- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Highway Code changes (Tier press release)Highway Code: One-in-four drivers still don't know correct rule on cyclist priority
New research into drivers' knowledge of changes to the Highway Code has raised concern, a survey estimating that 25 per cent of drivers do not know the correct rules on pedestrian and cyclist priority.
The research comes courtesy of Tier, the world's largest shared micro-mobility operator, who surveyed motorists ahead of Car-Free Day and have now called for better awareness of the Highway Code changes and hierarchy of road users.
> The Highway Code for cyclists — all the rules you need to know for riding on the road explained
Changes were implemented in January 2022 to better protect vulnerable road users, and include establishing a hierarchy of road users with those most vulnerable (pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders) placed at the top, as well as giving cyclists and those on foot priority in situations such as the ones illustrated below.
However, Tier's survey found that one-in-four drivers were incorrect or unable to answer on questions of pedestrian and cyclist priority and incorrectly believe that those driving vehicles have priority over cyclists and pedestrians when turning onto a side road.
Furthermore less than half of drivers correctly identified pedestrians as having priority, that despite the two-year anniversary of the Highway Code changes approaching this winter.
The Highway Code states:
You should not cut across cyclists, horse riders or horse-drawn vehicles going ahead when you are turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane
More than a third of drivers surveyed wrongly believed drivers have priority when turning into a side road, while one-in-five said they were not sure who has priority.
Jessica Murphy, Head of Public Policy UKI at Tier, said the results of the survey were troubling, and demonstrate the need to further raise awareness of the changes to avoid dangerous interactions on Britain's roads.
She said: "The findings highlight how well-meaning changes to the Highway Code still put the onus on cyclists and other vulnerable road users to be aware of drivers. Currently the majority of drivers should give cyclists their legal right of way, however a quarter will not, which could lead to potentially devastating outcomes.
"We hope that by raising awareness of the changes more drivers will hear about the changes and drive according to the Highway Code, making our roads safer to cycle on, especially in urban areas and reduce conflict between road users."
The changes to the Highway Code were brought in 20 months ago and prompted much discussion and hysteria at the time. Just days before the revisions came into force, two major newspapers misrepresented the rules around the 'Dutch Reach' technique, designed to reduce the chances of dooring a cyclist.
A further concern came with the lack of communication of the changes to the public, Cycling UK at the time calling for a long-term public awareness campaign to help produce a "mindset shift" on British roads. It took until July, six months after they came into effect, for the changes to be promoted in a THINK! road safety campaign.
And Tier's research is hardly surprising considering the news a year ago that an AA survey showed that 61 per cent of drivers had not read the new rules.
"While we are pleased that many of the changes can be successfully recalled, we'd like more drivers to know the rules outright so they can keep themselves and others safe," the managing director of AA Accident Assist, Tim Rankin, said.
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
Latest Comments
- JMcL_Ireland 1 sec ago
I absolutely stand by my criticism of Elite (note: I'm not criticising the volunteer marshals). They charge an arm and a leg for these events but...
- chrisonabike 6 min 43 sec ago
Oh come on! Still 37 days (many of them working) to go - that's just anti-social!...
- Destroyer666 13 min 18 sec ago
There's a lot of good stuff here, but shoe reviews are still lagging on average when comparing to for example bike or tire reviews. Specs relating...
- galibiervelo 46 min 10 sec ago
Loved the Bastion in the flesh but Lemond's bike has the soul. Nice event and met some friends and contacts but like the magazine, it does promote...
- Rendel Harris 52 min 40 sec ago
I don't know if you know Richmond Park, the roads are vehicle roads with segregated pedestrian provision usually a metre or two off to the side,...
- chrisonabike 1 hour 38 min ago
Awaiting the next feckless driver asking the judge to delay the start of the sentence because "they owe a few more cyclists a proper goodbye"....
- Hirsute 2 hours 56 min ago
All in the article - road tax.
- chrisonabike 4 hours 10 min ago
Ah, but: in UK, if a motorist drives into you (or simply parks in a cycle lane, forcing you out into the path of another motorist) then the council...
- hawkinspeter 5 hours 12 min ago
You're right. I just use the main Long Ashton Rd to get between the A370 and Ashton Court/B3128. Looking at a map, Festival Way doesn't go far...
- hand0j1n 19 hours 30 min ago
Hopefully the new device is a big success, but wahoo do have a lot work to do in terms of convincing that their quality control has improved. ...
