Woman stepped out in front of my car

[User5306921]

I was driving on a relatively busy road. I was going straight but there was a right turn ahead of me.
The traffic going in the opposite direction was at a standstill.

I noticed a woman with her head in her phone, standing at the edge of the footpath.

I'm not sure why, probably the way she was too close to the edge of the path, but I slowed down a bit, I was doing maybe 20 miles under the limit on the road.

The woman literally stepped out on the road right in front of my car. I braked suddenly, thankfully didn't hit her, and she continued walking across, head down, still looking at her phone.

I got an awful shock. The car going in the opposite direction (who had stopped in the traffic jam) threw his hands up in the air. I don't know if he was gesturing at me or at her.

I was so shaken. If I had hit her would my licence be revoked? I don't have dashcam.

Many years ago, I remember my driving instructor telling me to watch out for people on footpaths in case they step out in front of me. I am very watchful when I see elderly people or young kids.

I can't get it out of my mind.

AIBU - It would be my fault if I hit her and I'd lose my licence.
YANBU - This would have been the pedestrian's fault.

Of course it would've been her fault from what you've said here?

Why wouldn't it be?

I don't know about the laws there, but here in the US it would have been her fault. In fact there was a 7th grade girl a few years ago in my town who ran out in front of a car trying to cross the street. The driver wasn't speeding and she attempted to stop but wasn't able to. She wasn't cited because she wasn't doing anything wrong.

You said she just kept walking did you not honk at her because I would have laid on my horn.

Did she think you were letting her cross because you slowed down?

If you hadn’t slowed so you were travelling safely at or below the speed limit like you were, and she stepped out and you didn’t have enough time to brake then it wouldn’t have been your fault. They do investigate it. They don’t just say “you’re fault as you’re driving.”

A pedestrian stepping out from the pavement and into the road without looking at all is almost certainly at fault.
Lucky you spotted her, sussed what she was going to do and slowed down. Horrible experience for you.

Yes but after an accident has happened unless there are witnesses either party could claim anything and who would be beleived?

I don't know the ins and outs of the investigation process, but there are ways for them to be able to tell how fast a car was going based on tread marks and things like that.

I was in complete shock. My DC were in the car, teen in front and second DC in back seat. We all lurched forward as I braked. but thankfully the seatbelts did their job. I think I was in too much shock to honk.

I don’t think the woman even saw my car tbh. She never looked up from her phone.

Even now I think she is still completely unaware she was very nearly knocked down.

I think my teens have now seen the danger of texting/scrolling near traffic though.

I thought the law had fairly recently changed so that pedestrians have right of way if they are waiting to cross a road?

Many moons ago witnessed an accident where the pedestrian literally walked into a (slow) moving car as driver could see what was potentially going to happen. Pedestrian ended up in the floor screaming that the car had hit them (when it was the other way round) (no injuries), ambulance and police called. Witness statements taken. I can remember there been great excitement at work because a very rugged motorcycle cop turned up to take my statement. It turned out that the pedestrian did this quite frequently and was well known to police. Driver did not get prosecuted.
Must have been scary for you though OP.

no, if pedestrians are waiting to cross a side road, they now have right of way over a car turning from a main road into that side road, that is what the new rules say.

They don't just get to walk out into a road and get cars already on that road to stop for them, the only time they have right of way in this situation is when there's a zebra crossing.

She wasn’t crossing a side road, and OP was not turning into a side road. This was a straight road which the OP was travelling down. The pedestrian just stepped out at a random point on a straight road.

As the driver of a vehicle on the highway, the onus is on you to look out for pedestrians and other potential hazards. You said you noticed her and slowed down so you knew she was a hazard, and she was!

I saw her on her phone and it was because she was so near the edge of the path but she had stopped. She wasn’t walking. Presumably completely distracted by her phone. She then proceeded to just walk on to the road, never put her head up, and certainly did not look to see if a car was coming.

I’m a cautious driver and use that road every day. I am going to be so anxious driving on it now. Or any road for that matter as any pedestrian can walk out in front of me and I may not be able to stop in time.

I imagine a dash-cam would settle any argument.

Yes I think it would except a dash cam would cost more than the current value of my car.

You didn’t hit her, so you are worrying over something that didn’t happen. Dust yourself off and move on. Commend yourself for being so observant, but don’t let it eat away at you. I would have beeped my horn for eternity at her though, shouted a bit of abuse, laughed and carried on with my day. 😆

Well idiot pedestrians shouldn't be glued to their phones also, why cant they take some responsibility for themselves why is it all on the driver?

Glad Ur ok OP, does give you a fright at the time and make you a bit more cautious of other crazies.
Sounds like the motorist going the other way threw up their hands at the ridiculous pedestrian, not you, probably glad they didn't hit her either. You would at least have had a witness should anything have happened.

Regardless of road rules, pedestrians should check both ways (green cross code, anyone?) before stepping onto the road, usually because you can't trust drivers!
You sound a gem on the road OP, your DC will have had a good example of why they need to pay attention to their surroundings

They can be got for u der £20 . Sure your cars worth more than that

Try not to worry about it any further OP. You are obviously a very careful driver to have spotted this and she is lucky it was you behind the wheel. Don't let this knock your confidence.

I was a very stupid pedestrian a few years back, was sleep deprived after spending the night awake to finish a dissertation. Went to the shop in a world of my own, all giddy with excitement that I had submitted and was done with it. Crossed the road heading back, didn't even think about it. So stupid. But the car driver luckily was more alert and come to a stop as it touched my leg. I was so embarrassed and was very much the 1 at fault and very grateful that the driver was more alert than I was. Had a few beeps and geers from the 2 passing vans after which made the shame worse. Annoying your pedestrian didn't even notice that you basically saved her life, as if it was someone else behind the wheel things may have turned out differently

Get a basic dash cam, 30 quid on amazon.

Why should a car owner have to a camera because pedestrians dont use the brains they were born with?

Did I say she did? Get over yourself

Pedestrians do make mistakes sometimes, this is why drivers need to stick to the speed limit and have good hazard perception.

I never said you did but thanks for the classy response