Car reversing out of driveway. Who was wrong?

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Walking my dog yesterday and had my earphones on listening to an audio book. She (dog) was slightly ahead of me on extended lead cue loads of posters telling me iabu to use one. Next thing i know a car reversed into me, luckily i realised in the nick of time and jumped forward so it missed me (did very slightly touch my coat). I just gave the guy "the look" and continued on. But when i was telling my nan later on, she said it was my fault for having the earphones on and not being able to hear the engine. I was more grateful i wasn't a few seconds later as he would have went over my dog! I don't think i could of dragged her away as quick as she walks closer to the wall than me. So who was bu? Me or driver?

[Janeofalltrades1]

This is definitely driver's fault. If anything happens, it'll be on the driver. Same as if a child runs out to the middle of the road and a driver did not perform emergency stop quick enough.

[JacquesHammer]

If his driving is that poor that he cannot reverse into his drive then maybe he should park elsewhere

I am in the same position: my neighbours opposite have started parking differently. This couple with the way my immediate next door neighbour means I cannot actually reverse onto my drive. It's not that I am incapable. It physically can't happen.

Fortunately I live on a cul-de-sac with no pavement at my side: I have cut back everything in my garden to give me max visibility. I crawl off my drive.

It's the best of a bad situation so I do it with every care I can

[AssassinatedBeauty]

I'm another who thinks the driver is at fault. If you're reversing off your drive you're responsible for not running over pedestrians, no matter how unobservant they're being.

Of course as a pedestrian you can take precautions yourself in case of bad driving.

[Happyhippy45]

Driver was in the wrong. He obviously didn't look. The fact that you were wearing headphones is irrelevant. You didn't step in front of a reversing car, a reversing car caused you to take evasive action.

Lots of drivers don't pay enough attention when they are reversing.
I had someone almost back into me yesterday in a supermarket car park. They were oblivious that a person was close to the back of their car (drivers side) and kept on reversing. When he finally looked and saw me standing waiting patiently for her to finish her manoeuvre she was startled.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

DorkMaiden as I've said a couple of times, if she was at heel, she'd be in the animal hospital now. She's a very good dog we were at the last house before she usually gets let off lead so she'd pulled ahead a bit. (Thank god)

[Ahmezia]

It depends really. When I back out of my driveway I can't see at all to my left (offside) due to a very high hedge. I back out as slowly and as carefully as I can but pedestrians need to be aware of their surroundings too. And I struggle to work out how a driver would be expected to see a dog on an extendable lead behind their car. They'd be completely invisible!

The issue with people with headphones in is general they just don' t take any notice of their surroundings. I've lost count of the people who step straight out into the road at junctions without looking out for cars turning in because they're too busy listening to their headphones or chatting on their phones.

As other people said people who are deaf will make better use of their other senses & will be looking out for hazards instead of expecting other people to second guess & look out for them!

[ComputerUserNotTrained]

Ah that's a bugger, Jacques - can you have a word with your neighbours? It's a shame you've had to cut back your garden, too.

FWIW I'm shit at reversing at the best of times. A drive (unless it was a massive one, maybe with a large area for turning it so I could drive in and drive out would be wasted on me

[insancerre]

Cars turning don't have right of way though, pedestrians do as they are already crossing the road

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

When my kid was small but old enough to play out she got run over. She was very seriously injured.

Obviously due to the nature of her injuries and how it has impacted on her life she made an attempt to obtain a form of payment from the drivers insurance.

she didn't get a penny not all for the same reason but mostly due to her own liability so yes pedestrians can be deemed at fault

[DontOpenDeadInside]

And I struggle to work out how a driver would be expected to see a dog on an extendable lead behind their car. They'd be completely invisible!

The dog wasn't behind the car, i was. I'm only 5' but pretty sure he would have seen me either in his rear view mirror or by turning round.
(I'm a driver too btw, i always reverse into parking spaces if i can)

[Jaxhog]

The driver is in the wrong. But I wouldn't want that written on my tombstone. It's always a good idea to watch out for idiots not paying attention. Especially if you have another being, i.e. dog, in your care.

[NormaSmuff]

you nan was also wrong in that many cars are so quiet nowadays it is hard to rely on hearing them.

[Maggy74653]

Can't believe the number of people on here who are focusing on where your dog was walking OP. It is totally irrelevant, she was safety controlled and not causing any issues, I think people just like to be nasty and rude for no reason. Thank goodness she was in front of you slightly and safe. I also don't think you drip fed, it was obvious what happened from your first post.

Whilst you maybe shouldn't walk with headphones in so you can be more observant to ensure yours and your dogs safety (because of idiot drivers!) the driver was totally at fault here. Imagine if it was a child on a bike or something like that which had gone behind him and he had started to reverse without checking properly. No one would be saying the child was at fault. The driver should have checked it was clear before he reversed, you don't just go backwards and assume it is clear.

[Chloe84]

His fault, but I guess what your grandma means is don't rely on other people to be safe drivers.

I've moved from the end of a cul de sac to a busy road and have to remind myself to reverse out uber slowly.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Thank you Maggie i knew as soon as I'd put she was on an extendable lead, that's what most would focus on, but wanted to be truthful. Eventhough it's what saved her from being hit.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Thank you Maggie i knew as soon as I'd put she was on an extendable lead, that's what most would focus on, but wanted to be truthful. Eventhough it's what saved her from being hit.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

As I said above, I'm going to wait until I'm at the field from now on to listen to them. There's a place not far from here which used to be a housing estate but has been knocked down and is just fields (not where i was going yesterday) but there are still roads. I often walk up there with her off lead with my headphones on and occasionally a learner will come along or the odd car and i have yet to have an incident as I'm super aware and constantly checking. He just must have reversed so quickly.

[JacquesHammer]

Ah that's a bugger, Jacques - can you have a word with your neighbours? It's a shame you've had to cut back your garden, too

Sadly they're not very receptive. They have a drive too but refuse to use it as they "can't be bothered".

I am actually planning to get the whole front garden pulled out and another drive put in so the cutting back was a minor issue (although I moaned considerably as I hate gardening 😂)

[TalkingofMichaelAngel0]

You need to stay more aware. Im always telling my children to be awre that cars could be reversing when we are walking / on a carpark etc. you cant control drivers and how theyll drive but you can control your behaviours. Not always enough,, but better than nothing

[GreyMist]

Both of you.

The car should have been paying more attention and so should you if there was a driveway leading onto the path.

Definitely lesson learned.

[EverybodysHappyNowadays]

Both of you.

Driver should have been more 'aware' but then you should have at least as much respect for your own life as you expect a total stranger to have.

[KateDaniels2]

I'd say the majority of them wear headphones,

They do. It doesnt make them safe though.

Cyclist do too. I saw one knocked off his bike as he turn across traffic to access and undermotorway tunnel. It was early morning and he couldn't hear people behind him. The infront knocked him off his bike. They had no chanve to stop and he didnt know the car was there.

Legally the driver, in your case, is wrong. However you should also try and be responsible for yourself. I teach my kids to always be careful when crossing drives. Being small people may not see them. I dont care who is right or wrong. I dont want them getting hurt.

[InfiniteSheldon]

The driver is 100% in the wrong he/she should have reversed onto the drive then having clear visibility to drive off. Failing that she should edge slowly backwards feeling bloody guilty for selfishly driving onto the drive. My neighbour runs a very busy hairdressers in her front room (full salon) and the speed some of her clients drive on and reverse off her drive is quite scary when you live next door with dc and dogs.