Ok, exactly what IS the rule/law?

[Medusa]

Same around here.

Worse thing is cars not stopping at pedestrian crossings.

Ok, you brought up another point and I'm glad you did. What about crosswalks? We don't have them here except in strip malls or downtown in cities and I hardly if ever have the need to go there. If a car is moving (slowly, I hope) and it's already partially through a cross walk, pedestrians here think we should stop a several ton moving vehicle for them. I stop before the crosswalk but if there are no pedestrians, obviously I keep going but I have had pedestrians run to get through and I've had to slam on my brakes even though I'm driving slowly. A couple of years ago a man, holding his wife's hand, decided to walk through while I was driving. I kept going thinking that he'd realize I had to but he didn't and he stopped right in front of my car. I got out of my car and he and his wife ran inside the store so that tells me that he knew he was wrong. I see mothers doing this w/their toddlers a lot and I just wonder why they feel the necessity to take such a risk w/their childrens' precious lives. What say you?

ETA: I forgot to mention here that the reason I got out of my car is because after he stopped in front of it, he actually punched the hood of my car!