Add new comment
63 comments
I work in catering and anyone handling food has to redo level 2 food hygeine training every 3 years. This takes a couple of hours, is done online and requires an 80% pass rate in each section. This acts a reminder of regs and makes sure that everyone is aware of any changes. Considering the potential danger that a motor vehicle presents, and the number of deaths and serious injuries inflicted by them each year, it doesn't seem at all unreasonable to me that all driving licence holders should be obliged to do an online highway code course at least every 5 years.
it doesn't seem at all unreasonable to me that all driving licence holders should be obliged to do an online highway code course at least every 5 years
Good plan!
And then politics, politicians and the interests of their parties get in the way.
Do I hear "War on motorists"?
Im going to be controversial here and say the "undertaking" part of H3 is a nightmare that needs repealing or re-writing.
Its creates a false sense of expectation from cyclists that drivers will be aware of it and so they put themselves in danger trying to put it into practice in the real world, especially granted its only a "should".
TBH Im not sure what a better answer is ... just that I cant see it ever working welluntil properly segregated cycle lanes are ubiquitous.
I had a 50/50 example of this at the weekend - I was cycling up a cycle filter lane alongside stationary traffic. At the end of the filter is an ASL, with dedicated signals for cyclists, which are green as I approach. I am intending to go straight on at the junction. Before I reach the ASL, the motor traffic lights also go green, and the Range Rover I am alongside starts moving and indicating left. As I am probably in the blind spot, and I can see the passenger window is wide open, I call out "going straight on" while also preparing to brake. To which the driver replies "well don't go up the inside of a car then", and continues on his way, forcing me to brake. Slightly irritating, but no major drama as I was prepared for either eventuality, but I agree a less experienced cyclist could have got into bother.
That's the problem with putting cycle lanes on the left hand sidem but really the issue is that drivers should be checking that it's safe to turn left when the traffic lights turn green.
I usually try to time my approach to a red traffic light if I know the rough timings, so that I can reach the front just as it's turning green and my momentum gives me a head start on the stationary traffic. I either aim to get across a junction before motor vehicles have a chance to hit me or try to match the flow of traffic and not be by the side of a vehicle.
Traffic lights with a left-turn junction are a good candidate for allowing cyclists to turn left on red (if it's safe to do so) as that avoids more conflict than forcing cyclists to tangle with left turning drivers.
Actually, the problem is we only focus on what the HC says to drivers, but ignore the advice for cyclists. This (rule 76) says -
"Watch out for drivers intending to turn across your path. Remember the driver ahead may not be able to see you, so bear in mind your speed and position in the road."
So yes, you have priority, but you still have a responsibility to keep yourself safe.
This issue was recently covered by Youtube Driving Instructor Ashley Neal. There appears to be a face value contradiction between H3, and rules 74 and 76. Ashley does go on to explain in detail on certain situations, but there are a number of different circumstances which need to be addressed.
Firstly moving traffic, including bicycles, should have priority over static vehicles in this manner. However once all vehicles are moving it is safer to hold position and wait for the vehicle in front to perform their manouvre.
When filtering I am constantly watching lights and signals, and if they change to green I pull up between two cars that are yet to get moving, I don't try to force through once the first cars are accellerating away from the junction. If anything is obscured or I do not have any room to filter through I move to the Primary position in order to make myself seen. I have never had a problem with this kind of clash in those instances.
The crucial detail is that the driver has to be indicating for you to be able to stop or overtake (unless you suspect them and are watching where their wheels are pointing). The big problem is when drivers suddenly turn left across your path with no warning.
seems a liitle odd to only ask this of drivers. How about pedestrains and cyclists for comparison. I 'm sure they haven't read the highway code either. The current flashing green man is too sophisticated for most.
I see your point although the most deadly, in terms of societal impact, road user is perhaps good place to start. I don't remember seeing any advertised HC education programme for any road users, never mind motorists.
I understand the desire to use a variety of language in an article, and that the terms are often (mis)used interchangeably - but there is a troubling mix of "right of way" and "priority" here, both from road.cc and the quoted speaker from Tier. They are not the same thing. Right of way describes a legal right to pass over land (it is not limited to the road network); priority is what the Highway Code says about who goes first. I concede though that the HWC does unhelpfully use "right of way" once, to say: The rules in The Highway Code do not give you the right of way in any circumstance, but they advise you when you should give way to others".
Yeah! Just like they don't know what that red light on the pole above the yellow and green ones is for, or what those unbroken white lines in the middle of the road mean. It's because they know that claiming to not be aware of..., or failing to recall that incident (this may only work with ScotRozzer) where they cut straight across a cyclist, or pulled out immediately in front of him on a main road or roundabout will almost always get them off even though there's FHD video of it happening- just like they get off with 12+++++ points on the licence
I like the bit where she suggests that only a quarter of drivers won't give way to a cyclist because they're unaware of the rules, as if the other three quarters will despite the fact they do know the rules.
