To cross or not to cross?

Irn-Bru-Kid

Probably wrong section for this, but anyhoo.

After meeting my OH for lunch yesterday, I started to walk into town. As I approached a rather busy road, a young mother was waiting with her two kids at the crossing.

She was teaching them to wait for the green man before crossing etc. Now, I could have crossed quickly as there was little traffic at the time (not waiting for the green man), but my conscience stopped me.

I really didn't want to undo all the good work the mother was doing, so I stood waiting for the green man. Not something I would normally do as I don't have the patience.

I suppose my point is, would you wait for the green man? Or would you just cross?

Not my kids, not my problem?

aliasojo

Difficult one. On one hand it's good to help reinforce the Mum's lessons but on the other hand it's useful for children to learn that not everyone does wait and no matter who else crosses, they must never do so and must always wait themselves.

I think it would depend on my day and if I was in a hurry or not.

Azari

I always avoid doing anything 'iffy' when there are children waiting to cross a road to avoid the possibility of instilling bad habits but as aliasojo mentions (and, I must admit that had never occurred to me) there is another side to the coin.

Mindless_Clone

Well done OP, on behalf of all mums to little ones, thank you for your thoughtfulness.

FWIW I usually do stop but, then, I nearly always have a little one with me myself! That said, he's pretty well aware of road safety (which at the moment largely consists of "you must hold my hand when crossing the road" ) and he knows the green man means go but I don't always wait for the green light now he's a bit older. If it's safe to do so, we cross, and I explain that there's no cars so we can go. I'll only do this on a few junctions thoguh, and only the ones I know really well and where traffic is quite light and it's safe to do so.

There's on pelican crossing near me that has the new lights where there's no green man opposite, so you have to look to your side to see it. I hate these lights. They confuse most adults, let alone little children learning road safety.

fluffnutter

Irn-Bru-Kid wrote: »

Not my kids, not my problem?

I think all adults have a responsibility to all children. That's what makes for a good society. Well done you, Irn-Bru-Kid

Azari

fluffnutter wrote: »

I think all adults have a responsibility to all children. That's what makes for a good society. Well done you, Irn-Bru-Kid

Part of human (and, indeed, many animals) evolutionary process is the development of a tendency for concern about the well being of youngsters even if they are not apparently related.

sweetme

Well done waiting for the green man OP. I am currently teaching my 5 year old the green cross code and I have drilled into him not to follow anyone who just crosses the road but to wait for the green man. It's a natural reaction though if someone starts crossing the road to cross at the same time.

Dave_C_2

As a pedestrian, you must always check that you have the green man and do the green cross code look and listen. It's no use saying that the man was green when you are lying in the road after being hit by a motor vehicle.

As a driver the worst are pedestrians who press the button then walk across on their red. That and idle pedestrians who cross on the zig-zags.

So saying well done to the OP.

Dave.

mattyprice4004

Depends if I was in a hurry - but usually I'd wait for the green man to set a good example to the kids.

System

You probably want to stick things like this in the moneysavingarms board. You will probably get more craic going as it is more of a discussion than a praise, vent or warning.

aliasojo

Azari wrote: »

I always avoid doing anything 'iffy' when there are children waiting to cross a road to avoid the possibility of instilling bad habits but as aliasojo mentions (and, I must admit that had never occurred to me) there is another side to the coin.

It didn't occur to me either until one day when my daughter was very young, she stepped out onto the crossing we were waiting at, simply because an adult beside her did it. She had (wrongly) assumed that adults know best and because the man had crossed in front of her then she figured it was ok for her to follow him too.

I saw her logic tbh.

Cue the discussion about how she has to learn certain things and she has to ignore what other people do as they don't always get it right themselves.

I think that was the first time that had happened so it's not surprising she reacted like that.