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Near miss, or what would you do?

5K views 63 replies 19 participants last post by  oxytotl 
#1 ·
Whilst out the other day, I had cause to stop at a Zebra crossing (nah not a Zebra crossing the road), several youths had pressed the cross button and waited for the walk sign. Most were or had head phones in listening to what ever! The last one just ambled onto the crossing, not looking up to check if it was safe to cross and just stopped in the middle, just stopped and was twiddling with his hand held device. The lights changed to green, he was still there just a shade further on. So with no one else around I moved withing a short distance from him, and he did not move, he was so engrossed in what he was doing. So I hit my 119dB horn. Did he jump, he was livid and shouting at me and giving me threats and so on. I lifted my lid, pointed out to him where he was to his response was you should F$%^@g wait, so I hit my horn again and told him to go suck, and the next time I wont miss.

Bloody irriots, expect us to avoid them just because they cannot be bothered. They not only risk their lives, but lives of bikers, cyclists (they are also to blame, seen may a near miss), car drivers and truck drivers all have had near miss events.

So what have you encountered, and any reports on any tragedies.

Flook[8D]
 
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#3 ·
Sorry Derek, you're obviously a very patient man with plenty of time on your hands and much younger than us I imagine. People when crossing the road should be observant and diligent - for their own safety and for the consideration of other road users. A quick blast from a 119db air horn should have brought the miscreant back to the job in hand which was to walk across the road within the allotted time of the lighted green man. If Flook had been talking about an elderly or infirm person then I would castigate him for his impatience. [:D]
 
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#4 ·
Unfortunately I no longer have an airhorn, but it is a 119dB horn. I am considering getting another one from Nippy Normans though, they are a reasonable price.

It was a youth, and he just stopped in the middle of a busy road, at that time it was not, but on my return journey it was.

I am wondering if any of you guy's have come across this and your near miss events

Flooks[8D]
 
#5 ·
he was livid and shouting at me and giving me threats and so on.
I agree with Terry and would probably have given a quick press on the horn from the stop line (standard horn can't do blasts) to wake the idiot up !

Any other ped. would have raised an apologetic hand and moved off. Biggest concern was youth couldn't even see his error and gave Dave the abuse.

Summer holiday makers in GT. Yarmouth were the most frustrating. Long after the green man had changed to red and the traffic light was now green they would still keep crossing. Bliping the throttle and edging forward often just attracted a dirty look and that could be from parents with kids too !

Ian
 
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#8 ·
You had the legal right of way, but had you intentionally hit him, you would have been ruled at fault. At least that's how it'd be viewed in the U.S.

I'm a frequent jay-walker in the city that I work in, even when police are nearby. It's illegal, but it's tolerated and "expected." But if I violate a vehicle's right of way and get hit accidentally, it's on me.
 
#9 ·
Bugger me, we went out for a Sunday roast in Higham Ferrers, Wendy pulled to a stop at lights and obviously guy's were crossing, lights went green when some dipsticks walked right in front, no looking right or left, Wendy was just moving when she braked, I hit the horn, they just looked at us as if we were mental, and it was there absolute right to cross whenever they liked. Oh, and I got an ear bashing because in Wendy's words, "your not driving if I wanted to sound the horn I would have", ha, so that was me told then. I have now been put in my place[8)], I must stand in the corner.

Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton on his send World championship title won the final F1 race in Abi Dabi, or some place like that. 20 races throughout different countries so a true World champion.

And the F1 season starts on Flooks birthday next year whoo hoo[:D]

Flooko[:D]
 
#11 ·
I operate a trolley bus in down town Vancouver and i see this type of behavior every day. Once a pedestrian is in a crosswalk he has the right of way, even if not in a crosswalk, it is up to you as a driver/rider to do your best to avoid them. Unfortunately on some dark and rainy night that same pedestrian will meet his untimely end.
 
#12 ·
Dave's toot of the horn was reasonable to wake up the youngster and remind him to head toward the sidewalk. Shouting matches, hand gesticulations and single favor salutes, might help release some anger, but really accomplishes nothing. My guess is that the teen still feels that he did nothing wrong. At least in the US, pedestrians have the right of way, no matter what.

A few years ago, I was heading out for vacation in my Toyota pickup. I was passing through a small city and looking for a restaurant for a food break. Ahead of me, I saw a gent walking on the sidewalk, cell phone to his ear. He appeared to dawdle, change his mind and then quickly stepped into a cross walk. At that point, I was in the right hand lane as he entered from the left. I made a command decision to continue on sensing that he now saw me and there was ample time for me to move past him, and not have to almost lock my brakes. Within seconds, the flashing light and siren were in my rearview. I was just caught in a cross-walk "sting" set up by the local police. Busted. Lesson learned the hard way.

