Honking at Someone Giving Way Unnecessarily

devildoge100 on 07/02/2021 - 17:57
Last edited 07/02/2021 - 18:53

Hey Guys

Is it wrong/unacceptable to honk at someone who gives way unnecessarily?

I was driving last Thursday when the car in front of me (Nissan Micra) stopped to give way to a pedestrian at a refugee island. As far as I know you do not need to stop at a refugee island unless there are signs stating to give way to pedestrians this did not have no marking or signage. And its not like the pedestrian ran in front of the car or did something stupid he walked calmly onto the island and waited .

The driver of the SUV or truck behind me honked and leaned on his horn and its not like he didn't see the pedestrian either because the truck was pretty high up and I drive a 86 with a Subaru badge :) and the car in front of me was a Micra so he would have seen what was happening.

So it is wrong to honk and abuse someone who is being nice to a pedestrian by letting them cross when its not a designated crossing or is the car in front obstructing traffic for giving way unnecessarily?

I am not talking whether it's legal obviously its not in this situation. But morally

Correction/clarification for those who aren't aware - I wasn't the one who stopped. There was actually a car in front of me who stopped at the island so pretty much I am in between the Nissan and the idiot leaning on the horn.

Automotive

Comments

  • dogboy on 07/02/2021 - 18:10
    +126

    I think it is warranted. People not obeying the road rules to 'be nice' can easily cause accidents.

    • tebbybabes on 07/02/2021 - 18:22
      +48

      Not obeying road rules is one thing. The rule isn't written as go along the road at the limit and you must not stop/yield for anything unless otherwise signposted. All of us are using the roads together. Courtesy goes a long way towards making sharing the roads with each other much more pleasant.

      • elgrande on 07/02/2021 - 18:48
        +47

        In the above scenario, being nice to one person means being inconvenient to another..

        I like to consider myself a fair man, as such I do not let the pedestrian cross, but at the same time I slow down, this way I am as equally inconvenient to both parties..

        • studentl0an on 08/02/2021 - 14:56
          +25

          Those of us who watch Dashcam Australia on YT often see people who give way where/when they really shouldn't causing many car crashes.

          You may think you're being nice by giving someone way when you legally should not, but the truth is you're not a traffic warden and you are putting lives at risk with your error in judgement. It's a bad act, and being ignorant is negligence.

          • lunchbox99 on 08/02/2021 - 17:20
            +21

            @studentl0an: Worse than that - people expect your behaviour to be consistent with the rules, not go beyond the rules.

            So people who are overly courteous frequently find the other person is not ready to take advantage of their generous offer - they both end up sitting there with neither moving.

            Predictable behaviour is better than "extra nice" behaviour IMHO.

            • cuteseal on 09/02/2021 - 23:34
              +3

              @lunchbox99: Haha this ends up happening to me all the time. Car waiting to turn right into a wide driveway and I’m a pedestrian waiting for the car before I cross the driveway.

              They wave me and I wave them back, and they wave me again and I end up doing a half run across to appease them.

              Please - you can turn in faster than it takes for me to cross, and then I can just take my own sweet time. Just let me be!

          • lookin4bargain on 08/02/2021 - 19:47
            +1

            @studentl0an: for example @0:44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qiFPg3DotE

            • studentl0an on 08/02/2021 - 20:00

              @lookin4bargain: Exactly.

              If that 4wd had only kept going the j walker would have continued to wait in the center of the road, where there is a safer gap than the mini apparently left in front of the audi.

              Actually it may not have been j-walking. I can't see a pedestrian crossing anywhere and I don't know the law of pedestrian right on way on a road like that. For all I really know maybe the 4wd there had to give way, although it seems unlikely to me.

              I'd be interested to know what the law actually is regarding pedestrians crossing 4x lanes of traffic like that if someone actually knows.

              • futureminime on 09/02/2021 - 10:16
                +2

                @studentl0an: In terms of road rules for NSW:

                You must also give way to pedestrians – even if there is no marked pedestrian crossing – if there is any danger of colliding with them.

                https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/road-

                rules/pedestrians.html#:~:text=You%20must%20give%20way%20to,immediately%20after%20a%20pedestrian%20crossing.

