Roll over Darwin

[VTEC_Inside]

http://www.thepassinglane.ca/2011/08/car-vs-jaywalker-will-the-law-protect-you.html

[VTEC_Inside]

I dunno about you, but I look both ways crossing at a green light on foot and while driving.

[Tave]

I dunno about you, but I look both ways crossing at a green light on foot and while driving.

Huh?

[bing_oh]

Stupidity. Even though she was obeying the law and the jaywalker wasn't (thus putting the jaywalker, legally, at fault), she should have used even more caution to avoid the jaywalker because it was near a school where students frequently jaywalk?

[VTEC_Inside]

Huh?

When crossing the street, even at a controlled intersection with a green light I do a quick glance to see if its safe to do so, unlike the dipshit kid in this story that just strolled out there randomly.

[Tave]

When crossing the street, even at a controlled intersection with a green light I do a quick glance to see if its safe to do so, unlike the dipshit kid in this story that just strolled out there randomly.

Yes, I understood that, but then you went on to say that you also do it while you're driving.

[ifcar]

It's a good way to avoid being in an accident, even if it's the other person's fault. I've seen a driver narrowly avoid being t-boned by a red light runner because they clearly were checking for that possibility.

[Tave]

So what, they slow to a stop/crawl at each green light?


Chancing to catch a glimpse of an out of control car isn't the same as "look both ways before you cross the road."

[VTEC_Inside]

Stupidity. Even though she was obeying the law and the jaywalker wasn't (thus putting the jaywalker, legally, at fault), she should have used even more caution to avoid the jaywalker because it was near a school where students frequently jaywalk?

This story is especially frustrating for me because Ive almost nailed equally dumb kids twice in my 10+ yrs of driving and in both cases there is nothing I could have done fast enough, much like the lady here.

Once three kids on bmx bikes were riding towards me in my lane from around a blind corner, a single second is all that kept them from my hood.

The other time was very similar to this story, right in front of a highschool in winter. There were kids crossing not 100ft from a light so I was already coasting, but at the last second one of them decided he could make it in front of me. Had he not actually cleared the snow bank on the side of the road he would have been road pizza no matter what I did. I called the school in that case and told the vp that she might want to give the brats a physics lesson.

IMO the lady here did everything beyond right. To be found in the wrong in the slightest is pure bs and will probably scar her more than hitting the pos in the first place.

[VTEC_Inside]

Yes, I understood that, but then you went on to say that you also do it while you're driving.

Well as much as possible, I dont slow down and take a long look or anything like that.

[bing_oh]

It's a good way to avoid being in an accident, even if it's the other person's fault. I've seen a driver narrowly avoid being t-boned by a red light runner because they clearly were checking for that possibility.

Being aware of your surroundings is always good, but this particular scenario is ludicrous. The kid stepped out from behind a parked truck into traffic...there was no way for her to avoid him, by the sounds, and was totally the fault of the pedestrian.

[ifcar]

So what, they slow to a stop/crawl at each green light?


Chancing to catch a glimpse of an out of control car isn't the same as "look both ways before you cross the road."

You can look both ways without slowing down. Doesn't take any more of a glance than checking your mirrors.

[Tave]

Being aware of your surroundings is always good, but this particular scenario is ludicrous. The kid stepped out from behind a parked truck into traffic...there was no way for her to avoid him, by the sounds, and was totally the fault of the pedestrian.

There are certain areas of town that I'm familiar with where I know kids are constantly playing in the street and not paying attention to traffic. I always slow down in those neighborhoods, even if can't see any pedestrians, because of something like this, and it has saved me on more than one occasion.

Even if it's the kid's fault, I don't really want to run him over. It's too hard to scoop blood out of the Aveo's radiator. And just imagine all the paperwork.

[Tave]

You can look both ways without slowing down. Doesn't take any more of a glance than checking your mirrors.

Well yeah, although by then it's probably too late to do anything. You're already navigating the intersection at speed. At that point, you're going to have to do some sort of avoidance maneuver. You probably can't stop and let the cars pass.

[RomanChariot]

Well yeah, although by then it's probably too late to do anything. You're already navigating the intersection at speed. At that point, you're going to have to do some sort of avoidance maneuver. You probably can't stop and let the cars pass.

