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.

I know I'm posting this rather later but,

You think? I’m trying to work out the thought process that you went through to post this.

The white lights only come on when your car is in reverse. They're to notify those around you that your car is in reverse. They don't illuminate anything.

They do illuminate. Have you never reversed at night in a location with no street lights? Reversing lights light up the space space you are moving into in exactly the same way headlights do when you move forward. (Not as bright as headlights, but bright enough to cover the distance needed for very low speeds.) How would you know if you were reversing into a tree or ditch or even pedestrian if you couldn't actually see behind you while reversing?

@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.

Your approach (as a pedestrian) is incredibly dangerous. You would be far safe walking down the middle of the road, which would enable the reversing driver to see you much sooner, and would give both them and you far more time to react if there was a potential collision.

If you walk close to the cars, you are invisible to the driver until very late on, you will appear behind them almost instantaneously, and you will be so close to them they will have no time to react.

I take it back if you check every single car you pass for a driver, and don't pass behind ones with their engine started.

I try to be careful when walking in supermarket car parks.

But……. the design and light output of some cars’ reversing lights is poor. Dull and only easily visible if you are right behind the car. Less visible when you are at more of an angle to it.

Some cars only have one reversing light, the opposite matching light being a fog light - so if one is walking up to the car from the driver’s side you’ve even less chance of seeing it.

True some walking in car parks aren’t concentrating as they should - but it’s not all their fault.

Having right of way is not a good enough reason to brush past a car that has its engine running and could move in you direction at any moment.

Pedestrians doing things like this is one of my biggest hates. I’m always giving out that the moment you put your car in reverse half of whatever town you’re in rush to stand behind you. Do they like living dangerously?? Very often when I’m parallel parking some nutcase will decide that it’s exactly the right time and place to cross the road and stand between me and the car behind. They come out of nowhere - thank god for parking sensors. Another thing that drives me insane is when people who are waiting to cross the road jut their babies pram/buggies out -FFS. Honestly I’m a calm person really.

Remembered another thing that bugs the hell out of me. People who do not keep a hold of their toddlers/ young children’s hands in car parks. I’ve seen so many close shaves - my own nephew included as my sister had a very relaxed approach to toddlers and car parks. You’re think they were on a relaxed wander in a summer meadow rather that in a busy shopping centre car park.

because most people are dumb

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THIS THREAD IS 4 YEARS OLD

No, YANBU. Only fools walk behind cars with their reversing lights on.

From the pedestrians' point of view, had they also waited for the first car to reverse, and then didn't want to wait for you too? People need to be able to reach their cars just as cars need to be able to leave their spaces (if only to allow new cars in) so compromise is required.

Sometimes the layout of lights on a car mean that people don't always know which the reversing light is I think unless you are a driver you may no know. I find it frustrating when trying to leave and all of a sudden a lot of people walk past but as a driver and the person who could do most damage the onus is on us to make sure the way is clear.
You could reverse into the parking spot so your car faces forward. I know its a bit more difficult for boot access but it may be the safer option.