                While I agree DashCams Australia shows some shocking drivers, only 90% of them are the ones being filmed. I'm always surprised how angry some people are with what are either 1. not illegal acts by the other drivers or 2. regular driving mistakes that I see on the road every week and aren't really a safety risk.

                Like in the clip above @0:44, regardless of the crap going on in front of you, you have no excuse for rear ending a car.

                TBH I would have stopped there. If I clip the guy who for some unknown reason has decided that's the smart place to cross 4 lanes (I would be questioning their ability to not get hit by cars) then its all on me. If the guy behind me rear ends me then its crap, but they are legally, and morally in the wrong. Whats the difference between if the guy had run across and they had to break vs what happened here? The 4WD drivers shown had no control over that guys actions and are driving a ton of metal.

                4WD did the right thing and slowed down as soon as they had visibility that it may have been an issue rather than slamming on the breaks. At least in NSW one of the things they had us do in the drivers test (theory test) was watch videos and tap the screen when you should slow down. This is exactly one of those situations. See a risk and and minimise the chance of people dying.

              • MattyD on 09/02/2021 - 18:30

                @studentl0an:

                For all I really know maybe the 4wd there had to give way

                The 4wd had to give way because it's a pedestrian, legal or not. Period. The pedestrian's legality is a separate matter to drivers' responsibility.

                When you can separate the two, you drive in a way that makes allowances for other people's mistakes. That's why they (used to?) teach defensive driving.

                Now if the driver can't safely slow/stop: that's different. But clearly that's not the case above as both vehicles slowed/stopped safely. The speed/distance/attention of the driver behind was the cause of the accident.

              • snackerjoe on 09/02/2021 - 22:24

                @studentl0an: That was one hell of a stupid jaywalker. From the start of that clip you can see there was a gap in incoming traffic which is when he's presumably crossed and when the first couple of cars go past they are driving over the dashed lines so they're obviously giving him space where he was standing.

                The 4wd may have thought it was safe to let him cross completely but unfortunately he can't speak for the driver in the next lane who not only can't see past the 4wd but has to brake suddenly (guessing at this point the guy was standing in the 4wd lane and the audi thought he was going to cross).

                Personally I wouldn't stop for people at the centre island unless already caught in a slow traffic jam. However in an incident like this I would slow down if the person were standing in the middle of the road but continue on. You can't stop everyone to let someone cross unexpectedly but at least you can slow traffic down a bit, where it's easier to do a hard brake if needed.

            • Homr on 09/02/2021 - 11:36
              -2

              @lookin4bargain: Interesting, so whos at fault there?

              That jaywalker looks like he has some mental health issues judging by the way he walks

            • MattyD on 09/02/2021 - 18:21
              +1

              @lookin4bargain: Interesting perspective. The authorities will disagree with you every time in the scenario you presented: both lead cars potentially slowed/stopped to give way to an erratic/unpredictable pedestrian. By law, motorists must make every reasonable effort to give way to pedestrians (this is one of the oldest trick questions in the Learners' test: if you think you can drive with the attitude "well, you're the moron that stepped out on the street; I'm not slowing down", you're going to face some rather serious driving charges).

              It's another case of popular opinion being completely wrong on the intent of motoring law.

              Like most accidents I've seen (and I've driven for a living), the car behind wasn't showing due caution (attention to the road, safe following distance, driving with regard to road/traffic/vehicle condition).

              Car behind 100% at fault, and the law/courts/insurers confirm this every day of the week.

              Slow down, pay attention, leave at least 2secs between you and the car in front and you'll never have to test this in court.

        • Brianqpr on 10/02/2021 - 15:59

          Depends on the pedestrian too. If its an older/less mobile person or someone with young kids or dogs its nice to stop for them and let them cross safely, especially if you weren't going very fast in the first place. Slamming the brakes on from a higher speed to do this is a different story but I've not seen anyone do this.

          But we should spare a thought for the SUV driver whose life and future has probably been ruined by the five seconds they lost there.

      • berry580 on 09/02/2021 - 00:05

        Unless it is unsafe to do so, you should not obstruct traffic.

        By being "nice" to the pedestrian, stopping your car so that they can cross the road, the flip side is you're unnecessarily causing obstruction for everyone else and be a potential danger for everyone else.

        And that's just not cool.