It is basic defensive driving.  Most of the cars that I see in videos that get t-boned by red light runners never see them coming because they don't look to the side when going through an intersection as long as the light is green.  Seeing them coming might not always give them time to avoid impact entirely but it may give them the ability to lessen the severity.  I have avoided multiple accidents over the years by doing this.  Some of them could have been quite severe if I had just pushed forward assuming I had the right of way and therefore did not have to watch out for what others were doing.

[Tave]

It is basic defensive driving.  Most of the cars that I see in videos that get t-boned by red light runners never see them coming because they don't look to the side when going through an intersection as long as the light is green.  Seeing them coming might not always give them time to avoid impact entirely but it may give them the ability to lessen the severity.  I have avoided multiple accidents over the years by doing this.  Some of them could have been quite severe if I had just pushed forward assuming I had the right of way and therefore did not have to watch out for what others were doing.

Like I said, catching something wrong in your peripheral and making an adjustment on the fly is different than looking both ways before crossing the street on foot. I highly doubt you look both ways before navigating every green light in your car. In fact I'm positive that it would be virtually impossible to do so even if you wanted to, as a lot of intersections simply don't allow the necessary field of vision. I can think of countless roads I drive where the speed limit is 30-50 mph and you can't see down the sidestreets until you're almost at the light.

[RomanChariot]

Like I said, catching something wrong in your peripheral and making an adjustment on the fly is different than looking both ways before crossing the street on foot. I highly doubt you look both ways before navigating every green light in your car. In fact I'm positive that it would be virtually impossible to do so even if you wanted to, as a lot of intersections simply don't allow the necessary field of vision. I can think of countless roads I drive where the speed limit is 30-50 mph and you can't see down the sidestreets until you're almost at the light.

I would classify it as more than just catching something in your peripheral.  Sometimes I do better at checking intersections than others but I generally try to take a glance to either side as I am approaching a green light.  Obviously, some intersections are harder to get a good view than others.  I have seen so many videos floating around of people crossing four lane roads and getting nailed in the intersection by a red light runner coming from their right.  That means that they had to cross at least two lanes in the intersection before getting hit.  That is plenty of time to make adjustments that could lessen the severity of the impact if they were paying better attention.

[NomisR]

Being aware of your surroundings is always good, but this particular scenario is ludicrous. The kid stepped out from behind a parked truck into traffic...there was no way for her to avoid him, by the sounds, and was totally the fault of the pedestrian.

The judge is a tool, driving 25 mph in a 30mph zone is too fast?  And she's on a motorcycle so you can most likely hear her coming. 

The kid needs to learn to not walk behind a vehicle that blocks you from traffic.   You'd think there would be cops near schools giving out jay walking tickets.   They did for my old HS.

[Tave]

At my HS, we had a 20mph speed limit that was strictly enforced and pedestrians were allowed to do whatever they want. It was a pain in the ass to drive through, but on the plus side, no one killed any of the students.

[Raza]

At my HS, we had a 20mph speed limit that was strictly enforced and pedestrians were allowed to do whatever they want. It was a pain in the ass to drive through, but on the plus side, no one killed any of the students.

You call it a plus.

[Tave]

You call it a plus.

While I admit running down some snot-nosed high schooler has a certain appeal to it,

It's too hard to scoop blood out of the Aveo's radiator. And just imagine all the paperwork.

[Byteme]

Stupidity. Even though she was obeying the law and the jaywalker wasn't (thus putting the jaywalker, legally, at fault), she should have used even more caution to avoid the jaywalker because it was near a school where students frequently jaywalk?

So I guess you are screwed if you are the driver and you are "not from around here". 

[Byteme]

Yes, I understood that, but then you went on to say that you also do it while you're driving.

When your light turns green you don't make a quick check for cross traffic that may not think a red light is important enough to stop for?  Or keep an eye peeled for the same kind of Dip s*it at other intersections?

[Tave]

When your light turns green you don't make a quick check for cross traffic that may not think a red light is important enough to stop for?  Or keep an eye peeled for the same kind of Dip s*it at other intersections?

Yes, but that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about approaching a green light on the fly.

[Raza]

While I admit running down some snot-nosed high schooler has a certain appeal to it,

[Byteme]

Yes, but that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about approaching a green light on the fly.

Well, yeah.  But depending on the circuances I still give a glance left and then right (unless it's a one was street) if possible, when blowing through a green.

[NomisR]

Well, yeah.  But depending on the circuances I still give a glance left and then right (unless it's a one was street) if possible, when blowing through a green.

As long as you don't step on the brakes when going through a green.. not a problem.  There's a lot of people that brakes before going through a green though...