Close call for mother and child

[Origamist]

It’s a zebra crossing – a pedestrian with a child in the close vicinity of the crossing start to cross, but the driver is unable to give way. This is because the driver is inept and has limited forward planning skills.

The laws regarding zebra crossings are in need of updating as they are currently not fit for purpose.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

I can't believe there are so many people here blaming the pedestrian, and not the driver who has overtaken a cyclist right before the zebra and failed to stop. The driver should look ahead, see the zebra and be prepared for someone to step out. It's that simple. As for the pedestrian not looking, how long would a blind person be expected to wait at the edge of the zebra to make sure that they were seen by a car? The onus is on the driver to stop.

 

[moo]

Until someone turns their body towards the crossing how do you know they want to cross? 9 times out of 10 a pedestrian on approach to a crossing is going to walk right on by. Without this assumption traffic would barely move in built up areas.

But back to the OP - the car drivers fault is overtaking right before a pedestrian crossing, which is dangerous. I wasn't trying to defend the motorist entirely. However, the pedestrians fault is not making their intention to cross clear and waiting for a safe time to do so.

 

[GrasB]

What is the point of a zebra crossing if a pedestrian has to wait for the road to be clear before using it?

To give them priority, not to simply step into the road regardless of what's happening around them.

If you see a pedestrian by a zebra crossing, you prepare to stop. It really is that simple.

Prepare to stop is prepare not actually stop regardless, for me that means covering the brake with my foot & keeping an eye out. It does not mean come to a virtual stop regardless just in case the pedestrian decides to completely ignore any road safety & walk into the road without looking.

 

[Hip Priest]

Prepare to stop is prepare not actually stop regardless, for me that means covering the brake with my foot & keeping an eye out. It does not mean come to a virtual stop regardless just in case the pedestrian decides to completely ignore any road safety & walk into the road without looking.

If I'm approaching a zebra crossing and can see a pedestrian near it, then I prepare myself to stop safely if they step out. This might mean slowing my speed a little. That's what I mean by prepare.

If I was driving the car in that video, I'd have been able to give way to the wonan and her child without slamming on or swerving.

 

[Origamist]

Until someone turns their body towards the crossing how do you know they want to cross? 9 times out of 10 a pedestrian on approach to a crossing is going to walk right on by. Without this assumption traffic would barely move in built up areas.

You sound like someone with limited hazard perception. I'd work on that.

 

[Crankarm]

Pesky cyclists with head cams see the huge amount of trouble they have created.

 

[Crankarm]

To give them priority, not to simply step into the road regardless of what's happening around them.


Prepare to stop is prepare not actually stop regardless, for me that means covering the brake with my foot & keeping an eye out. It does not mean come to a virtual stop regardless just in case the pedestrian decides to completely ignore any road safety & walk into the road without looking.

So it is big and clever to run some one down, even more egregious a mother and child, on a crossing all because you CBA to pay more attention or be prepared to stop? There are words to describe drivers like you but this is a family forum so won't use them.

 

[cd365]

The first time I watched it I thought the mother & child appeared from nowhere to cross, after full-screening it and watching it more closely you can see that the mother had positioned her pram facing the zebra crossing before making her move.

The driver was more focused on over-taking the cyclist than paying attention to the pavement/crossing area. Driver at fault, mother should be a little more careful in the future.

But legally drivers don't have to stop until you set foot on the crossing so I usually step onto a crossing and then pause, to see if the driver is going to stop

I do the same as this, foot on the crossing, then make sure that they are stopping/stopped before continuing across.

 

[Thomk]

So it is big and clever to run some one down, even more egregious a mother and child, on a crossing all because you CBA to pay more attention or be prepared to stop? There are words to describe drivers like you but this is a family forum so won't use them.

Wow. How did you get from a-b there? You're just trying to wind him up surely

 

[Thomk]

Until someone turns their body towards the crossing how do you know they want to cross? 9 times out of 10 a pedestrian on approach to a crossing is going to walk right on by. Without this assumption traffic would barely move in built up areas.

But back to the OP - the car drivers fault is overtaking right before a pedestrian crossing, which is dangerous. I wasn't trying to defend the motorist entirely. However, the pedestrians fault is not making their intention to cross clear and waiting for a safe time to do so.

Spot on, don't listen to the rest of them, they do the same as you really.

 

[Thomk]

The driver should have taken more care. It looks as if they they didn't spot the hazard in nearly enough time. Very poor.

If the woman pushing the pram was my babysitter/chilminder I would sack her.

 

[gambatte]

IMO, before I’d see the crossing, I’d have seen the zigzags. They’re hardly old and difficult to see? Piss poor observation and anticipation by the driver.

 

[Origamist]

Spot on, don't listen to the rest of them, they do the same as you really.

If I see a pedestrian near a zebra crossing, I slow down. I'd consider this riding/driving in a defensive manner - it's not holier than thou, BS.

 

[Luke Redpath]

For those asking, "why are people blaming the mother", I don't think anybody here is blaming her - just that she probably should have taken a bit more care before stepping on to the crossing which I think is a perfectly fair comment. I'd say the same whether there had been a car approaching or not.

If there had been a collision it clearly would have been the driver's fault and I think most people on here have said that the driving is pretty terrible (it is) but come on, whatever happened to "stop, look and listen"? It still applies, crossing or no crossing.