Morris Minor Owners Club

I remember when the zig zag lines came in and how that works but I can't remember what the rules were before the zig zags came in. Does anyone remember? This all came about as my mother recalls someone she knew was killed on a zebra crossing but in the days before zig zags. It seems he walked out without looking. These days, whilst it wouldn't be a wise thing to do, provided there was no vehicle, with the zig zags, he'd have been within his rights to do so but back then???

The Highway Code, without any publication date, but priced at 12p and probably from the early 1970s, makes no mention of zig-zags, but relevant rules appear to be:

42. When coming to a zebea crossing, be ready to slow down or stop....
43. Never overtake just before a zebra crossing.
45 and 46 concern crossings with lights.

I think that it used to say to not park within x yards of a crossing. If I can find that, then I'll add the information.

Rule 97, Do not park or let your vehicle stand:
(3) Where it would be a danger ti other road users; that is:
...on a pedestrian crossing, or on either side of it;
...

For information, a dated copy of the code from 1978 and now costing 25p now includes the zig-zags in Rule 56.

More and more people parking/stopping on zig-zags now. Yes the pedestrian is always right in this case the moment they step onto the crossing.

The legislation sits in the Zebra Pedestrian Crossings Regs of 1971. Useful for dating photos pre and post although there was a lag when installing the zig zag lines for the crossings. It introduced the concept of a 'zebra controlled area' denoted by the zig zag lines.

The previous legislation was Pedestrian Crossings Regs of 1954. That codified the concept of pedestrian precedence.

This link is a potted history which is as amusing - with hindsight and informative showing cultural shifts and views towards pedestrians which would not be out of place on GB News...

https://joemoran.net/academic-articles/ ... 1931-1976/

firedrake1942 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 7:28 am The legislation sits in the Zebra Pedestrian Crossings Regs of 1971. Useful for dating photos pre and post although there was a lag when installing the zig zag lines for the crossings. It introduced the concept of a 'zebra controlled area' denoted by the zig zag lines.

The previous legislation was Pedestrian Crossings Regs of 1954. That codified the concept of pedestrian precedence.

This link is a potted history which is as amusing - with hindsight and informative showing cultural shifts and views towards pedestrians which would not be out of place on GB News...

https://joemoran.net/academic-articles/ ... 1931-1976/

Thanks for those 2 references firedrake, it saves me looking them up.
The Regs being made under the authority of The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967.

Before the Zig Zag, we had of course already introduced Pelican Crossings, with the pedestrian controlled lights in 1969.

Pelican was far more successfully than the 1 year trial (meaning disastrous experiment) of the 'Panda Crossing' in 1962.
They were only in use for a week before they announced changes to the way they worked.
They featured both 'Flashing' and 'Pulsating' lights, of which people were supposed to know the difference
Check this short video from BBC archives.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ryty8

geoberni wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 10:39 am
Pelican was far more successfully than the 1 year trial (meaning disastrous experiment) of the 'Panda Crossing' in 1962.
They were only in use for a week before they announced changes to the way they worked.
They featured both 'Flashing' and 'Pulsating' lights, of which people were supposed to know the difference
Check this short video from BBC archives.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ryty8

Good Lord! How could anyone think that a good idea?