Does a pedestrian crossing the road at a courtesy crossing have the right of way over an approaching vehicle?

In the photo you are driving on a road through a village; on the right a pavement with yellow railings reaches the edge of the roadway, and on the left a paved path leads across the shoulder - this is a suggested crossing point (przejście sugerowane), without signs or stripes. A pedestrian crossing the roadway there does not have right of way over an approaching vehicle. The answer is: no.

The Road Traffic Act states that crossing the roadway outside a pedestrian crossing is allowed at a suggested crossing point, but only on condition that it does not create a danger to road safety or obstruct vehicle traffic; the pedestrian must then give way to vehicles and take the shortest route, at right angles to the centre line of the roadway. Only a pedestrian who is on a pedestrian crossing or entering it has right of way over a vehicle - and a suggested crossing point by definition is not a pedestrian crossing, because it is unmarked. So at a suggested crossing point a pedestrian is in the same situation as when crossing at any other permitted place: he waits for a gap in the traffic. This does not release you from caution - you must not put anyone in danger, and a pedestrian who is already on the roadway must have a chance to finish crossing.

Legal basis: Art. 13 para. 1a, 2 and 3 and Art. 2 point 11a of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)