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Original poster

To have shouted at the person who walked out in front of me?

170 replies

Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 18:23

I know I was really, but why do people do this?!
People who walked onto the road in without looking properly, or people who see you driving on the road or reversing out of a space and decide to walk there anyways? I've had to slam on my breaks so many times recently and today was the straw that broke the camels back.
Driving down the main street in my town and a lady with a young boy (around 8 maybe?) walk out in front of me. She clearly saw me, I saw her look at me, she just walked out with her hand raised as if to say thanks. I had to slam my breaks on so the stuff on the passenger seat fell into the footwell. There are crossings on the road for pedestrians so no need to walk out where she did. The child didn't event acknowledge my car, was just chatting away to his mum/the lady.
I had the window down anyways and I yelled out that she needs to look before crossing the road rather than just expecting cars to stop. She yelled back at me to fuck off but I drove off so no idea what followed. So frustrating!

OP posts:
Ohtherewearethen · 26/04/2019 19:26

OP, for what it's worth, I don't think you were being unreasonable at all. I can imagine that the fright of a near miss like that and thinking about what could have happened could have made me respond in a similar way. Other people suggesting that it's ok for this woman to have walked out with her child onto a road in front of a moving car because some car drivers are arseholes are being ridiculous!

KaterinaPetrova · 26/04/2019 19:33

I don't want to address anything GFers on here say but I do think that shouting at someone stepping out in front of a moving vehicle does indeed achieve something. It may just make the suicidal idiots think next time.

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 19:36

KurrieKurrie oh absolutely, I know it's my responsibility to look at all times, but when I am mid maneuver it seems daft to just walk straight behind the car and hope it jumps on its breaks. I'm not saying that drivers shouldn't need to look and it's fully the responsibility of the pedestrians, but surely they don't want to be hit by a car so walking behind a moving one, very closely, is rather stupid?

OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 19:42

Vulpine someone's journey might not just be hampered by someone going for a walk, they might kill them. Literally. If it is fine for anyone to just walk out across a road without looking or slowing down then the population will decrease quite quickly.
I could have easily hit that woman and child today. I could have killed them. They didn't seem to care or be aware of the danger. They didn't seem to acknowledge that both of their lives and mine could have been ruined in a few seconds. There are crossings on this road. No reason not to use them.

I'll accept that I was wrong to shout at them, but I can't accept that its okay for them to just walk out in front of me.

OP posts:
LizB62A · 26/04/2019 19:52

I don't know why these people do that - it's like they're training their kids to assume that if they walk out into the road with their hand up, that cars will magically stop.
It's stupid and dangerous and yes - I beep and shout at people who step out in front of me on a road !!

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 19:58

Is it a sense of entitlement? Ignorance? They hate car drivers and want to make them panic? Suicidal? Impatience? Laziness?
Saying that surely a driver can wait a minute to let people out...surely people can wait a minute to let the massive lump of metal get past them before darting out on the road!?

OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 19:58

Sorry, I'm a bit shaken tbh. I keep replaying it in my head an imagining what could have happened...

OP posts:
KurriKurri · 26/04/2019 19:59

but surely they don't want to be hit by a car so walking behind a moving one, very closely, is rather stupid?
Well yes in the real world it is stupid (as opposed to Highway Code land where all people within a five mile radius are to be viewed as a potential 'leap in front' of your car hazard Grin)

KurriKurri · 26/04/2019 20:00

I'm sorry you are shaken up - it's horrible when you have a near miss - always makes you feel sick afterwards Sad

Jellybeansincognito · 26/04/2019 20:01

This exactly
‘If this is happening to you on a regular basis you need to check your hazard perception skills. If you see a pedestrian who looks like they might cross the road, slow down and prepare to stop whether it's a pedestrian crossing or not’

Why are you having to slam on when I’m assuming you’re on a 30 road and have time to see the hazard ahead?

