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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I've just hit someone with my car. He's ok, but was I at fault?

321 replies

LimeLeaf · 25/04/2016 16:52

Just to say first that I was going less than 5mph and he walked away relatively(?) unhurt but I'm very upset about it and wondering if I was at fault.

I was at the bottom of a road which is very steep, at the junction where it meets a very busy main road. I was turning left onto the main road and looking right for a gap in the traffic. I'd been waiting a minute or so.

A car appeared on the main road and stopped, waiting to turn right onto the road I was on. A lorry to my right then stopped on the main road and gave way to allow me to turn left in front of him and the car on the main road to turn right past him onto the road I was on.

I started to release my foot from the brake as its a very steep road so I could roll forward before putting my foot on the gas. The car started moving forward and the man was right in front of my car and it hit him. He must have been on the pavement to the left of me and had tried to cross in front of my car but I didn't see him because I was looking right. He must have been walking quickly because he was already half way across the front of my car and I was already looking forward when I began to take my foot off the brake. As soon as I saw him I put my foot back down on the brake hard. I had moved maybe 3-5 inches but as he was walking so close to my car, it hit him.

He stumbled but kept walking across and then looked back at me and started shouting whilst I sat there in complete shock. The lorry waited for me to set off again even though I was shocked and nervous to drive immediately. He then turned around and kept walking.

I'm so upset about this. I've never hit anyone with my car before and feel very bad about it. Was I at fault do you think or was the man? Is there anything I need to do now?

OP posts:
LaConnerie · 25/04/2016 18:12

So if you've already reported it, why are you asking us?

Surely the Police clarified things for you didn't they?

Petal12 · 25/04/2016 18:14

Stop playing it over and over; you simply have not seen him at any point pre-collision. There's no point beating yourself up over it now though. He seemed uninjured and hopefully that'll be the end of the matter.

origamiwarrior · 25/04/2016 18:16

OP, I think you are still in shock as your posts are like a stream of consciousness. I'm glad you've reported it to the police. In future, don't move (even if it is a rolling start) until you've done the double check.

Get yourself a cup of sweet tea!

AlwaysNC · 25/04/2016 18:19

It didn't sound like you had reported it to the police at all from all your previous posts. If you haven't actually reported it, then go this evening.

WeAllHaveWings · 25/04/2016 18:19

Sorry Lime 100% drivers error which you will learn from. Doesn't matter how the hell he got there, it doesn't matter anymore, you didn't check before moving.

I know I learnt when as a younger driver I ran into the back of another car which started moving forward to enter the roundabout then stopped for no apparent reason and I was looking right to make sure the roundabout was still clear. 100% my fault and I never move without checking in front of me is clear now.

Backingvocals · 25/04/2016 18:21

My car also has very bad visibility of this sort. I notice when I am approaching a junction slowly, pedestrians at walking pace will be hidden behind the pillar for a good few metres as we both move. It's a weird angle thing and it freaks me out. But still my responsibility though.

RoganJosh · 25/04/2016 18:21

I'm totally confused by this. As a pedestrian I would feel the onus is on me to make sure the road is clear to cross.

Arfarfanarf · 25/04/2016 18:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TwentyCupsOfTea · 25/04/2016 18:24

It was your fault officially but just try to learn from it. I have been the pedestrian in this situation and got hit also, completely un harmed. I knew it wasn't technically my fault by law but have been more careful when crossing since!

GarlicShake · 25/04/2016 18:25

I was pulling around a stationary bus once when a schoolgirl sprinted out into the road from in front of the bus

Oh, good grief, this classic scenario is covered over & over again in driving lessons! You should not have "caught" the child at all - very slightly isn't good enough. Take more care. Perhaps even go on an advanced course, where they teach observation & anticipation.

OP - Because you think you were looking both ways, I recommend one of those courses to you as well. You weren't looking out. You can't have been. You hit a pedestrian crossing at a junction.

Glad the pedestrians were okay in both instances ... something like that gives you an opportunity to learn.

Arfarfanarf · 25/04/2016 18:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
LimeLeaf · 25/04/2016 18:27

Yes I am in shock and going over and over again in my mind what happened trying to work out if I could have avoided hitting him. I think if he'd been even a foot away from my car, then I wouldn't have but he was crossing very close. The problem with that road is that it is very very steep so you have to roll to the flat of the main road before you set the gas because the bottom of the car would scrape. There have been HGVs and large vans that have got caught out and stuck their back ends on the steep road trying to get into the main road. There's no other way to do it. Afaiwc, I was already going but very very slowly to allow the car turning right the space and the steepness. He must have crossed whilst I was doing that. I don't know why he did, I'm guessing he was in a rush and either chanced it or didn't appreciate that I was actually moving.

I have to take my documents to the police station for those asking. They didn't say anything to me, just detailed what happened and told me what to do.