Now, if I see a pedestrian anywhere near a crosswalk, I stop. No exceptions. Regardless of the situation and even if the pedestrian is oblivious to his surroundings, an auto vs. pedestrian can only result in badness all around. Give'em a brake!
 
#27 ·
Probably saving his life if he learns from it. Judging by his attitude not likely. Horn is exactly what I would do if I see somebody playing with his iPhone in the middle of the road.

Lemmings.. All lemmings! Motorways are safer in the UK because the following are banned. Pedestrians, cyclists and mopeds on L plates.
Not sure about cyclists. Last week I have seen cyclist on a dual carriageway texting on his iPhone, WTF??

I know cycling on dual carriageways is legal in the UK, that does not make it sane though.
 
#14 ·
What would I do? Give them a toot. Regardless of who's right, all road users have a duty of care.....

:)

R
 
#15 ·
Derek, the lights had changed, he had no right of way, that was removed when the lights allowed traffic the right. I reckon he forgot where he was in his own dream world. The problem here is this, this is starting to happen all to frequently, guy's girl's walking into the road, not looking at all. Pedestrians do not have the right of way unless they use the relevant crossings, motorists including bikers of all types, have the right of passage, but should be careful, and use the road and drive/ride with due care and attention. But in that circumstance, he became a jaywalker, and as such I treated his as one, hence I sounded my horn, I moved behind him in the hope he would hear me, which he did not, so I sounded my horn, which he did hear. Next time he may remember that situation and be more aware of the circumstances of his situation and learn from it.

Mark your comments ore very interesting, over here in the UK, I am not aware we have anything like that, the police are not interested until some one gets injured, then they are interested, and if it is found the person was on the phone, texting or what ever, even with having ear phones, they are more likely to be prosecuted than who ever hit them would be. It would come down to providing proof of the fact.

Flook[8D]
 
#18 ·
Pedestrians do not have the right of way

Flook[8D]
WRONG pedestrians have right of way on all highways except where specifically excluded, Motorways, etc, also the 15m either side of a crossing where zigzags are painted

Whilst they are advised to use footpaths they can use the road BY RIGHT anywhere

The only people who can hit pedestrians and get away with it are usually wearing blue serge uniforms
 
#16 ·
You're still seem very much an angry young man Flook, I've moved on, I used to be like that many years ago, these days I try to be immune to stupid tossers, I find being wound up and losing my rag is not good for the Karma and I'm a nicer person to be around if I keep my temper under control especially with the family in the car.
 
#19 ·
Not angry at all, just making comment on what has been posted. However if you say I am angry and you know me better that I does, then you must be correct, however I do love to dissapoint.

I really need to meet up with you guy's, I was going t mee tup with thumper about 18 months back, that fell through, Carlos most recently passed on a meet up. I like to meet guy's from this site, have a chat, go fro a ride as well. I have made good friends here by doing that, they know I am ... well you would have to wait and see. Flook loves to shake things about to see what happens, and some take the bait[lol2]

Keep rocking folks.

Flook[8D]
 
#21 ·
Death by iPod is becoming a serious problem.

In Wellington they changed the direction od a one way street (buses only) still months later people are getting knocked down, normally becaue they are zoned out and can't hear a bus coming!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10676831

iPod users are being warned by police to be vigilant on the roads after the death of a young woman who was hit by a car while listening to music.

It is believed to be the third case in the past year in which a pedestrian or cyclist listening to an iPod has been distracted and killed.
 
#25 ·
In my opinion when you have time to toot it's still heaven, it means you are not in a real danger situation and still have plenty of time to react.
What to do in those situations is at personal discretion, I would have simply dribbled the walker if there was enough space on the road (maybe hitting a pair of times the high-light to let the walker wake up from his slumber [lol] ); in case of no space to proceed at speed, I would have hit the horn just like you did.

But the real problems are when someone steps into the road on your trajectory without warning signs and at the last possible second..we all know that means shit!
It happened for me with my Majesty 400 (you know those things don't brake anywhere near like a motorbike)..an old geezer on a bycicle decided to do a 90° turn and step just in the middle of the road without watching if someone was coming (maybe he was drunk), I blocked both the wheels of my majesty risking of sliding and falling, and missed him for like 3-4 centimeters, at 70 km/h ...and I was in a country road, not in a town..I stopped, turned back and sent him to hell with my finger out that time, for real.
 
#31 ·
If I had done that Tarless, it would have damaged my bike, bugger that for a game[:)].

Hi Val, I did not see you come along, nice to see some one else from the UK, though you do not specify where in this country you are, but welcome any way[thumb], feel free to join in anywhere, there is a word association going on down in the General discussion side.

Flook[8D]
 
#35 ·
You mean the cars (vehicles), that is an empty dual carriage way, normally they are about less than two meters from nose to tail, in the case of lorries less than that.
 
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