Going a bit off topic here, but leading on from the call for a public awareness campaign to ensure drivers know about the new rules, I think we should go further - 99% of what the average driver "knows" about cyclist and the rules around cycling is myth and fallacy (for example, 86.1% of drivers think we should "also" be subject to a tax that they don't pay and that hasn't existed in 86 years). Just about everything that we cyclists do that drivers get annoyed about a) doesn't inconvenience them at all, and b) we're supposed to do.
I've mentioned this before, and although the consensus seemed to be that "it wasn't the Government's job", I can't help but think that a lot of the issues we all face (which stem from misinformation-fuelled, anti-cyclist hatred), would be resolved by some form of public information campaign that at least attempted to clear up some myths surrounding issues like:
Really agree on the public awareness campaign.
I do kind of miss those public information campaigns we used to get on TV, seemed cheesy at the time, but the messages at least got through & were embedded in your consciousness (the ones about fireworks & not fetching your frisbee from an electricty pylon traumatised me as a kid) .
My favourite was obviously the one on the Young Ones - "Think once, think twice, think don't drive on the pavement!" (illustrated with a cricket bat & various squidy objects).
Then again, who watches adverts any more? It's one thing social meeja could actually be useful for maybe.
Quite an interesting article from the guardian the other day, I know how people receive their entertainment is different these days but still a considerable amount of it contains advertising. Just needs to have some will on behalf of the government maybe ?
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/16/from-smoking-to-seatbelt...
I think the department that made public information films was closed in 2011, so we're just going to have to treasure the old favourites
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92xPM7JR2NU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZWD2sDRESk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7EI2cKUPw0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7lo98PcZD4
The sad thing is I remember most of them and glad to see you got Tufty in
When I was at school as a teenager "the Tufty club" was also a put down for the National Front.
Just to be clear, I've never supported squirrels in the National Front or any nationalistic political group
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-opinion/denis-kilcommons-huddersfield-squirrel-bombed-10078473
I wondered why I'd never boiled a kettle on a boat..... It all makes sense now
You can't have your kayak and heat it too
Chapeau!
I agree with most of what you say. The only point of contention for me would be the "storage of private property" comment. In areas such as mine, people on low wages often travel 10 miles each way to do 12 hour shifts of physical work to keep the country fed whilst living in houses of multiple occupancy with no offroad parking. I have no problem with these people "storing their property" on the road as long as it is parked responsibly.
My issue with parking is that having *chosen* to make a journey in their car motorists then believe they have an absolute right to park their car outside their destination, regardless of how this may inconvenience and endanger others.
Neither do I. As much as I like the Japanese system of "you can't have a car unless you own off-road parking", it wouldn't work here with our terraced houses and awful public transport. My issue is that it's viewed as an inherent right to park where you want and when you want - there is nobody more selfish than a driver looking to park.
No matter how you frame it, it is public land being used for the storage of private property and that this fact is conveniently forgotten whenever infrastructure that favours anyone other than drivers is being considered (see any proposed bike hanger or cycle lane). I think it might be worth reminding drivers that there is at least* 68,000 acres of the UK that just has cars parked on it for 99% of the day.
*based on 33.27m domestic cars or average size, if parked so close together that they're touching on all sides - real figure more likely to be in the hundreds of thousands of acres, a large portion of which being public land.
Because my 60kg weedy frame and dinky two wheeled menace totally causes enough turbulence to blow your two ton wankpanzer on its roof, Janet(!)
(Note, sarcasm is definitely implied here)
"Highway Code: One-in-four drivers still don't know correct rule on cyclist priority...."
Just one more reason why everybody should be re-tested every five years. Its over 38 years since I took my test and no one has checked to see if I am still fit and able to drive. That's total madness.
I agree. It feels like even if the justice system worked the way it is meant to, it would only be after a driver has done something wrong. A bit late then!
Although I would also like there to be more out there for cyclist training. They pose less risk to other road users than drivers, but poor cycling can put the cyclist at risk.
I am not attempting to blame cyclists for collisions!
Things like the shoulder check before moving out. How far out from parked cars should you cycle. Once you know, they seem obvious, but for someone just starting cycling it isn't always. I worry that I am doing something dangerous without realising it. I don't know what I don't know!
Yeah I can't believe how many people on bikes I see not shoulder checking before moving around obstacles or changing their line significantly. To me it's just a natural reaction to the situation & I often shoulder check just to be aware of my general surroundings, but we're all wired differently I suppose.
Equally I do see a lot of cars with their wing/door mirrors folded in whilst driving around, so they're probably not in use much either. People are great!
Pages