Look left Look Right Look left again

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

This dilemma has worried me for some years. Now that im trying to teach my son road safety it has become important to resolve, because it keeps spinning around in my head seeking a place of rest.

We were taught (and I presume still are), that when crossing a road Look left - Look right - Look left again.

My problem is that there is no logic to this. It seems to be inherited from left hand drive countries.

I prefer my last look to be towards the cars approaching me, note thos that went past already (maybe that is so you do not see what hits you?)

Given that cars are approaching from our right, it seems logical to look Right, then left, then right again?
But then again, Im really bad with directions so my theory may be seriously misplaced.

[tec0]

observe, note traffic flow walk only when it is safe.

[adrianh]

@Anthony - I agree, you are for more likely to be hit by a car coming towards you from the right which of course is the lane you are stepping in to..

[HR Solutions]

Lol Anthony I think it originates from those countries that drive on the "wrong" side of the road.

[Justloadit]

The reason for looking left first is to mentally record the position of an on coming vehicle, the looking right gives you a prospective of the vehicle closest to you, if the vehicle closest to you is far enough to pose no danger, you will then look left and compare the position of the vehicle in the previous look. This will give you a prospective of the speed the vehicle is traveling at, and the speed at which you can cross the road. As soon as you decide to cross, you will look right again to ensure the on comming vehicle is far enough not to pose danger.

When overseas, using the look left then right then left, poses more danger than if you swap the method to right then left then right again.

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

Gosh, no wonder the pedestrians are getting run over at a rate of knots.
Sounds like the k53 parking theory.

[pmbguy]

I think many pedestrians need to get walking licences before they should be allowed to walk around

[wynn]

Looking left first is to observe any traffic in the lane you will cross last, looking right is to establish if there is any traffic approaching in the lane you will cross first.
The reason you look left again is to make sure that no traffic is approaching faster than you will safely cross that second further lane.

[adrianh]

So why don't Americans look right then left then right ?

[Justloadit]

So why don't Americans look right then left then right ?

cos they think they are always right

[adrianh]

cos they think they are always right

Very sharp

[wynn]

So why don't Americans look right then left then right ?

I am sure all the countries that allow their drivers to drive on the wrong side of the road do.