4 ms·

I have hit a pedestrian. Instead of using the nearby crosswalk she walked in between the cars and when she walked in front of me it was too late for me to brake

I have hit a pedestrian. Instead of using the nearby crosswalk she walked in between the cars and when she walked in front of me it was too late for me to brake. She flew a couple of meters and landed on the crosswalk. In the police report is was stated that I hit the person on the crosswalk as I couldn't prove otherwise. The woman was taken away in an ambulance due to a broken leg. I was 16 at the time. Really shaken up about what had happened. But after collecting myself and fixing the dangling headlight I was able to drive home. I got a ticket for not giving way to the pedestrian (€45 I believe) and insurance covered everything regarding the woman. Didn't even get a letter other than one that they would take of everything. So yes it happens here too (The Netherlands)

Adirael 7y ago
It does, mostly because Europe is not a country. In Spain you can't drive until you're 18 and they'll take your license away if you're found to blame, even though not forever.
gshdg 7y ago
Here when a pedestrian is in the crosswalk and gets hit and knocked outside the crosswalk, the police blame the pedestrian for crossing outside the crosswalk. It’s like they don’t grok the very obvious physics of a small object being hit by a larger and faster moving one.
pindab0ter 7y ago
How were you driving when you were sixteen?
- pixl97 7y ago
  Because that's when you can get a license in many states.
  - patriot1911 7y ago
    But not in The Netherlands, which he explicitly stated he was from. The real answer is that he probably wasn't driving a car.
    - Broken_Hippo 7y ago
      Has it always been that age? We do not know how old the poster is, nor whether or not he had a regular lisence or a permit.
      - patriot1911 7y ago
        It hasn't been less than 18 since 1934, if not further back. Since last year it's possible to get a provisional license at the age of 17 (no earlier).
        Broken_Hippo 7y ago
        Ah, ok. I truly didn't know.
- systemtest 7y ago
  I was driving a 49cc moped that I operated legally with a "bromfietscertificaat".
nradov 7y ago
Everyone should have a dashcam for situations like this.
patriot1911 7y ago
> I was 16 at the time. I.e. you weren't driving a car and you were underage. I'm not saying that the legal system in The Netherlands is unreasonable or anything, but I feel like your case doesn't really represent the kind of case people are thinking of in this thread.
- consp 7y ago
  Why you are being downvoted is strange to me as it is a valid point to make. Low velocity hits with a pedestrian and a bike or moped without serious injuries are not something to give heavy fines to or involve the legal system as basic injuries are covered by general insurance and in this case the pedestrian was at least partially at fault. And otherwise the cost to society would be bigger than the medical and administrative. The parties have been helped and punished, don't make it worse than required. Be aware though that this is not always the case. For instance if you are driving next to a playing field you are expected to watch out and brake for children who can always show up on the road and not doing so has consequences.
  - briandear 7y ago
    So if someone hits someone in a car and they are just minor injuries we should’t involve the legal system? The method of injury ought not matter: car, bike, scooter, whatever — breaking road laws should be enforced and injuries should result in further charges.
  - justinator 7y ago
    There's some major PTSD that happens when you get hit by a multi-ton metal object with a fairly unempathetic operator. If you ask a person on the street why they don't exchange a quick car ride with riding a bike or walking, they may tell you that they're scared of getting hit by a car - and this is probably before getting hit by a car. I can't really quantify the emotional stress riding bikes costs me now each, and every time a car almost hits me (which is a regular basis), but it's something I have to now live with. And I friggin' love riding bikes.
magduf 7y ago
They probably weren't easily available when this happened to you, but this story shows why a dashcam is a very good investment.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

Adirael 7y ago

It does, mostly because Europe is not a country. In Spain you can't drive until you're 18 and they'll take your license away if you're found to blame, even though not forever.

gshdg 7y ago

Here when a pedestrian is in the crosswalk and gets hit and knocked outside the crosswalk, the police blame the pedestrian for crossing outside the crosswalk. It’s like they don’t grok the very obvious physics of a small object being hit by a larger and faster moving one.

pindab0ter 7y ago

How were you driving when you were sixteen?

pixl97 7y ago
Because that's when you can get a license in many states.
- patriot1911 7y ago
  But not in The Netherlands, which he explicitly stated he was from. The real answer is that he probably wasn't driving a car.
  - Broken_Hippo 7y ago
    Has it always been that age? We do not know how old the poster is, nor whether or not he had a regular lisence or a permit.
    - patriot1911 7y ago
      It hasn't been less than 18 since 1934, if not further back. Since last year it's possible to get a provisional license at the age of 17 (no earlier).
      - Broken_Hippo 7y ago
        Ah, ok. I truly didn't know.
systemtest 7y ago
I was driving a 49cc moped that I operated legally with a "bromfietscertificaat".

nradov 7y ago

Everyone should have a dashcam for situations like this.

patriot1911 7y ago

> I was 16 at the time. I.e. you weren't driving a car and you were underage. I'm not saying that the legal system in The Netherlands is unreasonable or anything, but I feel like your case doesn't really represent the kind of case people are thinking of in this thread.

consp 7y ago
Why you are being downvoted is strange to me as it is a valid point to make. Low velocity hits with a pedestrian and a bike or moped without serious injuries are not something to give heavy fines to or involve the legal system as basic injuries are covered by general insurance and in this case the pedestrian was at least partially at fault. And otherwise the cost to society would be bigger than the medical and administrative. The parties have been helped and punished, don't make it worse than required. Be aware though that this is not always the case. For instance if you are driving next to a playing field you are expected to watch out and brake for children who can always show up on the road and not doing so has consequences.
- briandear 7y ago
  So if someone hits someone in a car and they are just minor injuries we should’t involve the legal system? The method of injury ought not matter: car, bike, scooter, whatever — breaking road laws should be enforced and injuries should result in further charges.
- justinator 7y ago
  There's some major PTSD that happens when you get hit by a multi-ton metal object with a fairly unempathetic operator. If you ask a person on the street why they don't exchange a quick car ride with riding a bike or walking, they may tell you that they're scared of getting hit by a car - and this is probably before getting hit by a car. I can't really quantify the emotional stress riding bikes costs me now each, and every time a car almost hits me (which is a regular basis), but it's something I have to now live with. And I friggin' love riding bikes.

magduf 7y ago

They probably weren't easily available when this happened to you, but this story shows why a dashcam is a very good investment.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]