Stewart Paterson: Highway code changes should end the divine right of the car driver

They affect everyone, whether you are walking, riding a bicycle or driving a car, or another motor vehicle.

It also applies to horses. I know you don’t get many horses on Dumbarton Road or Duke Street but when we are outside the city it is vital we know the rules.

The changes have been a long time coming and while some people might not agree with them, they make sense.

For years, far too many people think that because they are in a car they have priority and their right to move along is more important than someone else’s.

In the last two years, the changes to some junctions to give more space, and safer space, for pedestrians and cyclists across Glasgow, have led to motorists being angrier than ever.

They are causing congestion, we are told, while all the while it is obvious that it is too many cars on the road that is the cause of congestion.

No-one ever uses the cycle lanes, we are told. Despite there being a huge rise in cycling since the pandemic started.

Bike sales have rocketed.

Perhaps the reason some car drivers haven’t seen cyclists using the bike lanes is because they have been not looking properly.

The changes to the Highway Code are designed to help address that.

Who has the right of way is made clear in the updated Code.

How many times have you had someone impatiently beep their car horn if you dare to cross the street, while walking.

The new rules make clear the hierarchy of road users.

It puts those “most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy”.

That means pedestrians above cyclists and motorcyclists. Cyclists and motorcyclists above car drivers.

A short summary of the changes is when people are crossing or waiting to cross at a junction, other traffic should give way.

If people have started crossing and traffic wants to turn into the road, the people crossing have priority and the traffic should give way.

That means no more beeping horns at pedestrians and shouting at them to ‘get a move on’ or sarcastically telling them to ‘take your time, pal’.

Other changes refer to cyclists and have already been angering some people.

Cyclists should ride in the centre of the lane on quiet roads and in the city where there are parked cars, they should take a position that keeps them far enough out should a car door be opened.

Cyclists are being told to stay out of the door zone.

That means no more angry beeping if you are ‘stuck’ behind a cyclist on a main road who is not right into the side where there are parked cars.

There are changes relating to roundabouts, and junctions.

There is also the guidance for drivers when opening doors on a busy rood to do what is known as a “Dutch Reach”. It means opening the door with your left hand to force you to look behind to see if a cycle or motorcycle is coming up alongside.

It’s not all about drivers having to change behaviour. Many cyclists need to up their game too when it comes to considering others.

There are many shared paths for walking and cycling, some are pavements others are away from roads altogether like canal paths and the Clyde walkway.

In these cyclists need to respect the safety of people walking and not endanger them.

That means if you want to speed along like Mark Cavendish or Bradley Wiggins, then find somewhere else to do it. Shared paths are not race-tracks.

On the road cyclists can ride two abreast but should when safe, move into single file to let motor vehicles overtake.

I’m sure the new rules, while they are being understood, are going to lead to many arguments, angry fist waving and people shouting at each other as though they were MPs in the House of Commons arguing over Boris Johnson, birthday parties and cake.

It will also no doubt amplify the calls for cyclists to pay something that doesn’t exist, namely the mythical ‘Road Tax”accompanied by the demand they have insurance.

Spoiler: cyclists and pedestrians pay tax for the upkeep of the roads just as much as motorists do.

The Vehicle Excise Duty people mean instead is based on emissions and bikes produce zero emissions so are exempt.

Also, many do actually have insurance, the same insurance that car drivers do, covering third party liability, it just isn’t mandatory.

It is not mandatory because, in almost all cases, when a cyclist in in an accident it is not their fault.

So, now that we are agreed that we all pay for the roads, no matter which way we choose to get around. (we are all agreed aren’t we?) then we need to respect each others right to use it and follow the Highway Code

Whatever form of transport we are using to get around, whether it’s a van, car, motorbike, bike, pony or Shanks’s pony, we should all do one thing as soon as possible.

Please read the Highway code. Read it and understand it.