    • oscargamer on 07/02/2021 - 20:25
      +37

      dogboy - leaning on your horn is an offence against the road rules. A horn is a safety device to alert other road users to your presence, NOT to express displeasure.

      • Caped Baldy on 07/02/2021 - 22:25
        +10

        I sometimes use my horn to voice my displeasure at poor driving… I think of it a way to tell them not to do it in the future.

        To me it is important to be predictable when driving. Stopping randomly for pedestrians is not predictable and increases risk of accidents. It forces other drivers to stop suddenly and can force pedestrians to rush crossing the road.

      • Nickels n Dimes on 08/02/2021 - 12:08
        +6

        Therefore as you have clarified, in this case, it was entirely warranted — to alert the road users in front, of their presence (all too often people seem to forget there are cars behind them).

        • Caped Baldy on 08/02/2021 - 15:20
          +7

          There's giving a courtesy beep and being an ass by laying into the horn.

    • pebee47 on 08/02/2021 - 15:04
      +14

      Being in my 70’s I’m often “offered” free passage across a road or in a carpark. I understand people think they are being courteous, but it’s amazing how often their actions cause traffic to slow or build up.
      Waiting for 2 cars to enter an Aldi carpark. First car stops, waves me across, causing 2nd car to block a solid stream of cars behind which in turn choked up intersection 50 metres further back.
      I walked around to passenger side and pretended to get something to “make” the first car move on and relieve the jammed traffic.
      Because of that one person’s unnecessary action, about 10 drivers blood pressure rose!

      • TheJoker on 08/02/2021 - 19:34
        +1

        I could be wrong on this, but my understanding is that the car must legally give way to you if they're entering the carpark. In this scenario you would be the courteous one.

        • BobLim on 09/02/2021 - 07:00
          +3

          Correct. Assuming the carpark is off the street, turning in or out of it the vehicles are crossing the footpath and must give way to pedestrians.

    • This Guy on 09/02/2021 - 11:56

      Dude, we have half a story.

      OP could have been in bumper to bumper traffic and already driving stupidly slow, delaying no one.

      The SUV could have been carrying a critically ill person, trying to meet an ambulance.

      This thread seems to be assuming everyone involved except the person who bought an 86 is a moron. If we are going to assume the Micra Drive and the SUV driver a moron's can we at least call OP one for buying an 86?

    • snackerjoe on 09/02/2021 - 22:51

      A few years ago one of my workmates was relating the story about a friend who visited from Canada. He let the friend drive his car one day and on the way he stopped in the middle of the road to let someone cross from one side to the other. Surprised, he asked the friend why he did that. The friend replied saying that in Canada that's what everyone did. My workmate was understandably quite shocked and said that here no one stops in the middle of the road just to let someone cross.

      I'm not sure if that actually does happen in Canada but if that were to happen here I'd guess you'd never be able to get anywhere with people crossing willy nilly.

    • OldnBroke on 10/02/2021 - 09:05

      And a lot of people seem to forget these days that the fastest route between A and B may not be to try to pull out of the servo and drive perpendicularly across four lanes of traffic to turn right, when they could easily turn left and do a quick legal u-turn, e.g. at a nearby roundabout.

      Sometimes its better to smarten-up and avoid an obstacle than to try to barge through it.

      Unfortunately 50% of driver's these days appear to have the mental capacity of a potato.

    • Lord Fart Bucket on 10/02/2021 - 09:46
      +1

      BS. People without patience can easily cause accidents.

    • txb on 10/02/2021 - 10:07

      It disrupts the predictability of traffic, so yes

    • frewer on 10/02/2021 - 12:25

      'be nice' can easily cause accidents.

      So that is why those rude people on the road, coz they make it 'harder' to cause accident ?

    • tsugnev on 10/02/2021 - 15:45
      +1

      This. Doing anything that isn't the expected outcome results in accidents.

  • Baysew on 07/02/2021 - 18:17
    +30

    They were honking and abusing you for -

    I drive a 86 with a Subaru badge

    They were also an OzBargain member. Is It Legal to Change The Badge of a Car?

    • Leeroy Jenkins on 08/02/2021 - 14:13
      +1

      Hahah I chucked at this while reading OP's post.

  • Donaldhump on 07/02/2021 - 18:19
    +60

    Manus island or Nauru ?

