What should I have done this morning?

[Jonny671]

Driving along this road this morning, as you can see from the blue arrow its a blind corner to anything coming from that side of the road.. Where the red arrow is a lady was running along the road, not on the grass there, on the road.



As I got closer to her, shes running towards me, I'm only doing 25mph or so.. A car appears from that blue arrow.

This is the bit of road before the image, so you couldn't have seen the runner there anyway..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=Eashing&...

What would have been the correct thing to do?

[NateWM]

Sound your horn and attempt to brake. If your still heading towards her at a fair pace and she isn't moving out the way, then up onto the grass surely?

Edit: Wait. Maybe I have read this wrong? She was running along the road, as in, right next to the grass? If that was the case, then surely it would of been fine just to slow down and drive past as there would of been adequate room by the looks of things.

Anyway. Where is this going? Did you end up running her over or something?

Edited by NateWM on Thursday 12th August 11:08

[nerfherder]

Slow down when you see the obstruction on your side of the road (i.e. the woman), so that you would be able to stop without hitting her if something came towards you on the other side.

Maybe use a short blast of the horn to warn her that you are there.

[Sk93]

As above.

but can't you see to the next corner anyways?

Edited by Sk93 on Thursday 12th August 11:09

[Jonny671]

NateWM said:

Sound your horn and attempt to brake. If your still heading towards her at a fair pace and she isn't moving out the way, then up onto the grass surely?

If I'd gone onto the grass I'd have full on hit her, she was running towards me which was correct I think.

In the end I practically stopped, she just carried on jogging past and the jeep that came from the blue arrow moved across abit too so we didn't hit each other.

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

[nerfherder]

Jonny671 said:

NateWM said:

Sound your horn and attempt to brake. If your still heading towards her at a fair pace and she isn't moving out the way, then up onto the grass surely?

If I'd gone onto the grass I'd have full on hit her, she was running towards me which was correct I think.

In the end I practically stopped, she just carried on jogging past and the jeep that came from the blue arrow moved across abit too so we didn't hit each other.

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

If I'd been her, I'd have gone on the grass, rather than argue with a ton+ of metal and plastic about who has right of way, as we waited for the ambulance.

You did the right thing. No-one got hurt, and you didn't have to wash any blood off your car.

[NateWM]

Maybe it's the field of view from that picture, but unless your driving a HGV down there, I really fail to see why you would struggle for room against a tiny pedestrian.

[road_rager]

Jonny671 said:

NateWM said:

Sound your horn and attempt to brake. If your still heading towards her at a fair pace and she isn't moving out the way, then up onto the grass surely?

If I'd gone onto the grass I'd have full on hit her, she was running towards me which was correct I think.

In the end I practically stopped, she just carried on jogging past and the jeep that came from the blue arrow moved across abit too so we didn't hit each other.

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

Don't think she should have gone onto the grass, what if it were a cyclist, would you expect them to get on the grass too? You did the right thing

[nerfherder]

The Crack Fox said:

Jonny671 said:

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

No ! She has as much right to use the road as you, it is courtesy if nothing else.

The highway code seems to disagree with you, although it's a "should" rather than a "must", and I guess you could argue that the grass isn't a path:

The Highway Code said:

Rules for pedestrians (1-35)General guidance
1
Pavements (including any path along the side of a road) should be used if provided. Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic. If you have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and consideration for others.

Edited by nerfherder on Thursday 12th August 11:14

Edited by nerfherder on Thursday 12th August 11:15

[Torquey]

You did the right thing IMO.

She should have got on the grass and put out as an apology apologised sheepishly as you give her an evil look as she passed.

Edited by Torquey on Thursday 12th August 11:14

[Don]

Stopping was the correct thing to do. You couldn't pass her without risking a head on with something coming the other way and mowing her down isn't a realistic option either.

I've seen some terrifying incidents out on rural roads where drivers have pulled out to pass runners/cyclists/runners coming the way in wildly inappropriate places. They seem to think that the speed differential means that it's impossible NOT to overtake - even when it's clearly dangerous.

So I think stopping/practically stopping was right.

[Jonny671]

Sk93 said:

As above.

but can't you see to the next corner anyways?

