Have people stopped giving a shit when crossing the road?

[whywei]

Twice in a matter of days I've had to slam my breaks on to avoid hitting a pedestrian crossing the road whilst on the phone. Both times neither were looking at traffic but just in their own bubble walkng as slow as possible (guy today was even smiling to himself). I'm talking big roads - in fact, I remember an old man dying in the exact spot I came across today (when I was a child).

I'm usually a live and let live kind of person but this seems to be happening more and more.

Do people have no self-preservation instinct?

And that's what people in general do.

The OP started this thread about people who don't!

I'd love to leave my drinks around on nights out and not have to do the awkward toilet trips. Only scum would spike a drink and it's an offence. But then again, maybe I'll not leave my drink unsupervised because I'd rather avoid being in hospital saying "but technically it's their fault and I should be able to...

What a ridiculous straw man argument. It is never anyone's fault if they have their drink spiked but the person who spiked it, no matter how "unsupervised" the drink was. It's not contributory negligence if you don't constantly watch your drink. Whereas if you run out into the road without looking straight into a car and a driver travelling at appropriate speed hits you, it will in no way be their fault.

However, a totally different scenario if you are driving, haven't indicated correctly and turn into a side road without looking ahead to see what is in it, and plough into a pedestrian who is half way across the road.

Sometimes crossing the road in London you have to take a calculated risk as a pedestrian as you will be there all day waiting. So using a traffic island but dodging between stationary traffic to get there. Using a crossing but having to walk around the coach which has pulled across it. Using a zebra crossing and doing quick check as you are nearly at the kerb for a motorbike or push bike which fails to realise why all the traffic is stopped.

Well done on again misreading what I have written Lola. It's almost like you're doing it deliberately. Nowhere have I said that people should walk out in the middle of the road because technically they have the right to. You are creating a strawman.

On your night out scenario, would you blame yourself if you kept hold of your drink all night, but someone distracted you and put something in it? Or you answered a call on your phone and someone mugged you for it?

If you look at comments about zebra crossings there is a very common misconception that drivers can just driver through normally, and the pedestrian has to take that their stopping distance into account, and it isn't the drivers fault if someone crosses in front of them and they can't stop. The law is absolutely clear that the responsibility to stop is 100% on the driver and there is no excuse for a driver not stopping in time.

Saying, "Oh but the pedestrian should have made sure the driver was going to stop" is victim blaming. What if it looks like they were going to stop, but then the car carries on? Or someone simply misjudges the speed of the vehicle? Nowhere have I said that pedestrians should just walk out without being sure vehicle are going to stop. But they are not perfect, people won't always react in the safest way, and when they don't they should not be blamed when it is in no way their fault.

I'm not deliberately misreading.

I just differ on what constitutes victim blaming.

As a pedestrian, I am in no way shape or form responsible for the actions of a driver.
I'd be stupid not to be mindful of the fact that the actions of a driver in a split second could injure or kill em

On your night out scenario, would you blame yourself if you kept hold of your drink all night, but someone distracted you and put something in it? Or you answered a call on your phone and someone mugged you for it?
Sigh. Of course I wouldn't blame myself because I am not responsible for THEIR actions.
I am however responsible for mine.
I wouldn't choose to be on the phone walking through town alone at night in an area where mugging was likely. If I did and I got mugged then it wouldnt be my fault at all. Despite that, I'd choose not to increase my risk of mugging.

People have a certain amount of responsibility for themselves. That includes us when we are pedestrians.

The law is absolutely clear that the responsibility to stop is 100% on the driver and there is no excuse for a driver not stopping in time.
True. But again I'd rather be a tiny bit more cautious looking at the road users than think "well technically there's no excuse if they don't stop in time because the law is on my side". I have more self-preservation instinct than that.

One of our family friends made a valid point that sometimes being technically in the right isn't actually the desirable outcome all the time. Pedestrians and other road users may do things that make them in the wrong, I may have the right to do certain things at certain times, but I'd rather apply common sense and be safe for the sake of a few seconds than be hurt for the sake of being right.

DH gives them a large toot on the horn

please ask him to stop. People hooting horns are really annoying especially when there are other pedestrians around. If you have time to beep you have time to brake.

Totally agree no one should walk or cycle or drive unsafely, but some of you are just bizarre. What part of the Highway Code do you know if you can't remember pedestrians have priority? From the minute a pedestrian steps out onto the road you are required to STOP for them!

Eg. we have one PP saying the pedestrian "saw me in car" and didn't stop so PP had to brake, boo-hoo. Yes, that's what your brakes are for. Apparently you saw the pedestrian too and assumed he was supposed to give way???

I live in London and this drives me nuts. Drivers NEVER give way when they should!

@ gamerchick "They look me dead in the eye when I've had to put the brakes on coming around a corner"

If you're turning into the road, then the pedestrian has right of way. Amazing how many drivers don't know that

stand
I know as a driver what my responsibilities are.
When I'm a pedestrian I'm less likely to assume that every driver will keep those responsibilities so will err on the side of caution because I think it's pointless being hit whilst feeling righteous that "the highway code says..."

Equally, just because drivers should stop for pedestrians, doesn't make it reasonable to walk out into roads with poor visibility, headphones in, phone out etc and yet that's what many people have experienced (me included). It comes back to personal responsibility and some people don't take any

If you have no control over what other people do, then you need to take your own precautions to stop harm happening to you

Ffs I can’t stop someone speeding & crashing how on earth do you protect against that?

I can’t stop someone mounting the pavement and driving down it, how do you protect yourself against that?

Drivers need to slow down, they are far less likely to kill at slow speeds

It is possible, of course, that a few of these 'careless' pedestrians are actually part of an insurance/compensation scam.

Dashcams are useful here.

I cross ie.walking by a big island each day. i try and be careful but alot of drivers don't indicate they are turning left ie. in to the bit i am crossing so some times I have crossed and they are coming down the road right by me.

Bring back the Tufty Club! A bit weird but it had a big impact on children's road awareness in the 70s. My own DC didn't get any road safety lessons in school as far as I know.