Hit my first pedestrian :(

[mrandmrspoves]

....and titling your thread "hit my first pedestrian" - suggests that you will hit some more.

 

[Dan B]

We all fail occasionally to see something coming, and that is understandable, but it's no reason to go on as if people deserve to be hit.

As a pedestrian moving at pedestrian pace, you bring less danger to any road incident than almost any other class of road user, and that says to me you should get more slack for being dozy, inattentive or generally in your own bubble than any other class of road user.

 

[Paul99]

This evening, I watched a mother drag her child across a massively busy road just south of Lambeth Bridge because she was too lazy to walk the 15 metres to the nearby zebra crossing. She has every right to cross there but you'd think some kind of parental protective instinct might kick in and say 'let's cross at this place specially designed for me to cross more safely'. And it'd be someone elses' fault if she or her kid had got hit? That's not right is it?

Has anyone else noticed the scummy mummys that signal their intent to cross the road by pushing their pushchair, child and all into the road before they even bother looking at the traffic. Not so bad on a bike but i've had to swerve a couple in my car recently.

 

[ferret fur]

As a pedestrian moving at pedestrian pace, you bring less danger to any road incident than almost any other class of road user, and that says to me you should get more slack for being dozy, inattentive or generally in your own bubble than any other class of road user.

Alternatively, they could take responsibility for their own safety

 

[Jezston]

(psst, how do I multiquote?)

It was her fault for not looking and crossing between parked cars. Did she apologise?

To clarify in case my original post wasn't clear enough - I was filtering around the outside of stationary traffic - the traffic was in one lane, waiting for the lights to change. I was filtering up the outside in the opposite lane (no oncoming traffic).

The pedestrian emerged from in front of the van quite understandably looking towards traffic coming the other way, because that's where they might expect it to be coming from - not from the opposite direction that I was coming from.

 

[PK99]

Pedestrians may cross wherever they like. It is unwise on their part not to look but it isn't an excuse for running them over

But they do owe a common law duty of care to other road users and may be held liable for accidents they cause

see http://www.rupertbedford.co.uk/injured_pedestrians.html
Pedestrians stepping out
All road users owe a common law duty of care to other road users and this rule applies to pedestrians equally as to drivers. A driver is unlikely to be found liable if, when driving at a reasonable speed and manner, a pedestrian suddenly steps out into the path of the vehicle without warning. Indeed, that pedestrian could be responsible for any loss and damage suffered by that driver and any third party injured as a result.

However it is usually the pedestrian who suffers the injury. These cases are often very severe. Blame can be divided where someone is partly responsible for the accident, so even if you feel you might be partly to blame it is always worth seeking legal advice.

It is rare that a pedestrian will be held to be more responsible than a driver unless that pedestrian suddenly moves into the path of an oncoming vehicle without warning. The courts consistently place a high burden of care on drivers to reflect the fact that a car is potentially a dangerous weapon. Car drivers must look out for and anticipate pedestrians in the road.

and the decided case described here:
http://www.ashfords.co.uk/news/who-is-to-blame-when-cars-and-pedestrians-collide-may-2012
in the Court of Appeal case of Leigh Burch v Marjorie Paulson the driver was found to have no liability whatsoever for the accident because she acted reasonably and a reasonable driver could not have foreseen that the individual would cross the road in the circumstances

 

[trampyjoe]

Has anyone else noticed the scummy mummys that signal their intent to cross the road by pushing their pushchair, child and all into the road before they even bother looking at the traffic. Not so bad on a bike but i've had to swerve a couple in my car recently.

Advanced Darwinism?

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Had a few myself and always thought about what I would do different.Always blamed myself.

 

[Davidsw8]

As a pedestrian moving at pedestrian pace, you bring less danger to any road incident than almost any other class of road user, and that says to me you should get more slack for being dozy, inattentive or generally in your own bubble than any other class of road user.