    • devildoge100 on 07/02/2021 - 18:24

      I am talking about the refugee islands for pedestrians, the ones in the middle of the road :D

      • jjjaar on 07/02/2021 - 18:31
        +40

        They’re just refuge islands.

        • cnrmlj on 09/02/2021 - 08:35

          I always thought they were refugee islands too.

          Its like botanic gardens, alot of people call them botanical.

      • wizzy on 07/02/2021 - 18:54
        +3

        They're called refuge islands, but I understand the confusion.

        They're called refuge islands because you temporarily take refuge (shelter/comfort/safety) there, while you are crossing the road.

        The word refugee has a different meaning, but it also comes from the word refuge. They can be easily confused.

        • Donaldhump on 09/02/2021 - 14:09
          +1

          isnt a refugee is someone taking refuge, so i guess it could be referred to as a refugee island in theory / maybe ? just sounds funny

  • Eeples on 07/02/2021 - 18:25
    +2

    The SUV should honk if he is about to run into you.
    (So, you can inch forward and/or brace for impact)

    • devildoge100 on 07/02/2021 - 18:27

      He stopped safely, it's not like he had to squeal his brakes or anything like that.

      • Eeples on 07/02/2021 - 18:30
        +11

        Then, imo he is rude.

        He is, of course, also breaking the law.

        (His honking actually could have caused an accident). eg. startled you and you hit the pedestrian.

        • Hunter14 on 08/02/2021 - 18:56

          Both are in the wrong.

          The car in front shouldn't have robbed Peter to pay Paul.

          The car behind should have politely
          swore inside his car to voice his displeasure rather than honk and make it look like OP is the honking a-hole.

  • jjjaar on 07/02/2021 - 18:33
    +8

    As far as I know you do not need to stop at a refugee island unless there are signs stating to give way to pedestrians this did not have no marking or signage

    This actually depends on context.

    In Victoria, at an intersection, if you are turning into a street and the pedestrian is crossing that street, with or without a pedestrian refuge island, any road user (driver, cyclist) must give way to the pedestrian crossing the road.

    If it is just mid block, or you are the one exiting the road they are crossing, then, no, you don’t need to give way.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 08/02/2021 - 22:38
      -3

      Yep, run'em down.. Kids an'all… My right of way mate

  • thesaver on 07/02/2021 - 18:34
    -2

    Give em the shot gun that'll learn em

  • Austaurean on 07/02/2021 - 18:38
    +30

    If its not a crossing, you should not stop unless due to safety.

    Stopping unexpectedly to let a pedestrian cross when they should wait causes a danger to all road users, the vehicle behind will not be expecting the car in front to stop.

    A pedestrian can wait safely on the footpath/verge/naturestrip until it is clear.

    • Mokr on 07/02/2021 - 19:31
      +5

      any driver following would see the pedeestrian and know its a danger so should already have slowed down more.

      you should adjust speed due to road conditions,pedesstrains crossing is a possible hazzard, like bikes, etc

      also if you are following so close you cannot stop safely during a roundabout then you need to change the space between car

      • berry580 on 09/02/2021 - 00:09

        Only if we live in a perfect world.

    • capslock janitor on 09/02/2021 - 12:43

      i dont stop in school zone crossings (except lollypop) unless ofc i feel the kid is very skittish

    • Brianqpr on 11/02/2021 - 17:08

      No danger if you are a safe distance behind, and brake lights tell you when someone is slowing ahead.

  • p1 ama on 07/02/2021 - 18:43
    +13

    And its not like the pedestrian ran in front of the car or did something stupid he walked calmly onto the island and waited .

    If a pedestrian is clearly waiting (as in they've already stopped), then I would not give way as it's both clear to me and the pedestrian that I won't be stopping, but in my experience there are a lot of pedestrians who will not stop but just continue walking, in which case, braking hard will obviously be much more dangerous than stopping safely. This is because many pedestrians do not really know road rules (especially kids). At the end of the day, road rules are there to help things go along smoothly, but the number one priority should be to use your judgement as not everyone acts as you expect.

    This might be an unpopular opinion, but the overall danger associated with giving way to the pedestrian is much less than the danger of hitting them or potentially having to brake hard, so I can understand why someone might choose to do this.

    The driver of the SUV or truck behind me honked and leaned on his horn and its not like he didn't see the pedestrian either because the truck was pretty high up and I drive a 86 with a Subaru badge :) and the car in front of me was a Micra so he would have seen what was happening.

