would you walk behind a car with its reversing lights on?

[Slartybartfast]

well?
i was trying to reverse out of a car park, as you do, i ended up letting the car behind me reverse first, kept looking, then again start to reverse, only for people to be walking directly behind the car! of course i stopped but they walked and the woman looked back at me, while walking, for ages, glaring.!
and no i dont have eyes in the back of my head, and yes i do have reverse lights!

if you take the risk of walking behind a car with its reverse lights on, you are taking a risk imo, and you dont turn and glare angrily at the reversing driver.

This sort of thing is why we buy cars with reversing cameras. The Toyotas are brilliant, as they have a grid superimposed on the feed which shows who's a risk and who's clear.

I find it is not unusual to be mid manoeuvre and still have people walk close behind when reversing. If a manoeuvre has been started before the person approaches they should wait for the car to finish.

When in somewhere like a car park and cars should be looking to see if there are any people approaching before starting. People should also be aware that cars may start a manoeuvre and not see them due to other large vehicles blocking their view.

When in a car park with dd 6 I make her walk with me as I will notice a car likely to move before she will.

Another bug bare of mine is when you are waiting at a junction and facing uphill, and people walk inches behind with children. If that happens, I won't pull off, even if the road is clear just incase. Doesn't take much for a car to roll back slightly or fir a child to slip.

As a pedestrian in a car park, where there are no walkways, I walk close to the line of cars so as not to be walking down the road. From that position, it's often difficult to see any reverse lights. If there is a car wanting to reverse out, I expect them to wait for me to walk past. I am in a far more vulnerable position than they are so it is up to them to wait.
I would wait if they were already reversing.

As a car driver in a car park, the onus is on you to avoid pedestrians.

Depending on the carpark it can be hard to stay out of everyone's way IYSWIM and you do occasionally have a daft moment when trying to avoid lots of cars. But I wouldn't have glared, I'd probably do an embarrassed wave and that weird "I'm trying to get out the way quickly" jog. I save glares for the morons who have to brake suddenly when I am already halfway over a zebra - I see you, I know you thought you could tear through, fuck me and my kid though, eh?

If a car has its reversing lights on, I would never walk behind it without first stopping and checking that the driver had seen me. I would always wait to see if they were about to move.
Seen too many near misses with drivers who have blind spots, just don't look or are day dreaming to risk my life on a technicality of whose right of way it is.

I was taught to keep the car in neutral until it was clear (same as waiting at a zebra crossing) in case something happened and the clutch slipped - kicking the car backwards/forwards.

Steam gives way to sail is the rule of thumb ???

*Chwaraeteg you don't drive? So your comment isn't really relevant is it?

Yes cars have reversing lights to warn others that the car is reversing. Novel isn't it?*

Juneybean, are you always THAT rude or are you having a bad day?

Surely one of the basics of road safety is knowing what the lights on a car are for? Indicators and reversing lights. It's certainly something I've taught my kids to take notice of. Even if some drivers think indicators don't exist.

I always keep my kids close to me in car parks if there's no path, and also try to notice which cars have drivers in them so I can be more careful when passing.

I'd avoid a car that seemed to be reversing, but I'm not sure I would notice from the lights alone - I'm a non-driver, and although I know which ones are the reversing lights on a car, I'm not really 'tuned in' to deducing a car's planned movements from which lights it has on.

Some people are too busy in their own minds. I reversed into a car parking spot and someone walked from the side of the car that i was reversing behind, then cut directly across the back of my car. Then weaved in and out between cars, some of which were moving.

Equally some drivers dont look or pay attention. I drive bearing that both pedestrians and other road users might be idiots. Im sure ive been an idiot on occasion too.

I know I'm posting this rather later but, Rule 15 of the Rules for Pedestrians from the Highway Code says, and I quote: "Never cross behind a vehicle which is reversing, showing white reversing lights or sounding a warning."

Op you are meant to look back when you are reversing. It doesn't matter if you don't have eyes in your back. No, reversing lights are not enough of an indication. A lot of people just look for moving cars rather than specific lights and I'm sure many wouldn't be able to tell the reversing lights from the brake lights especially if they don't drive themselves.

Yes yabvvu if you depend on your reversing lights in an area where people might walk behind your car.

@Voice0fReason

As a pedestrian in a car park, where there are no walkways, I walk close to the line of cars so as not to be walking down the road. From that position, it's often difficult to see any reverse lights. If there is a car wanting to reverse out, I expect them to wait for me to walk past. I am in a far more vulnerable position than they are so it is up to them to wait. I would wait if they were already reversing.

As a car driver in a car park, the onus is on you to avoid pedestrians.

This!!

To SaltySocks: For goodness' sake! the Highway Code Rule tells you what reverse lights look like - they're white!

To SaltySocks & Voice0fReason: I'm not saying that drivers don't have any responsibility to take care when reversing, of course not. But the Highway Code makes it clear that pedestrians also have a responsibility to ensure that they are being safe as well by not crossing behind a vehicle that is or is about to reverse.

I was taught never to walk behind a vehicle, still don’t.you have no idea if the reversing lights are faulty and the person driving may not be able to turn head just at that precise moment

In what way could i possibly be vvvvvunreasonable?

Perhaps because it would have been wiser to reverse into the space, so as to have the best visibility when leaving?

Safer for everyone that way, even in supermarkets

No I wouldn't, but I also always reverse into a parking space because reversing out of spaces where your view is limited is just asking for trouble in my opinion.

Well I’m visually impaired so can’t drive. I had no idea cars had reversing lights and doubt I’d be able to spot them, I struggle to see indicator lights. If I’m walking across a car park I have to assume that drivers are paying due care and attention and are therefore not going to reverse into me.

I wouldn’t because I have a brain
I think a lot of people expect cars to just automatically stop when they choose to walk in front of a moving one
This includes people who let their very small children run literally in roads and look angrily at those who nearly hit them

@Puzzledandpissedoff the other day I tried to do just this, and as I turned to manouveur in, someone squeezed on foot through the cars in the spaces behind and through the empty space I was about to back into, looking at their phone. I saw them so remained about 6ft away as they ambled past me, oblivious
Why even bother having walkways in car parks marked out, people just wanted through Willy Nilly!

Omg and don’t get me started on people who LEAVE TROLLIES IN CAR PARK SPACES

I am leaving the thread now, car parks are bad for my blood pressure !

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!! Its four years old

@Pixiedust1234 holy feck!

@juneybean

Chwaraeteg you don't drive? So your comment isn't really relevant is it?

Yes cars have reversing lights to warn others that the car is reversing. Novel isn't it?

The OP states she is reversing out of a car parking spaces where people tend to walk on the road so no she wasn't reversing over a pavement.

Her comment is very relevant. The OP is asking if you'd walk behind a car with reversing lights on. @Chwaraeteg was making the point that not everyone knows what reversing lights are, especially her seeing as she's not a driver, which I'm sure many non drivers wouldn't. I'm not sure why you think her comment isn't relevant. Nor Nor I sure why you're being rude.