Your teen daughter almost ran me over last night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only on DCUM could this post result in 3 pages of drivers blaming the pedestrian.

My thoughts exactly.

[Anonymous]

I think everyone should be prohibited from using a phone while driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think everyone should be prohibited from using a phone while driving.

This. If your call is really so fucking important, give it your full attention. Pull over, park somewhere, blab for however long it takes, and then put your phone away and get back on the road.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Interestingly enough I had a white dress on, my stroller is orange and silver with bike lights on all 4 sides. We walk a lot at all times of the day and DH even wears a head flashlight if he's walking past sunset hours.

The light has a camera and she definitely got a ticket. I just wish she can see us in the picture being almos hit by her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think everyone should be prohibited from using a phone while driving.

And how would that be enforced?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tried making eye contact, yelled waved and jumped out of the way that's why she "only" hit my backpack.

Wow, DCUM never ceases to amaze me.

OP, A similar thing happened to me once. I was walking in the parking lot toward my car when a man suddenly backed out of his parking space and missed me by inches. In fact, I was so startled that I yelled and hit his SUV with the two grocery bags that I was carrying.

Why do you walk behind cars that have their WHITE reverse lights on? Yes, the driver did a dumb thing, but cars have blind spots and the number of times that I have had people pop out blithely strolling behind my SUV when I'm backing out! You should also be on your guard walking through a parking lot.

Pedestrians do not suddenly pop up out of nowhere, like mushrooms. And pedestrians also don't know, and can't know, about your SUV's blind spots.

So yes, pedestrians should be careful when walking in a parking lot. But it's the driver's responsibility to make sure that there are no pedestrians anywhere near, before the driver backs up.

Also, if this happens to you often, please consider getting a back-up camera.





Ummm, where does it say that I walked behind a car with WHITE reverse lights on or that I was "blithely strolling behind the SUV." Also, it's not a good idea to justify your own poor driving SUV habits. Lastly, like the PP above suggested, maybe you should consider getting a back-up camera as an extra precaution against all those SUV blind spots and blithe people pop outs that so often trouble you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your exactly right PP. It's not much consolation when you're in traction to say "well the car should have seen me". There's some equal responsibility here. As much as the driver should have their eyes open (even in the back of their heads), pedestrians also have a responsibility to be vigilant about their own safety. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to make a legal turn with the light only to have to watch out for some idiot who's walking across the street against the light with their eyes and ears glued to their cell phone as oppossed to what's going on around them. Individual responsiblilty her people, you are a grown up and you can't expect your mom to follow you everywhere you go.

There is not actually equal responsibility here. That's because the driver's responsibility is to not hit people.

Not, "not hit people unless they were wearing dark yoga pants". Not, "not hit people unless they walked behind my SUV in a blind spot." Not, "not hit people unless they're on their cell phone." Not hit people, full stop.

Now yes, of course, there are things pedestrians can do to make themselves more visible to drivers when they're walking at night. And when you are a pedestrian, you can do those things, if you think it's prudent.

But when you are a driver, here's what you need to do: whatever it takes to not hit people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think everyone should be prohibited from using a phone while driving.

And how would that be enforced?

The same way every almost every driving infraction is enforced-- after the fact. DUI, speeding, and aggressive driving are prevented by the fact that they are illegal, not because they can be "enforced." If they could all be routinely enforced, nobody would speed or drink and drive or tailgate. But still, we prohibit the actions because a good portion of drivers will follow the rule and a fraction of those who don't will be punished.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think everyone should be prohibited from using a phone while driving.

This. If your call is really so fucking important, give it your full attention. Pull over, park somewhere, blab for however long it takes, and then put your phone away and get back on the road.

I agree. No texting, no talking on a hand-held phone, no talking on a hands-free phone, no using a cell phone while you're stopped at a red light. No cell phones while driving, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:another reason to drive , walkability is over rated

Yes, I agree. Normal people drive when they want to get somewhere.

Also, you know what I really hate about this region? The traffic! Man, who are all these people clogging up the roads I'm trying to drive on?!

[/cognitive dissonance]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Never ceases to amaze me that people walk right behind my car while I have my brake lights on... I've had people even stop behind my car while they were on and I had to honk at them before they noticed.

OK, but please remember that pedestrians do not have a legal duty to not get hit by cars, whereas drivers do have a legal duty to not hit pedestrians.

Of course. I walk around my vehicle before getting in, check all mirrors, and use the back up cam before checking mirrors again. I realize that it is my responsibility BUT people texting and walking or otherwise distracted in parking lots make it very difficult to maximize safety.

Friend of a friend got hit by a car because she was texting and walked into the intersection during a green light.

Phones are a problem both for the pedestrian as it is for the driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did a car hitting your backpack not even knock you down? And how did you manage to see that it was a teen girl texting? Why not take some of that time to jump out of the way?

The driver was in the wrong, of course, but holy crap.

typical first responder

[Anonymous]

Unbelievable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tried making eye contact, yelled waved and jumped out of the way that's why she "only" hit my backpack.

Wow, DCUM never ceases to amaze me.

Indeed. Generally, when someone is in a crosswalk and sees a car charging fast towards them, they stand still (in the path of the car) and wave and try to make eye contact, only to jump away at the last second. DCUM never ceases to amaze!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tried making eye contact, yelled waved and jumped out of the way that's why she "only" hit my backpack.

Wow, DCUM never ceases to amaze me.

Indeed. Generally, when someone is in a crosswalk and sees a car charging fast towards them, they stand still (in the path of the car) and wave and try to make eye contact, only to jump away at the last second. DCUM never ceases to amaze!

You must be the biggest idiot, would't be surprised if this were your offspring. She ran a red light, almost over pedestrians on the crosswalk, and you're blaming the woman being hit?