Many drivers in India seem to believe that pedestrians don't have the right of way at a zebra crossing. I know because drivers have repeatedly shouted this at me when I refused to step aside for them while crossing.
This happened yet again, this morning. I was on the zebra crossing right outside Gate No. 1, Jor Bagh Metro station. The driver in a speeding car noticed me and assumed that I would stop walking and let him pass. I kept walking and he was forced to come to a halt. As many drivers in such situations do, he rolled down his window to let me know his displeasure. When I told him I had the right of way and that the right thing for him to do was stop, he responded, "So I should just wait here if people are crossing? Pedestrians have to give way to cars." I walked on because I was sure the driver had no intention of learning.
If you are curious, Regulation 11 (Right of Way), in the Rules of the Road Regulations, 1989, framed under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, clearly states that pedestrians have the right of way at uncontrolled pedestrian crossings. In addition, Indian road safety regulations and other driver licensing materials consistently instruct drivers that when approaching zebra crossings, they must - slow down, be prepared to stop, and give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross.
The next time you approach a zebra crossing, remember that the stripes are not decorative road paint. A zebra crossing is not a suggestion. It is a place where pedestrians have the right of way.