Almost hit a pedestrian... discuss

[BentMikey]

Oops, close one!!

Anyone remember BettySwallock's [1] account of the jogger who was listening to an iPod, running along the road, and just crossed without looking. Unfortunately for him Betty was a little behind and on his Hurricane recumbent, and took him out like a nine-pin.

[1] Can't remember his username exactly

 

[Origamist]

He had moved out to avoid the kids who were already crossing, that twunt moved from the back of the group and wasn't even looking where he was going. Darwin's theories will make short work of him when there are more silent electric vehicles on the road.

IME, if we had to shout or ring bells on approaching every group of school kids that are looking at us, we will be in for a whole heap of, at the very least, jeering.

The kid made a mistake - we've all made them.

I would not advise shouting ("Hello") at every group of school kids you enocounter - you'd either get hoarse, verbally abused, battered or arrested. However, alerting children or adults (particularly those who have started to cross the road at a pedestrian crossing) to our presence can help as too many people rely on hearing and not sight, when negotiating traffic.

 

[ComedyPilot]

WHY are the kids on the road ???? i thought you were supposed to wait on the path.

that whole scene is unbelievable, i suggest you send the video to all the local schools in the area and ask them why their kids don't know how to cross a road.

in fact, take a still shot at 18 seconds and send it to the local paper...

unbelievable

+1

The paper's will love that one.

 

[potsy]

You're obviously a menace on the roads and should be banned immediately
No seriously well done on avoiding him,could of made a mess of your bike

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

The worrying thing is it's not just kids; I have seen enough adults blindly step into the road looking the wrong way [usually wearing dark clothes on dark evenings] - often when there are crossings only meters away!

Tufty would be welcomed back [although he may be grey in colour nowadays].

 

[Origamist]

+1

The paper's will love that one.

-1.

Any discussion in a local rag related to road danger reduction will quickly get hijacked and descend into the standard fridge magnet game where the following words will get endlessly shuffled:

suicidal/homicidal

lycra

red light jumping

pavment riding

smug menace

non road tax paying

ninja/nazi

 

[magnatom]

Sharky,

Your a menace. Get off the road you lycra lout. If you had been cycling on he pavement the kids would have been able to cross the road safely and you wouldn't have been holding both the kids up and the 35 cars all stuck behind you.......

 

[HJ]

Humm, I wonder what the reaction to this would have been if it were a vid posted on a motoring forum and it was a kid on a bike? We all have a responsibility for our actions and need to look out for vulnerable road users. Either that or we should ban pedestrians...

 

[CopperBrompton]

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

That would be perhaps over-stating it, but yes, personally in that situation I would have slowed to the point that I was able to stop.

I think what's happened is that the kid has looked at the lights on the opposite side of the road, seen it turn amber and immediately launched himself to cross.

99% his fault, but that's not much consolation if you hit them, of course.

 

[D4VOW]

Personally I would have moved closer to the middle of the road to keep a safe distance from them in case one decided to push another into your path. Despite you being able to see the kids walking into the road you never changed your own position to compensate. If you had done then you would have seen the smaller boy earlier and there would have been more room between the two of you when he became visible.

 

[zacklaws]

As you was that close to him, with no time to break, the only thing to do is swerve round him, ideally as close as can be safe and put the frightners up em, and hopefully it will teach him a lesson that will stick. Probably after you had passed he may have got some stick from his mates about being a dickhead which may drive the lesson home.

The fortunate thing was there was not a vehicle behind when you swerved out else it would have become a different ball game

I myself hate going through towns as it can almost be guaranteed someone will step out in front of you, the majority never look, but the ones that do look at you and step out regardless always amaze me.

 

[Origamist]

As you was that close to him, with no time to break, the only thing to do is swerve round him, ideally as close as can be safe and put the frightners up em, and hopefully it will teach him a lesson that will stick.

That would be like a motorist buzzing a cyclist for a perceived transgression (the admonitory overtake for example). Don't bother - just try and avoid the collision.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

As you was that close to him, with no time to break, the only thing to do is swerve round him, ideally as close as can be safe and put the frightners up em, and hopefully it will teach him a lesson that will stick. Probably after you had passed he may have got some stick from his mates about being a dickhead which may drive the lesson home.

The fortunate thing was there was not a vehicle behind when you swerved out else it would have become a different ball game

I myself hate going through towns as it can almost be guaranteed someone will step out in front of you, the majority never look, but the ones that do look at you and step out regardless always amaze me.

I can't really blame the young lad - we've all been there at some point in our lives.. trying to impress the girls with our laid-back attitude to risk. He checked for cars coming the other way and was probably blocked from seeing me by being behind the young lass... as soon as the lights changed (actually just prior to them changing) he started to cross knowing that the oncoming car from the other direction would have to stop as there was sufficient time/space... unfortunately he didn't see me.

Far dues to him, upon hearing me shouting he stopped immediately and I think he'll have had quite a shock (as did I!) so I hope he'll have learnt from this alone - no real need to try and scare him any more.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Humm, I wonder what the reaction to this would have been if it were a vid posted on a motoring forum and it was a kid on a bike? We all have a responsibility for our actions and need to look out for vulnerable road users. Either that or we should ban pedestrians...

I was looking out for them - I slowed (albeit only slightly) and was covering the brakes, but think I was partially lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that they appeared to be all looking my way and aware of me... my spidey sense didn't indicate that there was going to be any problem (i.e. it wasn't a group of young lads who may play silly buggers and push one another into the road etc.)... but then he just appeared from behind the young lass and the rest, as they say, is history.

No harm done though, and I think I have learnt that you must expect the unexpected (however paradoxical and impossible that is).

 

[XmisterIS]

You just gotta be careful and expect peds to do stupid things!

I had a fully grown woman look directly at me the other day, and step out into the road in front of me. When I shouted at her to look out, she shouted "fack orf" in her best council estate accent.