junctions.
Leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds of up to 30mph, and giving them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.
Passing people riding a horse or driving a horse-drawn vehicle at speeds under 10mph and allowing at least 2m of space.
Allowing at least 2 metres of space and keeping to a low speed when passing a person who is walking in the road.
Encouraging people driving vehicles to open their doors with the hand furthest from the door, to help them look over their shoulder behind them to see people cycling or walking nearby.
People cycling may ride in the centre of the road or two abreast for their own safety, whilst allowing others to overtake when it is safe for them to do so.
In most cases, this should not really alter the way that you drive, but it does give precise speeds and distances where previously people were allowed to use common sense. We are yet to be convinced that it is a good idea to allow cyclists to ride in the middle of the road or two abreast in effect to deliberately hold up traffic if they wish to, and fear that it is more likely to lead to road rage incidents and injury. Most cyclists will of course be perfectly reasonable, but a hard core of fanatics will no doubt see this as carte blanche to disrupt motor traffic.