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 my winter running kit has reflective bits. My shoes have reflective strips, my running jacket has reflective bands around the cuffs and hood.

And I have a flashing band powered by a tiny battery, that fits around my calf. Cost me £3.99 in a filling station.

I show up in the dark 😊

I would also say hiviz in the dark makes hardly any difference. You need lots of reflective strips and lights.

@fishfingersandchipsagain Having attended a DVLA Group 1 sight test, I can emphatically state that you are wrong. As a minimum, DVLA requires drivers to have a visual field of 120° from the horizontal. Thus, if a jogger runs into the path of the car from behind, that is the jogger’s fault and not the fault of the driver who in any case showed appropriate vigilance in managing to avoid hitting them.

Pedestrians who believe they have all the rights and none of responsibilities aren’t invincible. It’s a tragedy for everybody when they find out the hard way.

I nearly hit a cyclist the other day.

In case anyone is wondering cycling along a road with no streetlights, at 5pm in November, with no bike lights, no reflectors on your bike, no reflectors on your pedals, no helmet with reflectors and wearing dark clothes does not make you very visible.

I am not anti cyclists - I cycle every day. Complete with very very expensive bike lights and reflective gear.

He was a dick. It’s all very well the law being on his side but that’s not going to help if he’s dead or paralysed from being hit by a car is it.

I can never understand why so many schools specify black or navy coats and bags for school children, I know it looks smart but again, you can’t see them in the dark winter nights.

Best coats are those proviz ones for runners and cyclists

All pedestrians should wear hi-vis

do you? Does anyone on this thread wear hi-vis as a pedestrian?

I've just remembered I bollocked a man cycling without lights a couple of years ago. I was a pedestrian and realised he was almost invisible. I told him if he could afford a Brompton he can afford lights and someone will kill him if he's not careful. He got off his bike and walked on the pavement 😂.

Modern streetlights are crap too. They aren't helping.

I nearly hit a runner as well recently, just ran out in front of me at a side street in the dark. Just a dark shape. Luckily I've fast reflexes. Since they changed the rules about letting people across the road in dodgy places, people seem to think that means no personal care at all many people just walk across without looking now, but at least when they're walking you've got a bit extra time rather than a dark flash..

Yes, a clip on light and reflective band.

Or just something light. Years ago there were govt. TV ads saying Wear Something Light At Night!

Dh runs. He has flashing light armbands, a head torch, a flashing harness and a proviz reflective vest. His running tights have reflective bits in them. He also wouldn’t dash out between cars.

I watched a just eat bike peddler nearly got took out as well recently. No lights, just a little strip on the back of his box.

But it would have been the drivers fault for hitting him. There's no personal accountability at all now.

The proviz stuff is really good.

Of course pedestrians should not always wear high-vis or reflectives. Though I too as a nineties kid remember our parents putting reflective armbands on us 😁but if you are not a child or a runner and are careful it hardly seems necessary or practical.

He was an idiot it sounds but your reaction was wrong too to beep the horn. But I like your diagram so for that reason it can be all his fault 😂😂

is fake

Maybe not al the time, just every time they cross the road without looking.

i completely agree with you - can’t tell you the numpties round here who run, cycle & horse ride even(!) without any reflectors, lights, high viz etc. Let’s hope after his experience this evening this idiot invests in some!! Horrible experience for you too.

Most people use the term high viz as shorthand for neon AND reflective gear.

Not necessarily. A pedestrian in the road got killed near me a few years ago, walking on the edge of an A road (but in the carriageway) at 4am in the pitch black wearing dark clothes. The police took no action against the car driver, said he couldn’t have seen him in time to react.

I live between two junior/ infant schools and have never seen any pedestrians wearing hi viz

Nor the parents of children, tbh ive not ever seen pedestrians wearing hi viz unless they are working in a industry that requires it

I'm in London and the people who are most in danger of being hit are the delivery cyclists, Uber eats etc.
The vast majority of them won't have a single light on their bikes and they are dodging in and out of traffic rushing to their next destination.

I'm kinda amazed more of them haven't been knocked down or killed... maybe they have and we don't hear about it.

It's not just the high viz but the behaviour of some people - pedestrians, cyclists, people pushing buggies or with small children. Look, the default is that I am extremely keen to avoid hitting you, but please for the love of god people try not to put your squishy breakable self (or my favourite, your small child in a buggy!) into the path of a moving lump of metal! The amount of people who will walk directly behind a reversing car in a dark car park is unreal. The runner sounds like he could do with a couple of extra braincells and an ounce or two of self-preservation. No amount of smugness around "it's always the car driver's fault" makes up for being dead.

I was driving on the M6, it was speed restricted into 3 narrow lanes for the never ending "smart motorway" so 50mph in the far outside lane.

11pm a pedestrian walking towards me wearing all black.

I will never know how I missed him as he wasn't visible until the last few seconds. Still feel sick thinking about it.

I assume he was stoned or attempting suicide.

YANBU. Only last night (i was driving slowly because of traffic) I came close to running over a pedestrian who had decided to choose a poor place to cross the road, and wear entirely dark clothes. Ridiculous!