Almost hit a pedestrian... discuss

[Sh4rkyBloke]

So I'm approaching some ped controlled lights which are very close to a school... I see a group of kids already on the road who are waiting to cross and I ease off in anticipation.

Just as I'm passing through the lights one of them decides to launch himself into my path and almost into a collision.

It was mightily close!

Is there much else I could have done other than stopping completely?

 

[PK99]

So I'm approaching some ped controlled lights which are very close to a school... I see a group of kids already on the road who are waiting to cross and I ease off in anticipation.

Just as I'm passing through the lights one of them decides to launch himself into my path and almost into a collision.

It was mightily close!

Is there much else I could have done other than stopping completely?

Ring your bell &/or shout a warning.

 

[ttcycle]

+1 for the above, I've used that before with someone crossing, and braking wasn't going to stop me in time

ease off on the pedals and gentle braking in advance as a defensive move to slow your speed down before you get in that situation?

However if it's a last min thing, keep your course as sometimes people crash into others as the pedestrian adjusts for the bike and the cyclist adjusts for the pedestrian and sometimes they find themselves head to head into a collision by having adjusted collectively. Best not to squeeze hard on the brakes as if you're going very fast (prob not wise anyway in busy areas) you can flip yourself off the handlebars.

 

[Origamist]

With hindsight you could take a wider line past them, slow a bit more, and shout a warning earlier etc. However, as I have hit a kid at 20mph, sometimes you're lucky, sometimes you're not...

 

[HobbesChoice]

Hi Sh4rky, I think that as you avoided him and no harm was done you did the right thing. He did appear from almost nowhere, the traffic lights were on your side and you knew that those you could see were looking at you.

Your evasive action worked great in this case, but like ttcycle says, sometimes you both make the same allowances for each other and end up crashing together. In this instance it all turned out well, but I'm not sure how much more you could have done even if he'd run at you! 2 seconds to act doesn't give any wriggle room. Your evasive action will either work or it won't!

 

[Dan B]

. Best not to squeeze hard on the brakes as if you're going very fast (prob not wise anyway in busy areas) you can flip yourself off the handlebars.

Best to practice emergency braking somewhere quiet first, if you're worried about going over the bars. http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

 

[jonny jeez]

Hi Sharky

Unfortunately, I find that peds (myself included) often act like sheep at crossings and cross as soon as everyone else does (without checking it's good to go)

This chap was really lucky it was you and not a motorcycle (or HGV). He was just not concentrating as he crossed and v.nearly paid the price. Good job it was you at the helm, or his day would have been ruined.

These are just the occasions that I am glad I have a head cam, if this event had ended badly, your video would have shown who was at fault.

 

[Origamist]

Best to practice emergency braking somewhere quiet first, if you're worried about going over the bars. http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

I like supermarket car parks as you can use the width of the parking bays (7ft ish?) to give you an idea of braking distances at different speeds.

The kid who steps out is dressed like a zebra crossing - you'd of thought he'd of known better...

 

[ChrisKH]

I always assume now, after several near misses, that someone will step out and cycle accordingly. Wherever possible I put myself in primary and cycle slowly enough to be able to take evasive action.

Highway code says you should be able to stop for pedestrians even if the lights are green for you (and red for them).

 

[ttcycle]

Braking and knowing the difference between the front and rear brakes and their application is very useful and is a skill worth knowing and practising in advance but in a situation like this with seconds to spare and adrenaline pumping not everyone has time or the presence of mind to shift weight back on the saddle and if not practiced with braking at speed.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

With hindsight you could take a wider line past them, slow a bit more, and shout a warning earlier etc. However, as I have hit a kid at 20mph, sometimes you're lucky, sometimes you're not...

Point taken. I thought I was okay as they were all looking directly at me... apart from the one playing hide-and-seek behind the young lass!!

As for shouting earlier I'd probably feel a little silly as they were clearly waiting (again, apart from the hiding lad)... he's lucky I don't have an airzound. B)

Is the general thought that my speed was a tad excessive then, given that the lights could change at any time?

 

[ttcycle]

not necessarily Sh4rky, depends on what your commute is like - down here in London it pays to be especially cautious around crossings or just most streets that are busy - get numpties crossing without looking, talking on their phones, following someone else and i-pod deafness.

 

[siadwell]

Quite frankly, whatever you did/didn't do or could have done, they were a pretty clueless bunch and were damned lucky.

Only one of them is actually on the pavement and at the crossing, the others are standing in the road before the crossing. One of them appears to be texting, and the stripy top boy is several paces into the road at the point the lights start to change for traffic. By the time the light is amber for you, he's halfway across the road and oblivious.

Should be up for an award. Darwin award.

 

[jeltz]

Maybe dopey maybe not. He may well have looked but the person beside him put you in a blind spot, so he wonders out thinking he has observed and looks the other way.

Close to being an accident, in the true meaning of the word. Glad it didn't become one though.

 

[Origamist]

Braking and knowing the difference between the front and rear brakes and their application is very useful and is a skill worth knowing and practising in advance but in a situation like this with seconds to spare and adrenaline pumping not everyone has time or the presence of mind to shift weight back on the saddle and if not practiced with braking at speed.

At the risk of sounding like a discredited yogi - it is worth playing such events out in your mind and imagining how you would react/cope in a difficult situation. This projection might just be useful if you find yourself in a fraught predicament.

If you're braking extremely hard, brace your arms and shoulders against the bars for all you're worth.