    SUV drivers tend to be the biggest (profanity). Honking is fine to warn someone of danger or to alert them to something. I personally wouldn't honk, but if I had to, it would be to just let them know that they shouldn't have stopped. Leaning on the horn is an idiotic thing to do - noise pollution, becomes unclear what you are alerting people to, can cause further tension and/or problems.

    So it is wrong to honk and abuse someone who is being nice to a pedestrian by letting them cross when its not a designated crossing or is the car in front obstructing traffic for giving way unnecessarily?

    The less honking, the better IMO. I've seen so many drivers who use the horn as an expression of their own frustration. One of my friends (who's honestly a dick on the road, even though he's my friend) had a habit of honking at everyone and everything until one day he honked at the wrong person who got out of their car and kicked a dent in his door at the next lights. He's now less of an obnoxious twat on the road.

    Point is, people should just calm down. Honking is fine and understandable in this situation, leaning on the horn is a moronic thing to do.

    • devildoge100 on 07/02/2021 - 22:16
      +1

      Hate to say this but your friend is lucky that the other guy only kicked a dent in the door, the other person could have had a weapon in their car i.e crowbar, bat, garden tools, or even a gun.

      • Miami Mall Alien on 08/02/2021 - 14:15
        +2

        the other person could have had a weapon in their car i.e crowbar, bat, garden tools, or even a gun.

        Yes and had they used that weapon against a car/person, that other person could have then been prosecuted for illegal possession of a weapon, reckless/dangerous driving, property damage, GBH, assault, manslaughter, etc.

        Who gives a flying f**k who you honk at, there is zero justification to respond with violence to "inconsiderate" honking.

        You don't repay one minor vehicular transgression with an even worse one (road rage).

        • resisting the urge on 08/02/2021 - 15:45
          +1

          Long Honking is perceived by one person in a sound-proof car as one thing.

          But by an individual outside, or inside a 'yoghurt carton car', it's perceived very differently.

          Horns should only be used to warn of danger (road rules) so if you ever find yourself honking a lot, there will be a reason for it. Is there always an actual emergency, every time you drive? Maybe they are more often just perceived ones, that are more of an obstruction.

          Take a chill pill- Try driving without touching the horn and your patience will build, your heart rate reduce, and everyone around you will not have to be thinking about taking the law into their own hands to address an incessant Honker.

          Instead of honking and just waiting patiently, a few people will actually realise you are there, and thank you. Certainly better than ranting around or racing off all angry.

          • Miami Mall Alien on 08/02/2021 - 17:19

            @resisting the urge:

            Long-winded, meandering story directed at the wrong person

            Believing that honking should only be used for emergency purposes and believing that no one has the right to initiate acts of violence against someone else for unnecessary honking are not mutually exclusive positions.

            If you apply some common sense, you'll see that both arguments can be supported without contradicting each other.

            That this actually has to be spelled out for some people in crayon is the reason we have such a ridiculously polarised and broken society.

            Take a chill pill- Try driving without touching the horn and your patience will build, your heart rate reduce, and everyone around you will not have to be thinking about taking the law into their own hands to address an incessant Honker.

            Instead of honking and just waiting patiently, a few people will actually realise you are there, and thank you. Certainly better than ranting around or racing off all angry.

            Again, I have no idea why this is being directed at me but if you're finished making flagrantly absurd assumptions and getting your daily dose of self-right righteous dopamine hits, I am not the person in the OP's story and I never said any of that behaviour you've described there is acceptable on the road.

            It's you who needs to get off your high horse and calm the hell down.

            • resisting the urge on 11/02/2021 - 23:58

              @Miami Mall Alien: It wasn't directed at you, did not mean to suggest you were having any trouble. But not clear, sorry for the upset.

              Long honking is becoming as much a problem- maybe as much as the polarised society which arises from too much reading things that weren't said (or perhaps meant), between the lines.

  • devildoge100 on 07/02/2021 - 18:50

    Guys, to clarify it's not me who stopped at the island it's the car in front of me so pretty much I am in the middle of the car who stopped and the idiot leaning on the horn

    • Adredocto on 07/02/2021 - 19:37
      +16

      When I'm the pedestrian I don't like the driver stopping either because I know they aren't meant to. Then it becomes an odd game of stop starting to see who ends up continuing on.

