To think it is 100% this runner’s fault that I almost hit him?!

[AngeloMysterioso]

On my way to pick DS2 up from nursery with DS1 and DS3 up, around 20 past 5 so it’s already dark. There’s a queue to turn at a T junction and a small cul-de-sac on the left so I’d stopped just before the cul-de-sac to let people out/in. A few cars have pulled out so I’m slowly moving forward after checking mirrors when a runner goes diagonally across the road from behind my right, directly in front of another car going the other way and then in front of my car and I have to stamp on my brake so I don’t hit him. He is wearing:

• trainers- I didn’t see what colour but they definitely weren’t white or anything particularly bright or visible
• black running leggings and shorts
• a dark green long sleeved tshirt
• black gloves
• a dark grey beanie
• literally no bright or reflective items of clothing or accessories whatsoever.

After narrowly avoiding him I beeped my horn, at which point he turned around, swore at me and carried on running. I saw him running up and then around the corner, and further down that road I witnessed him running straight across a zebra crossing without pausing at all to make sure there were no cars approaching.

I didn’t hit him. But AIBU to think if I had, it would not have been my fault, given that he was wearing dark clothing and nothing reflective so he was barely visible, and ran straight in front of my car? I mean how fucking stupid can you be?

All pedestrians should wear hi-vis and some runners are really stupid, despite being one myself I get the rage when they run on the roads when there is a pavement!

But beeping your horn doesn't achieve anything and may have annoyed other drivers and pedestrians in the area who start wondering who's beeping who. If you have time to beep you have time to brake. Which you did.

He was a prat - just chalk it up to experience.

The club I run with is constantly reminding people to wear high vis for this very reason, it’s impossible to see people who are dressed in black.

He's an idiot yet they seem to survive!

All pedestrians should wear hi-vis

Really!?

You would of been to blame in the eyes of the law, not saying I agree.

You're not supposed to use your horn to chastise people. He was stupid but he was always going to react that way if you honked. Horns are fucking loud if you're next to the car

Or running lights, or reflective strips. I'm a runner. It's really not difficult.

It is really scary. There's a pic somewhere showing a child in dark clothes at side of the road and they are pretty much invisible v wearing a bright colour. I always buy the DC bright winter coats with reflective stripes for this reason. Anyone routinely crossing roads and walking around traffic in the dark should at the least have a coat with reflective strips or in a brighter colour. We've had a few accidents round here where people just haven't been seen walking by the side of the road etc. In a couple of those cases, the vehicle (usually a lorry) hasn't even realised they've hit someone

You were in the wrong. You are the one driving heavy machinery. It is your responsibility to make sure you can see hazards, particularly when pulling off from stationary. If you don’t have the ability to spot pedestrians in the dark, don’t drive.

Even my son when running as a teen would wear a hi vis vest. It was very light weight mesh material so no impact in terms of weight or movement. Plus I always pointed out to him when we'd be driving at night how hard it was to see pedestrians or cyclists (so many without lights) even on a well lit street.

YANBU. I live in the countryside and in the past week I’ve passed 3 cyclists in the dark, twisty country lanes wearing all black/dark clothing, no high vis/reflective gear, no colours, and no lights (and like you, was fairly - not dangerously - close to hitting one of them I didn’t see til last moment). I REALLY don’t want to run anyone over!!!

This pic!

He's a complete idiot. Good for you beeping at him, he needs to know he's a danger to himself.

Forgot to add my very sophisticated picture

Now that's a diagram! 👏

I was just driving home down an icy side street and I just spotted a lad on a bike. No lights, dressed head to toe in black, no reflectors and the best bit, he had his hands in his pockets, he was riding non handed. Idiot.

Like all the time?!

This is a bug bear of mine.

I am forever seeing kids on my road out on bikes/ electric scooters in the dark in black clothes, no helmet, no lights, no reflective strips, riding on the wrong side of the road careering round a blind bend. Why do parents let them out in such unsafe circumstances.

I feel sorry for the poor sod who knocks them off...

He should be in lights and something reflective.

I'm lit up light heathrow at night when I run after dark. I even wear a little light when I'm walking back from work through town. I don't trust drivers either, I let them move before I run past.

*like heathrow

what even when he was wearing black and ran in front of her car?

An ex colleague of mine killed a man wearing black, walking in the road at night. He never drove again. Was it his fault? I don’t know - I never knew the details, but it ruined his life as well as the family of the man who was killed.

I cycle commute lit up like a Christmas tree and am so aware of being as visible as possible. I nearly hit a woman running on a closed, unlit road dressed in entirely in black. I actually stopped and warned her how dangerous it was. She did at least say she'd go and buy a headtorch!

It seems to be a new thing this but happens all the time, to the point it feels like there should be some kind of awareness campaign. People just walk into the road now holding their hand up to thank you not realising you can hardly even see them. It's really really hard to see people when it's dark even without their dark clothing, I think they must think that because they are in front of your head lights that you can see them really clearly but you just can't.

I'm a runner and yanbu. I am always in hi vis this time of year, and usually with a head torch on even in built up areas so people can spot me at distance