Suicidal/Militant Pedestrian

[DrSquirrel]

OK... so the takeaways are from this incident (and btw when I say hit, it was not more than my body making gentle contact with his as you might in a crowd).

1) Be even more wary of peds - assume nothing! Let them do what they need to do, be it dance, shuffle or just wander across the road

2) Start a campaign to introduce US style jaywalking laws...

I feel suitably educated... thanks guys

I would be totally against "jaywalking" laws.

Should fix the problem, not the outcome - and that is the attitude of "bigger = right of way".


Limited liablity will help a bit, but news make this out to be some kind of "cyclists can do what they want without worry", when infact it covers all (including pedestrians, and lorries to cars etc).


Still a few that have the "if I didnt hit you whats the problem", but the margins they give for this should hopefully increase.

 

[punkedmonkey]

I would be totally against "jaywalking" laws.

That was only a joke... but would be an interesting debate! (a part of me feels sometimes pedestrians need protecting from themselves, as do cyclists sometimes!)

Still a few that have the "if I didnt hit you whats the problem", but the margins they give for this should hopefully increase.

If I understand that comment correctly- this is an interesting one (heading OT here)... I saw a TV program recently (one of these Emergency services programmes) where apparently a bus was cut up by a car, had to whack on the brakes and made a woman fall out of her seat and land quite heavily on the floor. The paramedics had to spine board her and everything as she had massive back pain. The police apparently classify that as an RTC (road traffic collision) even though no collision occurred - because someone was injured - and the car drove off thinking all was fine.

Now I don't know what happened to the driver, but technically I guess he could get done for leaving scene of an accident - how he would know it was an accident I'm not sure.

 

[gambatte]

Had it from another perspective last night, out running.

I was on the pavement at the LH side of a main road, running with 2 buddies. In front of me is a light controlled junction, controlling the main road and 1 side road on the left. The lights on the side road hold the traffic back 10’ from the junction (it’s a smallish entrance for busses to turn into)

As I approached I checked out the lights. The traffic on the main road was slowing as the lights were on amber, as I got to the lights, they changed to red. Now I drive the route regularly, so I know theres a couple of seconds before the side road light goes to amber. I carried on running across the road. As I got to the half way point I had to dodge right and jump for the kerb as some old duffer gunned it as soon as his light went amber, almost took my legs out and caused the 2 running behind me to stop in the middle of the road.

Strange how in retrospect you think “what if I’d dived onto his bonnet instead....?”

 

[XmisterIS]

[QUOTE 1314360"]
Always give way to peds. People who bitch and moan at peds are no different to those who yell at cyclists when driving a motor vehicle.
[/quote]

Yes, you are correct ... but some of them assume you can stop on a sixpence. Regarding the luton van incident I referred to earlier, the guy looked directly at me for a couple of seconds and stepped out in front of me at the last minute. I honestly thought he was going under the wheels. That is what I mean is "suicidal".

 

[Dan B]

Another vote against jaywalking laws: the public highways are public spaces for people to share, not just car tracks.

That said, the "pedestrian steps out blindly" problem gets on my wick too - I would like some awareness on the part of our friends-on-foot of what distance is required by different vehicles to slow down and avoid hitting them when they decide to cross the road.

 

[WestcountryTim]

What others have said. But also: the "red man" signal for pedestrians is purely advisory and has no meaning in law

True, but by my office (next to Liverpool Street Station in London) the City of London Police do have words with lemming pedestrians crossing Bishopsgate on the red man. They don't want to be dealing with someone who stepped out in front of a speeding mincab, and now is needing a ambulance rather fast.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Sure they aren't just talking to someone about crossing whilst traffic is active? If they're having words with people crossing on a red man, when its safe to cross - then that really is a waste of police time, and possible confusion regarding the laws.

 

[maat1976]

I cross against the red man often when I deem it to be safe. I'm no saint and it isn't realistic to expect perfect pedestrian (or cyclist) manners at times. However people need to be responsible for their own actions, be it on foot, cycle, car, truck, or moto.

Back last year I was crossing a very busy intersection in London, in the lane furthest from the curb. The light had been green for some time. A pedestrian on the left ran out in front of a bus in the 2nd lane which screeched to a stop, and then out in front of me. Unfortunately the bus blocked my view of him so when he cleared the bus, I had only a fraction of a second to slow down, and I did collide with him, albeit at about 10 mph and he was knocked to the ground.

I helped him off the road and onto the median, and called the police from a bystander's phone. Thankfully there was a CCTV camera literally above where the event happened. The police showed up, checked the number of the camera, confirmed our stories and we were on our way. When I spoke with the police, they indicated that intentionally crossing into moving traffic indeed put responsibility on the pedestrian. I do not know if this is law, the follow up letters I received from the police indicated there was no fault on my part and they had no reason to follow it up.

I guess my point is, at least in practice, the pedestrian is not always right. The guy knew he was wrong and kept apologising to me. I followed up to see if he made a claim against my insurance, and they have nothing from him.

This is slightly reassuring, as it indicates that we should all be responsible for our actions and in this case, he actually was.

 

[Dan B]

True, but by my office (next to Liverpool Street Station in London) the City of London Police do have words with lemming pedestrians crossing Bishopsgate on the red man. They don't want to be dealing with someone who stepped out in front of a speeding mincab, and now is needing a ambulance rather fast.

I know the area reasonably well, and I'm surprised any minicab can get the necessary clear space along that road to break the speed limit :-) But yeah. Actually, that would be a great place for a "shared space" scheme

 

[Black Sheep]

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar and had any opinion on who was in the right or wrong on this... it was a bizarre situation, and I look to learn from it!

Anyway - I look forward to getting a bit more involved here! Cheers!

shout "oh sh!te my brakes don't work'' normally has them move quickly!

I tend to aim behind where people are walking in this situation.