      Same for pedestrian crossings when the pedestrian waves a car thru. No, either cross or stop standing at the entrance. I don't wanna get in trouble for going ahead and you decide actually let's leg it.

      • John Kimble on 07/02/2021 - 21:57
        +2

        I've recently encountered pedestrians standing at a pedestrian crossing, with no intention to cross (at least in the time I'm driving past).

        My best guess is they're waiting for a mate/on the phone/waiting for an uber…

        What is with that? Wait somewhere else that doesn't cause every car to stop for no reason!

        • xuqi on 07/02/2021 - 22:22

          Maybe they've been sent/held there against their will.

      • macfudd on 07/02/2021 - 22:46
        +4

        If there's no one behind me, I like stopping and waving the pedestrian through, then you get to watch them do that awkward half run thing. Same reason I like to hold a door open for people that are just a bit too far away..

  • plmko on 07/02/2021 - 19:43
    +7

    Why do people take so much offense from a honk?

    Seriously spend your mental energy on better things in life.

    • SF3 on 07/02/2021 - 23:42
      +1

      When people taking things personally.

      Substitute honking for OzB neg vote. /thread

    • matt-ozb on 08/02/2021 - 23:16
      +1

      Most people in Australia don't understand that a horn is a warning device for safety .. they get confused and think you are pulling a gun on them when they hear the horn.

      • skidexa on 10/02/2021 - 15:10

        But people also use it for road rage moments

  • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2021 - 19:44
    +5

    The thing about driving is you don't know who is in the car you're honking. And my experience is that there are a lot of crazies that would rather do you harm than apologise for or acknowledge doing wrong.

    Top tip: forget about right/wrong. See driving as a simple goal of survival. Don't antagonise anyone.

    • Trekky on 08/02/2021 - 16:56
      +3

      Many years ago, a friend honked her horn when we were in the drive through and the car in front was an unmarked police car. She was fined and told it was illegal to beep the horn, unless is was an emergency.

  • Seraphin7 on 07/02/2021 - 20:17
    +7

    People stopping in the middle of the road for no good reason can cause accidents, not to mention simply increasing general frustration and aggravation by impeding traffic flow.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 07/02/2021 - 21:24
    +15

    that person who stopped to be 'polite' could have very well killed someone by doing that. The truck could have rear ended you, and you could have rear ended the micra, and the micra could have shot into that person.

    People who do things like this are baffling to me. Road rules exist as RULES not GUIDELINES. People who do stuff like that should lose their licence IMO, there's enough accidents on the road without this.

    • RockyRaccoon on 07/02/2021 - 21:35

      Fair comment, just point us to the "RULE" that says you cant stop to let someone cross. Or for example stop to let someone in from a side street or Servo..

      • coffeeinmyveins on 07/02/2021 - 21:43
        +5

        What?

        Is there a rule that says you don't suddenly brake for no reason?

        No, therefore (by your logic) it's fine to do so. I'll try that next time there's a semi behind me.

        It's not the lack of a rule that makes it fine, it's that there is no rule to say it's something you SHOULD do, therefore it is unexpected and being unexpected can cause accidents. You need to be predictable. The rules make you predictable on the road.

      • Leeroy Jenkins on 08/02/2021 - 14:25
        +3

        I would classify this as reckless driving cuz it's an unexpected behaviour that may catch the cars behind off guard and cause an accident.

        • Caped Baldy on 08/02/2021 - 17:41

          Hmm. Isn't it essentially brake checking?

        • modiika on 08/02/2021 - 17:46
          +1

          It seems like the car came to a slow stop not sudden. In the event of a truck rear ending them, they would be the reckless drivers not the car at the front who stopped. It's reckless to expect you can travel unimpeded at the speed limit in a city, that's nto a safe nor reasonable expectation.

          I think the scenario given its a bit strange to stop. It might make sense if it was a very busy and fast road and the driver considered it was dangerous for the pedestrian to stay in the island a long time or they were a clearly vunerable users (young child, disorientated adult). Or perhaps if it was a narrow/suburban side street that typically doesnt get much traffic, in which case possibly ok. Or if the front driver had a different apprehension and assume the pedestrian was about to step infront of them even if that was not OPs opinion.

