IT’S sometimes tough being a pedestrian. Crossing the road at the traffic lights by the Shah of Persia in Poole, for example, can be challenging.

But when you see a zebra crossing you know that, here at least, the pedestrian has certain rights of way.

The Highway Code says motorists must give way when someone moves on to a zebra crossing. Drivers know they must approach it with caution.

That’s sensible... until you get to the zebra crossing going into Castlepoint.

Although it may look like every other zebra crossing, as Mr George Giles discovered, the normal rules, apparently don’t apply. Because it is on private land, motorists are not obliged to stop.

You just hope that, whatever the law, drivers there give pedestrians the same priority as they would at every other zebra crossing.

Because it only takes one ass behind a wheel to be as daft as the zebra crossing law that doesn’t apply on this spot for a tragedy to happen.