Pedestrian vs car

Whatthefluffing · 2023-12-17T19:25:36+00:00

Car is stationary waiting for traffic to move. Pedestrian walks in front of car, car moves forward, the pedestrian has to bang on the bonnet of the car to get the car to stop, at this point the car has hit (but not dramatically) the pedestrian, the car bonnet is now against pedestrians leg. Car drives off, no word from the driver. Who was in the wrong?

TheThreeHeadedBeast · 17/12/2023 19:26

Car driver

Whattodonexts · 17/12/2023 19:27

Both. Use a crossing.

Hesma · 17/12/2023 19:27

Pedestrian should not have walked in front of car or banged on bonnet but if it were me I’d have let them go (maybe beeped) rather than edge forward. Both are knobs IMO

GrumpyOldCrone · 17/12/2023 19:28

Obviously the car driver is in the wrong. I assume you were the pedestrian?

Lemonademoney · 17/12/2023 19:28

Car driver

Bluevelvetsofa · 17/12/2023 19:28

On a Zebra crossing?
On the road with no crossing?
At a junction?

PuttingDownRoots · 17/12/2023 19:28

The car driver has the responsibility to check before setting off. Legally and morally at fault.

(However pedestrians should take responsibility for themselves and cross safely... its not clear if this was a sensible place to cross)

Wellhellooooodear · 17/12/2023 19:30

Obviously the car. Even if the pedestrian was an idiot, as a driver you don't risk the safety of another person to prove a point.

Canonlythinkofthisone · 17/12/2023 19:30

If traffic was about to move, pedestrian should have waited for a crossing.
Car driver should have used their eyes and not driven at the idiot crossing the road.
Pedestrian absolutely should not have hit the bonnet, I'd lamp anyone who did that tbh
Car driver and pedestrian both idiots IMO

UndertheCedartree · 17/12/2023 19:31

The car driver, clearly. A car should only be moving forwards if it is safe to do so which it obviously wasn't. Some car drivers are so oblivious to pedestrians. I've had this situation a few times before. They don't even notice you crossing the road in front of their car.

MilkChocolateCookie · 17/12/2023 19:31

The pedestrian was stupid (assuming not a proper crossing) but the driver was in the wrong.

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 17/12/2023 19:31

Car driver in every way but especially driving off.

UndertheCedartree · 17/12/2023 19:32

Whattodonexts · 17/12/2023 19:27

Both. Use a crossing.

Not all roads have crossings, do they?!

AVeryPregnantXmas · 17/12/2023 19:32

Whether or not it was a pedestrian crossing is crucial here.

If the car has briefly stopped along the road then the pedestrian should not have walked out.

UndertheCedartree · 17/12/2023 19:32

Hesma · 17/12/2023 19:27

Pedestrian should not have walked in front of car or banged on bonnet but if it were me I’d have let them go (maybe beeped) rather than edge forward. Both are knobs IMO

Why shouldn't a pedestrian cross the road?

Seeline · 17/12/2023 19:33

The car. The driver should have checked.

But if it was dark, and/or the pedestrian approached from behind, and/or was wearing dark clothes, I do have some sympathy with the driver.

SleepyRich · 17/12/2023 19:34

Car driver is at fault since should have seen the pedestrian, there's a clear obligation to make sure it's safe to move off before doing so.

Pedestrian may of cause have picked a stupid time/place to cross but this doesn't absolve the driver of their responsibility.

Topofthemountain · 17/12/2023 19:34

MilkChocolateCookie · 17/12/2023 19:31

The pedestrian was stupid (assuming not a proper crossing) but the driver was in the wrong.

Yep. The car driver will always be the one at fault, but the pedestrian obviously likes to dice with danger.

UndertheCedartree · 17/12/2023 19:34

Canonlythinkofthisone · 17/12/2023 19:30

If traffic was about to move, pedestrian should have waited for a crossing.
Car driver should have used their eyes and not driven at the idiot crossing the road.
Pedestrian absolutely should not have hit the bonnet, I'd lamp anyone who did that tbh
Car driver and pedestrian both idiots IMO

If a car is about to run me over, you bet I'm going to bang on the bonnet than just passively get hurt! Don't want your car touched? Pay attention to pedestrians crossing the road which they are entitled to do!

NotTerfNorCis · 17/12/2023 19:35

Really depends on the timing. Was the pedestrian in front of the car when it started moving? Or did the pedestrian step out at the moment the car started moving? But whichever, the driver shouldn't have driven off.

Ponderingwindow · 17/12/2023 19:36

cars should always yield to pedestrians, but if the pedestrian darted out in the middle of the street, they may not have had time to react. If it was a crossing or a corner, the driver is 100% in the wrong.

RomeoOscarXrayXray · 17/12/2023 19:37

New Highway Code introduces the concept of a hierarchy of responsibility. Those with greatest power have greater responsibility.

The car was in the wrong. Absolutely.

RomeoOscarXrayXray · 17/12/2023 19:38

Like this

Seeline · 17/12/2023 19:39

But the Highway Code still includes the Green Cross Code for pedestrians crossing the road. The first step is to find a safe place to cross. Between 2 queueing cars is not a safe place. They weren't stationary unless parked.

Original poster

Whatthefluffing · 17/12/2023 19:40

NotTerfNorCis · 17/12/2023 19:35

Really depends on the timing. Was the pedestrian in front of the car when it started moving? Or did the pedestrian step out at the moment the car started moving? But whichever, the driver shouldn't have driven off.

The pedestrian has started walking, the car drove towards them, the pedestrian had to bang on the bonnet as the car’s bonnet was on the pedestrian’s leg, pedestrian bangles on bonnet as car was still driving forward.

OP posts: