gannet wrote:akirk wrote:gannet wrote:I think my bike is legal, but even so there are several near misses each week with pedestrians who just don't look to their right when approaching the middle of the road - or don't even look either way because facecrap is more important... Most times I've already spotted them walking between the stationary traffic but not always if they choose to walk in front of a van or HGV (yes I know...)
now put yourself into those scenes at the wheel of a car instead of on a bike - what would your thoughts be?
Alasdair
a car wouldn't fit
the same?
sorry it winds me up - EVERY road user should take responsibility for their own safety. As soon as a pedestrian steps into the road they become a fellow road user. Sure we all make mistakes, but pedestrians seem to treat the roads they are crossing as a simple inconvenience rather than the danger they really can be. I've had near misses, but they have been misses because my speed is always such that I can stop. When I do so and suggest to them they might consider using the crossing not 20m up the road or I dunno looking before crossing, I get abuse, never an apology - why? I tend to keep stum...
I partially agree (with the need for pedestrians to take more care) but I also disagree - I think that every road user has a responsibility for their own safety, AND that of others with whom they share the space. The reason for asking about being in a car is that it illustrates the need for all to care for all - hit a pedestrian on a bike and injury and death is rare, in a car... And yes, we can all agree that a pedestrian lacking in care is being an idiot, but with the privilege of driving comes responsibility to others...
Alasdair