Pedestrians right of way or safety first?

There is something I need to get off my chest and this is turning into a pet peeve of mine.

Everyone is familiar with the sentence pedestrians have the right away. But has anyone ever stop to think that this sentence can be protected for only so far? What about safety first because a pedestrian is the cause of the accident?

Here's why I'm asking.

The other night I was coming home in an 80 km/h zone so I'm going at a pretty good clip. It's dark out this guy is walking across from the other side of the road. He's wearing black and yellow and looks more like a shadow and I don't have time to come to a full stop due to my speed. The guy suddenly bolts out in front of me and I have less then ten seconds to make a decision. Instead of hitting him, I pull the car onto the opposite side of the road and fish tail because I panickd and hit the breaks a little. I suddenly felt calm and pulled my foot off the break and fought to bring the car out of the fish tail.

So here's why I'm asking when does one draw the line? Seriously who made up this rule that it's always the drivers fault?

It should be safety first and what ever happened to common sense? You just don't run out in front of a speeding car. Period.

The man would've been the cause of the accident if I hit him. If there was someone coming the otherway I would've had a head on collision and there's no telling if I would've survived or not or if the other driver would've survived.

As it were I did come close to putting myself in the ditch.

I think at this point it should be who ever caused the accident and not always be pinned on the driver because it's not always their fault.

People don't realize that drivers don't always see them at night because one it's dark out, two no reflectors? No way of knowing you're there bcause you look like a moving shadow. And just because you have a reflector on doesn't always mean you have the right away. Don't assume the driver will see you and stop. What if the car is going at a speed where they can't stop in time when they do see you?

If you're walking inbetween two cars, the driver is not going to see you walking between the cars while driving by.

There has to be a new line drawn. A driver should be protected when it comes to pedestarians who don't think and do something that causes the accident.

 

i think the rule is that pedestrians always have the right of way at intersections and crosswalks, but i don't know of a lot of 80 km/h roads that have intersections or crosswalks. but i dunno, i think killing a pedestrian would mess me up pretty bad whether it was "my fault" or not.

 

Yes.

 

I'm pretty sure this is most of it.

 

I always get annoyed when I'm just starting to cross on a crosswalk, and the car waiting to turn just waits, despite have more than enough time to make the turn.


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

yeah, stupid people obeying the law.

 

When I came home I cried because I come close to taking a mans life. Looking back now I'm angry

Like I said it should be only protected only so far. Crosswalks and stop lights yes

but when its in a grey area, the driver should be protected. Jay walking is illegal after all.

 

lol @ female drivers.

 

if you are a pedestrian and you decide to start crossing the crosswalk at the point where i will be unable to come to a stop before reaching it, i will hit you and you will die.

 

Actually ten seconds was stetching the truth

It was five feet two seconds. The guy is lucky I have fast reflexes or I would've hit him for sure.

The police would've still said it was your fault even though the person shouldn't be walking when it says don't walk.

 

Usually people stretch the truth the other way, that is, they want to make their story more dramatic, not less...

 

i know, but the person that crossed too late/ignored don't walk will be dead. won't it turn out much better for everyone involved if he/she exercises greater caution?

 

Would be nice if everyone exercised greater caution.

On the other hand if the pedestrian is at fault, then the driver shouldn't be charged because it was the pedestrian's fault.

 

Actually I meant to say should not be protected.

 

Uh, if he's at an intersection and it's a green light for you, he shouldn't be crossing. If he is, or he's jaywalking at a place that's not an intersection, he's doing so at his own risk.

 

Right of way laws can only go so far but it depends on what State you are in. For example, in one state you may have to be required by law to stop at any crosswalk, not just yield. And if a driver is following the law but a pedestrian isn't paying attention, goes out into the crosswalk (like when the light is green) and the driver hits her and she dies, then the driver is not guilty of murder.

 

Ok:

Small animals such as cats, dogs, and bunnies = 10 points, +5 bonus if they are especially cute.

Deer = 20 points

Horse = 50 points

Horse ridden by police offcer = 100 points

Old person = 30 points. Double points if they are being helped across an intersection by Boy Scout.

Zoo animals such as alligators and tigers are like 75 points but you can add 25 points if they are wild animals and it's double points for endangered species.

Disney employee in costume = 40 points, triple points for entire family taking picture with said character.

Dodo Bird = 250 point exinction award with official trophy made from remains.

Bigfoot = 300 points, -25 poins if it's just some fool in a costume.

Nessie = 500 points

Lottery winner running across the street with a celebratory smile waving winning ticket in the air = 500 points, + 50 points if they are good looking, + 100 points if they are famous, + 200 points if they are already rich.

Westboro Church members = 1,000 points and I'll do your house cleaning and lawn mowing for a month.

 

yeah this was on a back road, no stop lights or cross walks where this happened.

I'm thankful I missed hitting him because he would've died because of the speed.

 

Conflicting views.

First: stupidity is its own reward, and its own punishment. If this bozo runs into traffic with not warning, and no way for you to stop, it isn't entirely your fault. So long as the first thing you do is stop&pull over, and the second thing you do is call the police to report (999 or 911). If, however, the reason you didn't see him is because you were distracted yacking on the phone, that is your fault. Remember the bit about when you see a pedestrian slowing down and swerving to give extra space?

Second: this happened to me last year. I was at a crosswalk and stopped for the pedestrians. So did the car in the next lane. Some ass in a jacked-up truck came up behind me, pulled into the bus stop turnout, and then gunned his engine, peeling out. Now, in his defense, the pedestrians were geese (yes, the geese were in the crosswalk--what's your point?). On the other hand, they could just as easily have been 5-yo children. He did NOT have a clear line of vision to see them. He just didn't want to have to wait for anyone. I was so sorely tempted to start following him and call the police...

I think if people exercised their gray cells more, and used "common" sense and "common" courtesy, it would make the world a much better and safer place.

And if you are going to use a point system, go with the one from the original Death Race 2000 (can't believe I have to specify--who'd have thought anyone would remake that movie of all things).

 

I've got a similar issue with cyclists. Here in the UK if there is a car/bus/truck vs cyclist incident, the driver is usually blamed even if it was the cyclist being an idiot. (And I've seen my share of idiot cyclists. Apparently tight lycra clothing confers immunity to injury).
Part of the problem with cyclists is that you can't easily report them to police. I mean, 'He/she was riding a blue bike' only goes so far. In the case of cyclists I think if they want to ride on the road they should have something like a license plate for easier identification.

 

then you'll say, now young jaywalker... you will die!

 

i would probably poop my pants, scream "AAAAAAAAAAA", and let out a stream of foul language. but then, i often do all that in the car anyways, just for fun.

 

Five feet, two seconds.