I think its a bit crazy. If I stop at a junction to allow pedestrian to cross they just stand there, waiting for me to move, its habit for them, can’t blame them. But the alternative in their eyes is worse – if they cross with impunity and I happen to be one of the drivers not adhering to the new law then they are at greater risk, so, they wait for the cars to move and cross when it is clear – despite what the law says.
Heirarchy sounds good on paper, so does communism…
I lived in NZ when you had to always stop on a main road to allow drivers to turn right – it was crazy, so many accidents as drivers just swung right without looking because “I have the right” – I can see something similar with cyclists or pedestrians, but, being right is of little consolation when you walk out in front of a turning car assuming its seen you.
Thankfully NZ realised that their law was silly and changed it to the same as the rest of the world’s turn right once clear (it was brought in to stop traffic queues forming behind the driver turning…exactly what we are creating).
In life, it's not who you know that's important, it's how your wife found out.