The one that always gets me is the fact that pedestrians have priority over
vehicles that are turning into or out of a side road. Why should
pedestrians, who normally have to stop at the kerb to wait for a gap in the
traffic (except at zebra crossings and pedstraisn lights, obviously) be
given precedence over vehicles at the most dangerous part of a road, namely
a junction with another road?

Because road users going along a main road have priority over those
turning in or out of side roads - whether either user is a ped. or with
a vehicle is irrelevant.

In practice, might usually rules -

I'd suggest it dosn't really - motorists who 'steal' priority by
threatening to run down anyone who gets in their path are like most
bullies: parasites upon the existence of an (imperfect) level of order
and cooperation. If might really ruled (i.e. anarchy) the vulnerability
of cars to arson, theft & vandalism, either random or as revenge
attacks by disgruntled other road users, would probably make owning one
more trouble than it was worth. (Not a situation I advocate -
personally, I'd prefer a shift towards more order rather than less).

Jon

"Jon" wrote in message
oups.com...
The one that always gets me is the fact that pedestrians have priority
over
vehicles that are turning into or out of a side road. Why should
pedestrians, who normally have to stop at the kerb to wait for a gap in
the
traffic (except at zebra crossings and pedstraisn lights, obviously) be
given precedence over vehicles at the most dangerous part of a road,
namely
a junction with another road?

Because road users going along a main road have priority over those
turning in or out of side roads - whether either user is a ped. or with
a vehicle is irrelevant.

In practice, might usually rules -

I'd suggest it dosn't really - motorists who 'steal' priority by
threatening to run down anyone who gets in their path are like most
bullies: parasites upon the existence of an (imperfect) level of order
and cooperation. If might really ruled (i.e. anarchy) the vulnerability
of cars to arson, theft & vandalism, either random or as revenge
attacks by disgruntled other road users, would probably make owning one
more trouble than it was worth. (Not a situation I advocate -
personally, I'd prefer a shift towards more order rather than less).

There's a bit more to anarchy than just might rulling

Jon