Really concerned I'm going to kill someone.
Discussion
Provocative title, but this winter seems to be the worst I've seen yet for sheer numbers of idiot pedestrians stumbling around on narrow pavementless roads, and/or crossing the road with not much room whilst wearing only very dark clothing, and worse, cyclists with no lights, dark clothing, no helmet and no reflectors.
WTF is wrong with these people!?
Most recent example was a group of men crossing an unlit A road, albeit thankfully in a 30 zone, all of them in dark clothing. Fortunately I saw them because, as a group, they were a bigger target and easier to spot. I didn't slow down as I had assessed they would be out of the road before I reached them - however, there was a straggler. Also in dark clothing, lagging behind by a few metres, and not even hurrying to get out of the road. If I had been even slightly less awake, or if I had been distracted momentarily, he'd have been toast.
Whilst I am content that, had I run him over, I would probably wouldn't have been blamed - same with the idiot cyclists etc - I don't particularly want to damage my car, I don't want the hassle, and I really don't want to hurt anyone.
T**TS!!
WTF is wrong with these people!?
Most recent example was a group of men crossing an unlit A road, albeit thankfully in a 30 zone, all of them in dark clothing. Fortunately I saw them because, as a group, they were a bigger target and easier to spot. I didn't slow down as I had assessed they would be out of the road before I reached them - however, there was a straggler. Also in dark clothing, lagging behind by a few metres, and not even hurrying to get out of the road. If I had been even slightly less awake, or if I had been distracted momentarily, he'd have been toast.
Whilst I am content that, had I run him over, I would probably wouldn't have been blamed - same with the idiot cyclists etc - I don't particularly want to damage my car, I don't want the hassle, and I really don't want to hurt anyone.
T**TS!!
Some of the things you mention are legitimate concerns but what difference does it make to a motorist if a pedestrian is walking on a narrow pavement with dark clothes? As long as you're not driving on the pavement it shouldn't be an issue.
Same with cycle helmets.
I'm cycling most evenings after work. Bike is well seen with reflective tape, reflectors and good lights. I wear a yellow reflective vest with UV strips on it but i don't wear a helmet.
Same with cycle helmets.
I'm cycling most evenings after work. Bike is well seen with reflective tape, reflectors and good lights. I wear a yellow reflective vest with UV strips on it but i don't wear a helmet.
Retroman said:
Some of the things you mention are legitimate concerns but what difference does it make to a motorist if a pedestrian is walking on a narrow pavement with dark clothes? As long as you're not driving on the pavement it shouldn't be an issue.
Same with cycle helmets.
I'm cycling most evenings after work. Bike is well seen with reflective tape, reflectors and good lights. I wear a yellow reflective vest with UV strips on it but i don't wear a helmet.
I said 'pavementless' roads - ie those without a pavement.Same with cycle helmets.
I'm cycling most evenings after work. Bike is well seen with reflective tape, reflectors and good lights. I wear a yellow reflective vest with UV strips on it but i don't wear a helmet.
Mentioned helmet as adds to the picture of individuals having absolutely no concern for their personal safety. You choose not to wear one, but have made darned sure that you can be seen, so less likely to need one - unlike the muppets I describe above.
Feel the same when it comes to these idiots, accidents waiting to happen. I used to find they were mainly urban youths but started seeing adults too these last few weeks.
walm said:
Turn your lights on and slow down.
Really? Thanks for your input, but I would say that my lights being on and my paying attention and driving within the speed limits are why I haven't yet hit anyone.
You really don't think the people I describe should do better to help themselves, or did you just fancy a silly argument?
thismonkeyhere said:
Really?
Thanks for your input, but I would say that my lights being on and my paying attention and driving within the speed limits are why I haven't yet hit anyone.
You really don't think the people I describe should do better to help themselves, or did you just fancy a silly argument?
He was talking to cyclists, I hope...Thanks for your input, but I would say that my lights being on and my paying attention and driving within the speed limits are why I haven't yet hit anyone.
You really don't think the people I describe should do better to help themselves, or did you just fancy a silly argument?
