Zebra Crossing - near-miss

ilesmark

Hi all

Every time I have ever seen anyone use a zebra crossing, they have ALWAYS looked in the direction of traffic first. Every time, that is, apart from yesterday.

I was approaching a zebra crossing at about 15 mph and saw a woman walking along the pavement near it. She was walking parallel with the road, rather than towards the crossing and was looking down, so I assumed she wasn't going to cross.

Imagine my surprise when she suddenly turned sharp right across the pavement and onto the crossing, all with her head still down. I stopped just in time, but couldn't understand why she hadn't looked up first like everyone else. Even though I wasn't going very fast, if I had been any nearer the crossing I couldn't have stopped in time.

My question - if I had hit her in the above circumstances, would I have been blamed?

Just curious?

mikey72

Yes.
You're usually to blame if you bit a pedestrian anywhere, but on a zebra you've no chance.

spike7451

You actually have to be very alert turning into a road as I've noticed that the are a hell of a lot of pedestrians who step off the pavement into the road without looking,especially if they have them bleedin walkman things connected to their lugholes!

ilesmark

Jesus! What about contributory negligence on the part of the pedestrian?

wba31

I was once told that padestrians ALWAYS have right of way, even if they step out into the road you are supposed to stop?

ilesmark

wba31 wrote: »

I was once told that padestrians ALWAYS have right of way, even if they step out into the road you are supposed to stop?

So why do drivers get so upset if you do step in front of them and make them screech to a halt?! Rather like I did with that zebra crossing woman.

Flyboy152

spike7451 wrote: »

You actually have to be very alert turning into a road as I've noticed that the are a hell of a lot of pedestrians who step off the pavement into the road without looking,especially if they have them bleedin walkman things connected to their lugholes!

Yesterday, whist driving home, a jogger suddenly left the pavement without looking, to go around a puddle in the pavement. He just stepped out in front of me, without a care in the world. I tooted my horn, to alert him of my presence and all I got was a load of abuse. Next time I won't bother and let go under my wheels.

On the subject of crossings. We have a zebra crossing in the village next to a bakers and a greengrocers. The zig-zag lines start at the end of a free parking zone, of about a third of a mile. Every morning and evening the lazy besterds, in their four-wheel drives, park on the zig-zag lines to do their shopping (even thought the free parking has spaces), in the bakers and greengrocers. Totally ignorant of the fact that they are putting people's lives in danger. Even when this pointed out to them, they just abuse the shopkeepers for being so nosey and they should mind their own business. :eek:

Flyboy152

ilesmark wrote: »

So why do drivers get so upset if you do step in front of them and make them screech to a halt?! Rather like I did with that zebra crossing woman.

The theory is that you should always expect anyone in the vicinity of a crossing to actually use it, without the need to give any indication as to that is what they are going to do.

mikey72

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Yesterday, whist driving home, a jogger suddenly left the pavement without looking, to go around a puddle in the pavement. He just stepped out in front of me, without a care in the world. I tooted my horn, to alert him of my presence and all I got was a load of abuse. Next time I won't bother and let go under my wheels.

On the subject of crossings. We have a zebra crossing in the village next to a bakers and a greengrocers. The zig-zag lines start at the end of a free parking zone, of about a third of a mile. Every morning and evening the lazy besterds, in their four-wheel drives, park on the zig-zag lines to do their shopping (even thought the free parking has spaces), in the bakers and greengrocers. Totally ignorant of the fact that they are putting people's lives in danger. Even when this pointed out to them, they just abuse the shopkeepers for being so nosey and they should mind their own business. :eek:

Ring the police on the non emergency number.
When they need to top up their crime figures, they'll nip out and ticket them.

s_b

OP do what i did,fit some air horns and next time it happens give em some if they arent going to read the highway code

wba31

ilesmark wrote: »

So why do drivers get so upset if you do step in front of them and make them screech to a halt?! Rather like I did with that zebra crossing woman.

Because how dare you think that you can have any right of way over these people?

there are just some drivers who think that they have a divine right to get somewhere first, or turn right/left/do u-turns where the roadsigns tell them not to, or to drive without insurance, or with their foglights and sidelights on instead of regular dipped beam, or to park in disabled parking bays or parent and child bays even though they are on their own/perfectly able bodied, or park inconsiderably so neighbours cannot park outside their own houses, or park dangerously on zig zagged zebra crossing lines etc etc. We unfortunately live in a society where many people have a "me first" attitude and have no respect for anyone else in their vicinity. I used to get riled by it, i now just ignore them, and try to be as respectful and accomodating to people as possible.