Edited by Sk93 on Thursday 12th August 11:09

Which corner? Both are blind until you're on it really.

The Crack Fox said:

Jonny671 said:

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

No ! She has as much right to use the road as you, it is courtesy if nothing else.

Well, personally if it was me, and every other walker I've seen use this road just step onto the grass for a moment whilst the cars pass..

NateWM said:

Maybe it's the field of view from that picture, but unless your driving a HGV down there, I really fail to see why you would struggle for room against a tiny pedestrian.

Its very narrow infact.. Its just a little country lane, but that does make it look slightly wide.

Mostly people cut the corners so end up right near/on the middle line.

[wombat172a]

nerfherder said:

The Crack Fox said:

Jonny671 said:

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

No ! She has as much right to use the road as you, it is courtesy if nothing else.

The highway code disagrees with you:

The Highway Code said:

Rules for pedestrians (1-35)General guidance
1
Pavements (including any path along the side of a road) should be used if provided. Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic. If you have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and consideration for others.

Where is the provided pavement?

[nerfherder]

wombat172a said:

nerfherder said:

The Crack Fox said:

Jonny671 said:

She should have gone onto the grass, no?

No ! She has as much right to use the road as you, it is courtesy if nothing else.

The highway code disagrees with you:

The Highway Code said:

Rules for pedestrians (1-35)General guidance
1
Pavements (including any path along the side of a road) should be used if provided. Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic. If you have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and consideration for others.

Where is the provided pavement?

Yeah, I edited my response just before you posted. I guess you could argue about whether the grass counted as a path or not.

[Jonny671]

Don said:

Stopping was the correct thing to do. You couldn't pass her without risking a head on with something coming the other way and mowing her down isn't a realistic option either.

I've seen some terrifying incidents out on rural roads where drivers have pulled out to pass runners/cyclists/runners coming the way in wildly inappropriate places. They seem to think that the speed differential means that it's impossible NOT to overtake - even when it's clearly dangerous.

So I think stopping/practically stopping was right.

Couldn't really believe she just carried on jogging, on the road when she easily could have stepped onto the grass.. Its not a big verge to jump up or anything. Did have headphones in though so I assume didn't hear the cars the other side of the corner and only saw me coming head on.

[volumeone]

I wouldn't mount a kerb or grass banking for anyone (maybe an Ambulance). Personally I would have (which may not be the right thing) encroached into the blue arrow area slightly to avoid the runner. I would hope that a driver coming from the blue arrow side would also be approaching the corner slowly so an accident is unlikely.

[Meoricin]

NateWM said:

Maybe it's the field of view from that picture, but unless your driving a HGV down there, I really fail to see why you would struggle for room against a tiny pedestrian.

You're joking, right? Based on that view the road is narrower than most, entirely suitable for two normal sized cars to pass, but certainly not sufficient to give space to a pedestrian at the same time. Are you suggesting that she could squeeze into a foot or so of space at the edge of the road while the large metal boxes fly past inches away?

@OP - you did the right thing. It might have been more courteous for her to step onto the grass, but it's possible she wasn't aware of the car coming the other way and so assumed that you'd have space to clear her on the other side of the road.

[nerfherder]

Jonny671 said:

Couldn't really believe she just carried on jogging, on the road when she easily could have stepped onto the grass.. Its not a big verge to jump up or anything. Did have headphones in though so I assume didn't hear the cars the other side of the corner and only saw me coming head on.

If she keeps on doing that, then one day she is going to come across a driver that isn't as sensible as you, and then she won't be jogging for a while...

[joshpiston]

People tend to get carried away with rules too much in this country.

This is how it should be, surely?

1. If you are running along a railway track - expect to get hit by a train.
2. If you are walking in the middle of the road - expect to get hit by a car.
3. If you are using a ladder - expect to fall of.
4. If it is wet outside and you go into a shop with a smooth floor - expect to fall over.

[Don]

Jonny671 said:

Couldn't really believe she just carried on jogging, on the road when she easily could have stepped onto the grass.. Its not a big verge to jump up or anything. Did have headphones in though so I assume didn't hear the cars the other side of the corner and only saw me coming head on.

You did the right thing. She could have been more considerate, of course.