Hmm, I'm not so sure. It's not just the pedestrian though is it? The pedestrian walks out in front of a bike that has a truck behind it and a bus coming in the opposite direction, the cyclists' inclination is to avoid the ped but where does he go?

There is a bit of slack to be given for everyone, no one is perfect and we've all crossed the road and got distracted by something but the reality is that we don't exist in a bubble and we owe a duty of care to others as well as ourselves. People need to get out of this selfish attitude IMO and if they have trouble understanding how to cross a road properly, then maybe they shouldn't be allowed out

 

[Dan B]

If you're walking round a blind corner at 3mph, and you meet another pedestrian coming the other way also at walking pace, both of you stop walking, nobody gets injured, and a small amount of sidestepping allows you both to continue on your way without much time lost.

If you're crossing a road behind a stopped bus with similar lack of visibility, and a cyclist or motorcyclist hits you because he's going too fast to be able to stop in the distance he can see to be clear... I think he'd be on very shaky ground to claim it was your fault just because he was going along the road and you were crossing it

 

[al78]

If you're walking round a blind corner at 3mph, and you meet another pedestrian coming the other way also at walking pace, both of you stop walking, nobody gets injured, and a small amount of sidestepping allows you both to continue on your way without much time lost.

If you're crossing a road behind a stopped bus with similar lack of visibility, and a cyclist or motorcyclist hits you because he's going too fast to be able to stop in the distance he can see to be clear... I think he'd be on very shaky ground to claim it was your fault just because he was going along the road and you were crossing it

The stopping distance was clear, until the pedestrian moved into it. That overused mantra applies to situations like going round a blind bend or over a blind summit, not to people/objects crossing into your path.

Everyone needs to show thought and consideration for others, irrespective of the mode of transport, and yes that does include allowing for the genuine mistakes of others as much as possible. Honestly, I do get fed up of this "shove the responsibility onto others so I don't have to bother to take any myself" attitude, it is a drain on society and needs to be opposed.

 

[palinurus]

....and titling your thread "hit my first pedestrian" - suggests that you will hit some more.

One down, sixty million to go.

 

[martint235]

I was going to make a response along the lines of what TC and DanB are saying but I think I can see the way this thread is heading so I can't be bothered.

To the OP, don't feel bad. It happens. You're both ok.

I did it in April in similar circumstances. I picked myself up, picked the ped up, walked her to her house. That was it. I didn't expect an apology from her, I hope she didn't expect one from me. As I said, it happens.

 

[Davidsw8]

If you're walking round a blind corner at 3mph, and you meet another pedestrian coming the other way also at walking pace, both of you stop walking, nobody gets injured, and a small amount of sidestepping allows you both to continue on your way without much time lost

If you're crossing a road behind a stopped bus with similar lack of visibility, and a cyclist or motorcyclist hits you because he's going too fast to be able to stop in the distance he can see to be clear... I think he'd be on very shaky ground to claim it was your fault just because he was going along the road and you were crossing it

Firstly, I'd question the mentality of someone crossing a road behind a bus, I don't think I ever do that as a ped, it's downright stupid. Unless the road is full of tall buses as far as the eye can see it can't take 30 seconds to find an infinitely safer place to cross.

Secondly, as a cyclist, I think I'd have to be cycling along at a snail's pace in order to stop in time for a ped suddenly walking out 3 feet in front of me not looking.

You're right though, currently the law seems to indicate the ped is always right, regardless of how stupid and lazy they've been.

 

[Davidc]

I've hit a few over the years. Always stupidity &/or observation failure on their part. It's usually at least one a year so I'd estimate about 45 and well over half of those I've hit have been stinking of alcohol.

I only really feel bad about it if I come off and get hurt or my bike damaged.

I have always tried to make sure the person I've hit is all right, offer them my details (taken up a couple of times) and if I'm offed get theirs. I also report them all to the police in case there's any follow up, and have usually got bike damage paid for.

I don't like it when it happens, but, especially with the ones who've been drinking, what can you do about it?