I don't think I'm an unsafe driver, I use that junction every day and nothing like this has happened. I always look at the pavements as its near a school but once you've passed it to go onto the main road, you can't see it without looking right back which I guess you wouldn't normally do if you've checked already and are manoeuvring out.

OP posts:
RNBrie · 25/04/2016 18:31

I recently saw a cyclist knocked off his bike in similar circumstances, a car had stopped to let someone out and the driver just set off without checking it was safe to do so. The police said it is really common for accidents to happen this way, people automatically assume the stopped car is letting them go because it's safe to do so.

You got off lightly here OP, it could have been a lot worse (as it was for the cyclist I saw).

GarlicShake · 25/04/2016 18:33

To clarify, Lime, I'm not saying you're an unsafe driver. I'm saying you're not as safe, or as competent, as you could & should be. The man didn't materialise out of thin air or run at breakneck speed from under a bush, so you had the opportunity to know there was a risk. Learning more advanced skills will protect you from making similar mistakes in the future - one of which could maim a child for life.
Plus, it's quite fun!

Topseyt · 25/04/2016 18:33

It must have been very shocking for you, and yes, technically you would be deemed to be at fault.

Personally though, and I know this has no standing in law, I think it does sound as though the pedestrian was being a dick for crossing in that situation. There was clearly a lot going on and he would have been better to have waited. The fact is though that he didn't.

Get advice from the police now just in case. You don't want to end up in the wrong if anyone does report with your registration number. If he makes no complaint then very probably nothing will come of it.

Lesson learned though, and you will be unlikely to make that mistake again. None of us are perfect drivers. We all make mistakes. There are no perfect pedestrians either.

PeppaIsMyHero · 25/04/2016 18:38

You were technically wrong, but he was totally stupid!

Several of my friends had accidents when we all started driving simply by looking right at roundabouts for a gap when driving off and not checking the cars in front of them had cleared, and I trained myself to always look the way I'm going as a consequence!

MTPurse · 25/04/2016 18:39

I can not believe you didn't pull over and get out to see if he was ok or speak to him. Technically that is is hit and run Shock

Flumplet · 25/04/2016 18:41

Of course it was your fault, you didn't look both ways! Thank goodness it wasn't a child!!

Flumplet · 25/04/2016 18:41

Of course it was your fault, you didn't look both ways! Thank goodness it wasn't a child!!

Flumplet · 25/04/2016 18:42

Sorry for double post.

GreyAndGoldInTheMeadow · 25/04/2016 18:42

OP is makes no difference if you are rolling or have your foot on the accelerate, you check in front of you, what you're pulling in front of and the area your are turning into before you allow your vehicle to move.

Micah · 25/04/2016 18:45

Oh, good grief, this classic scenario is covered over & over again in driving lessons! You should not have "caught" the child at all - very slightly isn't good enough. Take more care. Perhaps even go on an advanced course, where they teach observation & anticipation.

How? Never overtake a stationary bus? As I was drawing level with the front of the bus she ran into the car, catching the side front.

Friend of mine once hit a child who ran out from between parked cars. The child was injured, but the police investigation showed she couldn't have avoided it because the damage to the car was on the side, showing the child had run into the side of the moving vehicle.

Pedestrians do do stupid things sometimes, no matter how much you anticipate.

Collaborate · 25/04/2016 18:50

Can't believe someone upthread advised OP not to go to the police. Ignorant or malicious, it's just plain wrong.

As others have said, you are committing an offence if you fail to report. Get on the phone immediately.

MissClarke86 · 25/04/2016 18:52

I know people are saying it's 'technically' your fault, but he walked in front of a car at a busy junction!!! Is he a complete idiot?

In the eyes of the law you are probably to blame, but in my eyes he is! Yes you should look both ways but sometimes decisions when driving happen in a split second - you do NOT expect to see a person in front of you, on a junction, in the road. Bikes to the side of you, cars pulling out etc - yes... Pedestrians crossing - No!

Someone once walked INTO my car while it was stationary at a junction, because they were on their phone!

Don't beat yourself up about it.

LizKeen · 25/04/2016 18:53

In law the onus is on the driver, and that is fair enough. But it is just common sense as a pedestrian, to assume the driver hasn't seen you, rather than act on the assumption that they have.

It is the same with people in car parks. Yes the driver should be looking, but the amount of people that just walk on when a car is already reversing, they are taking a chance that the driver knows they are there and will stop. What if the driver accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake while they are right behind?

Yes the pedestrian has right of way, but the pedestrian will always come out worst off, and I teach my children (and practice it myself) to give way to cars. I am not about to put my life in the hands of some random stranger in a metal box.

You will learn from this OP, and you will be more aware now. Just don't beat yourself up too much. We all make mistakes, and thankfully this appears to be a very minor one.

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