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Original poster

Driving along road when a pedestrian stepped into the road to overtake a group of pedestrians

50 replies

JudyOha · 23/02/2019 01:13

So I was driving along a street and usually, I'd keep an eye out on whether anyone looked at all like they were interested in crossing/running across the road. However, this girl walking behind a group of people on the pavement decided to overtake them by stepping into the road walking past them and then stepping back onto the pavement (WITHOUT even glancing behind to see if any cars or cyclists were approaching her). Obviously, I kinda steered away from her as I was literally less than a meter behind her when she suddenly stepped into the road but of course there's traffic coming towards me from the opposite direction in the lane beside me so was glad not to have bumped into any of those cars when avoiding the girl who stepped into the road..

Has anyone encountered a similar situation? What would/do you do? I'm sure most people have at one time, been absent minded enough to step into the road without looking but still, was very stressful from my driving perspective as it literally could mean choosing between bumping into the girl (could be a serious injury/fatality) or bumping into cars in the lane next to mine (perhaps less of an injury but still, who would pay for the repairs? surely not the other car as they weren't at fault but I wouldn't have been at fault either?)

Any insight appreciated :)

OP posts:
IWantMyHatBack · 23/02/2019 01:24

There's not much you can do, except be hyper aware of pedestrians. This happens a lot to me driving through nearby city, but it's usually cyclists suddenly dropping off the kerb into the road. This usually gets them a beep from me, with the often necessary emergency stop

IWantMyHatBack · 23/02/2019 01:29

I've perfected the emergency stop/beep/'look where you're going' bellow.

It happens a lot. There have been invisible people dressed entirely in black just randomly walking in front of me in the dark. Cyclists with no lights. Random unexpected dogs legging it into the road.

Not hit anything yet (except the errant pheasant who bombed it out of the fucking hedge).

Perfect the emergency stop/horn/'look where you're going' bellow, and you'll be grand.

Lemoncakestrudel · 23/02/2019 07:10

And THIS is why in your theory test you have to show your awareness for people likely to step into the road.

You can get annoyed with pedestrians in your big swooshy cars if you want. It won’t solve any of the worlds’ problems.

Think about the range of different obstacles pedestrians have to avoid. Sort out the pavement chatterers, the wheely bins filling the path, inconsiderate pavement parkers...

Oh shit. You don’t care about any of that. Well, give yourself a pat on the back for being the attentive driver you are expected to be.

BlackeyedGruesome · 23/02/2019 07:15

Pedestrian needs to take responsibility for not stepping suddenly into the he road. Cars at the speed limit paying attention still have quite a long stopping distance. Absolutely nothing you can do sometimes to avoid an accident.

DirtyBlonde · 23/02/2019 07:19

You do as you did.

Drive slowly and be aware that other road users can do really daft things, and at all times know how much space you have to veer safely and be ready to do an emergency stop.

If you cannot keep up a good level of alertness, especially in crowded areas, you need to reconsider if you should be driving. Yes, it's that important.

Oh, and you need to use indicators to let other road users know where you intend to go. Pedestrians are other road users. Don't restrict your use of indicators to when only powered vehicles are around.

PaquitaVariation · 23/02/2019 07:21

We live in a city whose main population, is almost equally divided between students, tourists and locals. The first two groups are mainly pedestrians in the city centre, and appear oblivious to the locals who are actually trying to go about their day to day lives, which sometimes involves driving up and down the narrow streets. I’ve learned to crawl along at 5 miles per hour watching for when they wander into the road, and occasionally just sit there waiting whilst they finish their conversation/map reading in the middle of the road.

So yes, happens to us all the time, pedestrians are unpredictable, drive carefully around them.

HarrySnotter · 23/02/2019 07:24

I was waiting to come out of a junction the other day and as I was pulling out a runner who had been running along the pavement ran straight in front of my car. Anyone else stops at the edge of a road but she just kept running. God knows how I missed her.

Anondonkey · 23/02/2019 07:34

Rightly or wrongly (wrongly), as long as it wasn’t late at night in a built up area, I would have beeped my horn to teach her a lesson! Blush

Or I would have otherwise shouted to myself “where the fuck do you think you’re going... get out of the road!!!” and carried on driving.

I do not tolerate this stuff very well...

Lunaballoon · 23/02/2019 07:41

Kamikaze pedestrians are a bloody nightmare. I see them all the time, usually wearing large headphones, staring at a phone, totally oblivious to all around them. Well done for being an attentive driver OP!

wanderings · 23/02/2019 07:43

"Beware of the walking iPod."