          But generally, on a regularly fairly busy road, i think its pretty rude to stop to let a pedestrian cross immediately who doesnt need to do so. I dont think its reckless driving but not courteous either. I think the horn is appropriate (morally speaking), but I dont think you should ever honk in this scenario as you dont know the real reason they stopped, even if you suspect its their mate and they just want to stop to say hi.

      • robberbutton on 08/02/2021 - 20:13
        +3

        NSW Road Rules 2014

        125 Unreasonably obstructing drivers or pedestrians

           (1)  A driver must not unreasonably obstruct the path of another driver or a pedestrian.
   Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

        Stopping when not required and without a legit safety reason could easily be argued to be obstructing all the traffic behind you.

    • p1 ama on 08/02/2021 - 00:00
      +10

      The truck could have rear ended you, and you could have rear ended the micra, and the micra could have shot into that person.

      Regardless of whatever the person in front was doing or why they might be stopping, it's the responsibility of any driver to make sure they have enough stopping distance to not rear end the car in front.

      I bet that if the thread was about someone who had rear-ended someone who stopped suddenly, you'd be shouting about how they have to maintain enough braking distance.

      Road rules exist as RULES not GUIDELINES. People who do stuff like that should lose their licence IMO, there's enough accidents on the road without this.

      Go run over somebody who crosses the road in front of you and tell the judge that you had every right to because you don't need to stop for them. See how far that takes you. Just because you have right of way in a particular situation doesn't mean that you can act with complete impunity and have no consequences for your actions. It's still your responsibility to be alert to dangers and to react to them appropriately when you face them.

      At the end of the day, as a driver, you are the one who makes the final judgement call. Sometimes people do irrational and dumb things and you have to react to that as best you can in that moment. When there's the possibility that a pedestrian will step out in front of you, then you need to react accordingly. Are some pedestrians idiots? Absolutely. Don't be an idiot too.

      • SF3 on 08/02/2021 - 00:05
        +3

        Problem with the progression of society is that, absolutism tends to be the default way of thinking or behaving. Whether it is rules or legalities - rules says therefore it is OK.

        There is often a lack of critical thinking or situational awareness.

        • SBOB on 08/02/2021 - 06:51
          +3

          There is often a lack of critical thinking or situational awareness.

          Based on the world over the last year/s, this seems to be an ever increasing reality.

    • Boogerman on 08/02/2021 - 12:14
      +2

      And that truck driver would have been charged for following too closely
      Rear ending someone, is the follower’s fault. Always

  • John Kimble on 07/02/2021 - 21:27
    +5

    I get into similar scenarios every so often, but as the pedestrian with my two young children waiting in the refuge island when cars stop for us. While I understand they think they are doing me a favour, I always wave them through, because I need to teach my kids not all cars are going to stop (and shouldn't stop).

    They almost always shake their head or look at me like I'm the idiot!

    • coffeeinmyveins on 07/02/2021 - 21:44
      +2

      yep and then you end up in the situation where they then wave again with a "no no i insist" and you're both left unsure who's going to go.

      • tranter on 08/02/2021 - 13:28

        That's why in most cases if somebody has stopped and is giving way to you, whether you're a pedestrian or a driver, it's best to go with that rather than going back and forth, both parties hesitating and creating a more dangerous situation. The longer you are stuck on an intersection/refuge island, the longer you are exposed. The fact that the driver has stopped and is waving you through means you have been seen, which is reassuring.

        Happened to me just this morning after dropping off my child off at school. I was waiting to turn right at a cross intersection, the car opposite waived me through.

    • acoma on 08/02/2021 - 10:59
      +1

      I do the same with my kids. I tell them if a car stops and waves them across, in a non-pedestrian crossing area, and I am not there, to shake their head and yell out, No.

  • Mechz on 07/02/2021 - 21:37
    +2

    Pretty sure it's illegal to use your horn unless it's an emergency or to warn others an accident might be about to occur.

    • Poor Ass on 10/02/2021 - 15:15

      and animals on the road

  • juzza87 on 07/02/2021 - 21:42
    +2

    When driving you need to be as predictable as possible, remembering that cars have indicators and a horn as the only means of communication. This means following the same rules as everyone else at all times. When a pedestrian is on the refuge island it would be alert in case they run across but never stop to let them cross. This also applies to pedestrians or other road users using hand gestures, they're not licensed to direct traffic and it's easy to misinterpret, if an accident is caused it's on you.