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 20:01
Sad
OP posts:
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 20:04

I did see the hazard ahead. She walked out of the arcade and straight onto the road. She didn't even slowdown. I saw her as she came out the arcade towards the road, saw her look at my car and keep walking. It was because I was driving carefully that I didn't hit her. If I had of been distracted or not paying attention, I would have hit her.
It happens a lot in my town, not just to me.

OP posts:
Jellybeansincognito · 26/04/2019 20:08

If you were driving carefully you’d not need to slam on when driving on a 30 road. You’d also not feel entitlement over pedestrians not using crossings and stopping to give way to you when monovering your car.

Vulpine · 26/04/2019 20:12

Of course it's annoying. But as road users - be it cars, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians - we are all subject to this kind of behaviour and we just have to try and get on without screaming at each other when ever someone makes a mistake. Car drivers already rule the roads simply by their very size and potential danger, you don't need to up the ante any further by shouting at people.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 26/04/2019 20:14

Same thing happened to me the other day. Imperious twat gestured at me to stop as he and his wife strolled across the road. I just gave him a a look but for fucks sake, have people got so entitled now that they can play chicken with traffic with impunity?

GabsAlot · 26/04/2019 20:14

oh youre not alone op-it happens locally to me theres a crossing 30 ft away but they cant be bothered to alk to it so just saunter out in the road

arseholes

also walking out in front of buses and vehicles i cant see u ffs

Vulpine · 26/04/2019 20:17

Angry people don't make great drivers

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 20:17

Jelly I don't actually understand your post.

OP posts:
GabsAlot · 26/04/2019 20:17

i would have shouted or beeped aswell op-she was an idiot to do that with a child how irresponsible

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 26/04/2019 20:18

Lazy don't make great pedestrians

OP posts:
Lockheart · 26/04/2019 20:21

@Jellybeansincognito if someone steps out close enough to you then you have to slam on the brakes, whether you're doing 5mph or 50. You can be the most careful driver on the road but if someone steps out in front of you when you're 10ft away it's not going to make much difference.

To pass your test you have to be able to demonstrate both hazard perception AND that you can make progress. If you crawled down a busy high street at walking pace because of all the people who might step out into the road you'd be failed. You also have to be able to demonstrate an emergency stop, for all those times when a hazard presents itself suddenly in front of you.

The OP saw the woman, recognised she was a potential hazard, and stopped when the woman stepped out into the road. The OP was driving responsibly.

The woman was in the wrong for crossing the road without checking it was safe. Hopefully she wouldn't try the same stunt with a lorry or a bus, they're much harder to stop quickly.

Jellybeansincognito · 26/04/2019 20:21

You’re moaning that pedestrians walk on roads when they’re not crossings and walk behind your car etc when moving it, it’s entitlement and not something that should irritate you as a driver.
If it’s happening often I think the problem is you tbh, I still don’t understand why you needed to slam on unless you were speeding

Jellybeansincognito · 26/04/2019 20:22

@Lockheart I’d probably agree with you but then I read the rest of the ops comments and it just seems there a general driving attitude that isn’t great.

IndigoSpritz · 26/04/2019 20:23

Vulpine. I disagree that car drivers rule the roads, judging by the actions of the horse rider I encountered this morning. She very forthrightly stopped vehicles on both sides of the road so she could pass them and turn right. One of these vehicles was a large lorry and the horse was clearly spooked by it. Our heroine had some difficulty regaining control of said horse. I'm glad I wasn't any closer or I might have had a hoof through my windscreen. This horse shouldn't have been on the road and I suspect the rider knew this, hence her need to stop everyone else so she could have clear passage.

I'm derailing the thread. My point is that all road users, pedestrian, vehicle or equus have a responsibility to themselves and others.

ivykaty44 · 26/04/2019 20:26

Good job you weren’t speeding and were able to stop. Many road speeds are now being lowered to 20mph to make it even safer and this will make a big difference to survival rates in crashes

Keep driving slow op, good on you - wish more people would follow your example

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