that's because they don't
unless there is a distinct difference in road size, when pedestrians have right of way on a minor road over traffic turning off a major road.

Also, pedestrian right of way is negated by any other road junction control, such as traffic lights, but also stop signs and give way signs. So if you can find me a T-junction with roads of equal size which has no juction control of any form, then yeah, the pedestrian has right of way.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 12:57, archived)

pedestrians have the same rights of way as traffic,
as far as I understand it. If there's a give way sign, that means give way to everything, not just motor vehicles.
Also if I'm going to cross a T-junction and someone wants to turn right into it, I have right of way over him, just as a car coming the other way down the road would.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 13:03, archived)

I'm pretty sure this isn't true
as it is complicated by the fact that pedestrians can come from many more directions than traffic, so right of way would be impossible to judge in that situation. Also you are coming from a pavement onto a road even at a junction, so you would have to give way to what was already on the road, by that argument, in the same way you can't just step out into the road anywhere.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 13:12, archived)

Highway code rule 170
www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070332

"Give way to pedestrians who have started to cross"
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 13:16, archived)