    You also don't know that the car behind you will overtake, killing your pedestrian if there's two lanes or they're impatient.

    I think the use of the horn is justified in this instance as a means to communicate "what are you doing, idiot?!"

  • nomoneynoproblems on 07/02/2021 - 22:50
    -1

    Deserved a honk. Follow the road rules people and there will be less honking.

  • Caped Baldy on 07/02/2021 - 22:53
    +1

    Funny how this showed up on reddit

    https://old.reddit.com/r/memes/comments/leik53/dont_forget_t…

  • tranter on 08/02/2021 - 00:13
    +2

    As with everything in life it depends on the context.

    There is a refugee island close by to the shops near our place and I walk/drive through this location many times a week. I would say at least 1 in 3 vehicles stop to give way to pedestrians on the island. It's quite safe to do so as it's a narrow road and traffic is usually flowing at a slower speed approaching the island as it's located just before a t-intersection. I have even seen police vehicles give way here.

    I'm actually opposite to the poster above. When I'm a pedestrian on the island I appreciate the times vehicles give way. I think overall it's a safer experience for everyone that drivers are being mindful to children/families/elderly and disabled crossing the road. It's also a good learning experience for my kids. It would actually create a more dangerous situation if the vehicles were waived through.

    • Caped Baldy on 08/02/2021 - 16:24
      +2

      It's also a good learning experience for my kids

      So they expect cars to always stop for them anywhere?

      • tranter on 09/02/2021 - 10:29

        Not at all. My 4.5 yo knows to never cross the road without me. He often rides out in front as I'm walking and everytime I find him waiting patiently for me at the next road crossing. Some parents are horrified when they hear this.

        Every child is different though.

        The confidence with my son has built up over the last 2.5 years over hundreds of rides and walks. Every outing is a learning experience. I'll have to see how it goes with my younger one as time progresses.

    • John Kimble on 08/02/2021 - 16:40

      It would actually create a more dangerous situation if the vehicles were waived through.

      How so?

      • tranter on 08/02/2021 - 17:30

        It's a busy crossing with lots of pedestrians coming and going from the shops. It's also a busy road. The island is located right at a t-intersection where vehicles are constantly turning on either side of the island. Vehicles often have to line up at the intersection which blocks the crossing at the island.

        At certain crossings such as this one the sooner pedestrians are safely clear the better. Many vehicles will give way to pedestrians and it works quite well here. My 4.5 year old often rides here alongside of me. I would say the majority of drivers give way when they see the little guy on the bike waiting to cross. It's safe because the driver has seen us and we clear a potentially dangerous crossing much sooner.

        • John Kimble on 08/02/2021 - 19:28

          If it's so dangerous they should change it to a zebra crossing or traffic light?

    • Loopenip on 09/02/2021 - 18:30
      +1

      Near me there's a refugee island in a road which goes from 60 to 70 a few km down the road, no one stops at that one because it doesn't make sense to.
      So yeah I agree context is everything, for my road I think stopping is bad, but for your one I think it's alright to.

    • BobLim on 09/02/2021 - 20:22

      I think overall it's a safer experience for everyone

      Not for the bike rider you didn't notice - whom you've confused, squeezed against the kerb, and blocked their vision - then done all you can to aim a pedestrian who won't look properly into their path (too busy still wondering whether you're about to run them over)

  • Porker on 08/02/2021 - 07:47
    +3

    Was in the car with my dad once whole he was driving down a 80km/h, 3 lane highway.

    Some kids wanted to j-walk and as I saw it, they were stepping onto the road to cross behind us.

    Dad decides to be 'nice' and slow to allow them to cross the front all the while me yelling at him to go. Kids make it across lane one safely and then across lane 2 in front of us, but car in lane 3 comes roaring past and slams on brakes narrowly missing idiot kids.

    I was in the midst of yelling at him explaining not to stop, and the example of why happened right in front of us.

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 08/02/2021 - 07:50
    +6

    They’re being a danger and impeding the flow of traffic. It’s a textbook example of when to use your horn.

    • capslock janitor on 09/02/2021 - 12:44

      BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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