Big problem around here.
Local newspaper today: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Rogue-cyclists-Cam...
The photos in the story are typical of what you see on all roads around here after dark.
But it won't do a f
king thing. You'll still be passing people riding up the road at 6am in dark clothes, hood up, no lights, wobbling all over the place.
It's their right, after all.
Local newspaper today: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Rogue-cyclists-Cam...
The photos in the story are typical of what you see on all roads around here after dark.
But it won't do a f
king thing. You'll still be passing people riding up the road at 6am in dark clothes, hood up, no lights, wobbling all over the place. It's their right, after all.
Darwinism - those who cannot be bothered to try to protect themselves don't deserve to survive.
If the theory of evolution still applied there would be a whole lot less muppets in the UK.
And this applies to drivers as well, so maybe stop picking on cyclists and pedestrians? After all, the massive increase in traffic in the UK over the last 50 years or more has made life much more dangerous for even the sensible cyclists and pedestrians...
If the theory of evolution still applied there would be a whole lot less muppets in the UK.
And this applies to drivers as well, so maybe stop picking on cyclists and pedestrians? After all, the massive increase in traffic in the UK over the last 50 years or more has made life much more dangerous for even the sensible cyclists and pedestrians...
BGarside said:
Darwinism - those who cannot be bothered to try to protect themselves don't deserve to survive.
If the theory of evolution still applied there would be a whole lot less muppets in the UK.
And this applies to drivers as well, so maybe stop picking on cyclists and pedestrians? After all, the massive increase in traffic in the UK over the last 50 years or more has made life much more dangerous for even the sensible cyclists and pedestrians...
That's not Darwinism.If the theory of evolution still applied there would be a whole lot less muppets in the UK.
And this applies to drivers as well, so maybe stop picking on cyclists and pedestrians? After all, the massive increase in traffic in the UK over the last 50 years or more has made life much more dangerous for even the sensible cyclists and pedestrians...
Oh and who said that Evolution of the Human race had stopped
http://www.isciencemag.co.uk/blog/are-humans-still...
I was driving on an unlit A road a year or so ago, probably doing about 60mph, when all of a sudden I just caught a glimpse of a pair of white trainers come into the range of my dipped beam, and quickly realised there was a person in those trainers.
I swerved as quickly as I could and just and so avoided the guy, having just shat myself.
I stopped and it turned out that the guy had broken down and was standing in the middle of the road trying to wave cars down whilst being completely unaware that they couldn't see him because he was wearing dark jeans and a black jacket, at night, on an unlit road.
Absolutely mental. How he wasn't killed I'll never know.
Since then I've experienced a number of invisible pedestrians and cyclists which have required me to swerve at the last second.
I'm very surprised that more people aren't killed in this manner. But maybe they are and we just don't know?
I swerved as quickly as I could and just and so avoided the guy, having just shat myself.
I stopped and it turned out that the guy had broken down and was standing in the middle of the road trying to wave cars down whilst being completely unaware that they couldn't see him because he was wearing dark jeans and a black jacket, at night, on an unlit road.
Absolutely mental. How he wasn't killed I'll never know.
Since then I've experienced a number of invisible pedestrians and cyclists which have required me to swerve at the last second.
I'm very surprised that more people aren't killed in this manner. But maybe they are and we just don't know?
As I've suggested before, and attracted the ire of the lycristae, is for the police to cut in half any bike being ridden without lights after dark. Maybe with a £100 on the spot fine just to reinforce the message that it's not just them that will suffer if they're hit, the completely innocent motorist will have to live with it too. The 2 wheeled fraternity would very quickly learn.
(I have a 4-5mile commute each way every day on bike from out-of-town car park, I'm not speaking as a "cager".)
(I have a 4-5mile commute each way every day on bike from out-of-town car park, I'm not speaking as a "cager".)
thismonkeyhere said:
I didn't slow down as I had assessed they would be out of the road before I reached them - however, there was a straggler.
Hopefully you've learned something from that?If you're ever writing up an accident report or giving a statement, FFS don't say "I didn't slow down".
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