"Runners don't like to stop for any reason on Earth."

"Children + wheels = huge danger."

These are just some things I used to say on driving lessons. I also used to say "big car = big ego".

eurochick · 23/02/2019 07:51

You should try driving through central London late at night - lemmings everywhere!

BIWI · 23/02/2019 07:54

@JudyOha
it literally could mean choosing between bumping into the girl (could be a serious injury/fatality) or bumping into cars in the lane next to mine

Or perhaps, braking/stopping?

As a driver it's your responsibility to be aware of everything around you, and that doesn't just mean other cars on the road.

Onetwopyjamacrews · 23/02/2019 07:56

Lemoncakestrudel clearly doesn’t drive Grin

AuntieStella · 23/02/2019 07:58

If your choice is injuring a person or damaging your cars (including your own) the only choice for anyone with normal sensibility is to hit the car.

Pedestrians, specially child pedestrians, are quite erratic. Your driving needs to allow for that.

adaline · 23/02/2019 08:17

Think about the range of different obstacles pedestrians have to avoid. Sort out the pavement chatterers, the wheely bins filling the path, inconsiderate pavement parkers...

And none of that means they should walk into the road without bothering to look where they're going Hmm

Or do you want all drivers to go along at 10mph whenever there are any pavements about just in case?

DGRossetti · 23/02/2019 08:45

Or do you want all drivers to go along at 10mph whenever there are any pavements about just in case?

Most side roads around me are now 20mph zones ...

PickAChew · 23/02/2019 08:53

Paquita's City sounds like mine. They also did away with the kerbs to make it more "accessible" only that means that I'm constantly having to yell at my autistic teen not to wander over to the wrong side of the drainage channel that demarcates the divide between road and pavement.

Rockbird · 23/02/2019 08:58

Driving down a quietish road yesterday when up ahead there was a man walking along the centre of the road without a care in the world (two perfectly good empty pavements on this road). So I obviously slowed right down behind him and waited... he turned and gave me the filthiest look and kept on walking. What's that about?

delilahbucket · 23/02/2019 08:59

You just have to be aware that it could happen. If you hit them it will be seen as your fault or at best 50/50, if they claim for injuries. Even if they claim for none existent injuries and you have video proof that they just suddenly decided to run out in front of you and you were powerless to do anything beyond an emergency stop.

DGRossetti · 23/02/2019 09:00

Oh, and here are also a couple of new developments with "shared space" where there's no kerbs and no priority ...

TroysMammy · 23/02/2019 09:05

The other morning I was driving along a main road (30mph limit) at 25mph. The refuse collectors had stopped their lorry on the opposite side. The driver got out and was just about to cross the road in front of me as I was passing but took a step back.
He mouthed "slow down". Slow down at 25mph and him not looking?

TheSultanofPingu · 23/02/2019 09:14

I would imagine as a driver (I'm not one), you just have to be ultra aware at all times of other road users, be it pedestrians, cyclists or other vehicles. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable of road users, and yes, some seem to be very unaware of their surroundings. I suppose as a sensible driver you just have to suck it up, and look out for them if they can't look out for themselves.

PoptartPoptart · 23/02/2019 09:33

Lemoncakestrudel - as a driver, obviously I would not dream of mounting the pavement in order to overtake a car on the road. That would be dangerous and completely irresponsible. Likewise, I don’t expect a pedestrian to just suddenly step out into the road, without looking, in order to overtake a group of fellow pedestrians.
Everyone needs to take responsibility for their own safety.
It pisses me off that car drivers seem to be automatically blamed in situations like these.
If I stepped out into the road, without looking, and got hit by a car, that would be my own stupid fault, not the drivers.

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 23/02/2019 09:46

This is why I love my HGV airhorn. My bête noire is those youths who think it's cool to stand with their toes overhanging the kerb. Fancy dropping 4 shoe sizes? I don't fancy the paperwork, so you'll get a honk.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 23/02/2019 09:47

I don't know what goes through the minds of some people.
One time I came across a militant jogger. He was in the road, running against traffic. I saw him running towards my car so I slowed down, assuming he was in the road to avoid some sort of obstacle on the pavement.
No. He kept running towards me so I stopped and then he just stood in front of my bonnet with hands on hips, giving me a dirty look.
I ended up driving carefully around him and he continued jogging in the road and I'm guessing I'm not the only car driver he came across.

I've yet to find anywhere more terrifying to drive than Wokingham town centre. I hate having g to go that way as the pedestrians never look and seem to think a Waitrose bag is some sort of totem of undying.