4 ms·

You are potentially hurting other cyclists, other pedestrians, and very much the future well-being of any motorist who happens to run you over while running a g

You are potentially hurting other cyclists, other pedestrians, and very much the future well-being of any motorist who happens to run you over while running a green light.

jaxbot 9y ago
I bike in NYC and occasionally deal with people stepping into the street while looking at their phones and not checking for cross traffic because they can't hear me. It's annoying, but doesn't take much to just brake and dodge them. I wish they would've looked, but the streets are for the people in the city. It's not a freeway. I do fear there will be an uptick in problems with EVs, though, that don't have pedestrian warning sounds added and people not looking because they hear nothing and expect to hear an engine (experienced this a little bit in parking lots during my time driving a Leaf). But we'll see what happens I guess.
to3m 9y ago
Why is the person in the car not looking where they are going? It's people driving cars who are responsible for not running people over. The green light is there to tell traffic it's OK to proceed if appropriate. It doesn't make it OK to just run people over.
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  The person in the car should be looking where they're going, but they expect a clear roadway, not random pedestrians stepping out without paying attention. In several states, if you're above a certain age (to exempt children) and walk into the path of a moving vehicle outside of a crosswalk, fault will be assigned to you and the driver in equal amounts (unless the driver is speeding, in which case they accumulate more fault).
  - Symbiote 9y ago
    The driver should certainly not expect a clear roadway. At least in Britain, roughly the first driving lesson begins with looking all around for other road users. Speed must be reduced if there's an increased risk of inattentive pedestrians, such as near parked cars around a school or houses.
  - sheepdestroyer 9y ago
    Where I come from (France) and where I live now (Japan) the laws are quite similar in that, as a driver, you have to be "in control" of your vehicle at any time. Meaning that you need to be able to stop it to avoid any unexpected event. Quite sensible if you ask me.
- dheera 9y ago
  Well yes but it's also the responsibility of the pedestrian to demonstrate intent to cross the road if they do in fact intend to cross. A lot of the time people are looking at their phones, and look as if they aren't intending to cross, and in the midst of looking at a screen, suddenly out of nowhere, step into the street and start crossing, eyes still glued to the screen.
  - p49k 9y ago
    There is absolutely no excuse for a car to hit a pedestrian in or at the end of a crosswalk, regardless of “signaling”. The car should be driving slow enough to make this impossible, and for the worst-case scenario to be the pedestrian walking into the car.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]

You are potentially hurting other cyclists, other pedestrians, and very much the future well-being of any motorist who happens to run you over while running a green light.

jaxbot 9y ago

I bike in NYC and occasionally deal with people stepping into the street while looking at their phones and not checking for cross traffic because they can't hear me. It's annoying, but doesn't take much to just brake and dodge them. I wish they would've looked, but the streets are for the people in the city. It's not a freeway. I do fear there will be an uptick in problems with EVs, though, that don't have pedestrian warning sounds added and people not looking because they hear nothing and expect to hear an engine (experienced this a little bit in parking lots during my time driving a Leaf). But we'll see what happens I guess.

to3m 9y ago

Why is the person in the car not looking where they are going? It's people driving cars who are responsible for not running people over. The green light is there to tell traffic it's OK to proceed if appropriate. It doesn't make it OK to just run people over.

toomuchtodo 9y ago
The person in the car should be looking where they're going, but they expect a clear roadway, not random pedestrians stepping out without paying attention. In several states, if you're above a certain age (to exempt children) and walk into the path of a moving vehicle outside of a crosswalk, fault will be assigned to you and the driver in equal amounts (unless the driver is speeding, in which case they accumulate more fault).
- Symbiote 9y ago
  The driver should certainly not expect a clear roadway. At least in Britain, roughly the first driving lesson begins with looking all around for other road users. Speed must be reduced if there's an increased risk of inattentive pedestrians, such as near parked cars around a school or houses.
- sheepdestroyer 9y ago
  Where I come from (France) and where I live now (Japan) the laws are quite similar in that, as a driver, you have to be "in control" of your vehicle at any time. Meaning that you need to be able to stop it to avoid any unexpected event. Quite sensible if you ask me.
dheera 9y ago
Well yes but it's also the responsibility of the pedestrian to demonstrate intent to cross the road if they do in fact intend to cross. A lot of the time people are looking at their phones, and look as if they aren't intending to cross, and in the midst of looking at a screen, suddenly out of nowhere, step into the street and start crossing, eyes still glued to the screen.
- p49k 9y ago
  There is absolutely no excuse for a car to hit a pedestrian in or at the end of a crosswalk, regardless of “signaling”. The car should be driving slow enough to make this impossible, and for the worst-case scenario to be the pedestrian walking into the car.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]