Why is it the drivers of Surbiton are incapable of turning corners with out banking the pavement? Why is it I've just been nearly hit by a driver pulling up behind another driver who's waiting to turn, but instead of stopping or slowing, he's almost pinned me against the car in front? Why did 3 cars race through the red lights whilst I was crossing at the junction if maple road and brighton rd, whilst I was halfway across with my child? Why are you all speeding towards pedestrians on residential streets?
Everyday in this sorry selfish self important town I have a near miss with traffic as a pedestrian. It is only my vigilance and awareness of your poor driving that has saved me and my family from your reckless driving. You need to wake up to your callous attitudes and just simply drive right! A few weeks ago I was crossing the road by the Sainsbury car park on Victoria rd, when a car waiting to turn , pulled back and knocked an old lady over the yummy mummy in the car, only stopped long enough to see that the victim could stand, the left us passers-by to look after her. You are all reckless and ugly minded! Please be more careful....have a thought for the person whose life you are likely to wreck this week. You suck so sorry Surrey! Disappointed and ashamed to live amongst you.
so sorry surrey
andiron
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Comments
I am a pedestrian when in Surbiton and have experienced none of the issues you describe.
The pavements are getting more dangerous but this is due to joggers,cyclist,dog walkers and aggressive buggy pushers,the roads are for vehicles and I agree that drivers should exercise great care,unfortunately many are on phone calls,interrogating the sat nav,chatting to the back seat passengers and generally not paying attention.
I drive and walk quite widely in the UK from sleepy Dorset,through Greater London and the West Midlands and can assure you that it makes no difference to the reckless behaviour of pedestrians,cyclists and drivers.
As a regular pedestrian in central Surbiton, I find drivers remarkably considerate and accommodating, forever looking out and stopping to see if one wants to cross. It's one of the things that make it a pleasant place to live. There are more problems on pavements, with cyclists and with advertising stands placed outside shops unnecessarily taking up too much space. If you must put them out, don't plonk them right out in the middle of the pavement.Think of someone walking with a stick and pulling a shopping trolley while meeting a parent pushing a buggy and with another child in tow. Teenaged cyclists tear through the mass of shoppers, elderly, families, children, people waiting at bus stops or using parking payment machines or litter bins, not to mention those congregating outside burger or pizza restaurants. One of the nicest things about living in Surbiton is that there are always so many people out and about, coming and going on foot. With the number and variety of people, activity and street furniture, there is no room for cycling and no excuse for racing through on pavements. And another thing: after dark, blinding pedestrians with high-glare lights. That's a new one.
My God get a life
Try walking along st marks hill, Ewell rd or Villiers avenue. It's a race track. And the cars jumping the lights at the intersection of Ewell road and st marks hill? Just about every vehicle heading towards Kingston jumps those lights. Are you people blind and stupid? Traffic in surbiton hurtles around. Car drivers just go mad whenever they can.
Let's not turn this into another motorist vs. cyclist debate because they never get anywhere. There seem to be a lot of people opposed to cycling at all costs and others that defend it to the hilt.
In reality, we should be trying to penalise bad cycling in exactly the same way we should be penalising bad driving. The well-worn excuse that it doesn't matter as much if cyclists break the law because they are not using such large/dangerous vehicles just doesn't hold water.
Every time a cyclist is seen jumping a red light or riding on the pavement, respect for ALL cyclists on the road seems to go down, exactly the same as when a motorist is seen speeding in a residential area. If the offenders from both groups were penalised, there would be more respect in general.
UK roads are only going to get busier, especially in Surbiton/Kingston with all of the grand plans to build thousands more flats in the area.
I am a pedestrian when in Surbiton and have experience none of the issues you describe.
The pavements are getting more dangerous but this is due to joggers,cyclist,dog walkers and aggressive buggy pushers,the roads are for vehicles and I agree that drivers should exercise great care,unfortunately many are on phone calls,interrogating the sat nav,chatting to the back seat passengers and generally not paying attention.
I drive and walk quite widely in the UK from sleepy Dorset,through Greater London and the West Midlands and can assure you that it makes no difference to the reckless behaviour of pedestrians,cyclists and drivers.
It's London, not Surrey
Please don't start that discussion again! :)
You are right, of course, Surbiton is part of RBK which is part of London and has been since 1965. There are some people that will happily spend a lot of time arguing the contrary.
So you think that this is a problem that is unique to Surbiton?
The reality is that there is little or no penalty for driving badly any more, so people are more likely to do it. I have seen incidents similar to those you mention happen right in front of the police and they have not done anything about it at all. There is significant opposition every time a camera is introduced to monitor a junction/stretch of road where accidents are happening, so what can be done about it?
The recent anger caused by the introduction of cameras to monitor the Surbiton Crescent scheme is a case in point. A lot of the people caught there are appealing their fines on the basis that they have driven on that road for x number of years and don't see why they can't now. Others have complained that the signs weren't lit up, even though they were caught during the day time!
The real answer is that people expect to be able to drive how they please, and object to being fined or penalised when they break the law. What is being proven is if you don't penalise bad drivers, they will continue to drive badly. Common sense really.
My main bugbear with Surbiton traffic at the moment is my walk to/from the station every day. The roundabout prioritises cars over pedestrians, which is only workable if people drive properly. More often than not, I find that a car exits the roundabout at speed without indicating (or indicating incorrectly) which gives pedestrians no chance to get out of the way.