4 ms·

>I'm not singling out the pedestrians - the drivers are equally at fault. Distracted walking isn't a crime, so surely it's not equal.

hodgesrm 7y ago
It is if somebody gets killed. Recently a guy wearing headphones and listening (apparently) to his cell phone walked across the street against the light and directly in front of my car. He was completely oblivious that there was a light and didn't even hear me slam on the brakes to avoid hitting him.
- tonyedgecombe 7y ago
  If you had to slam on your brakes or make an emergency stop you were probably going too fast for the environment.
  - geggam 7y ago
    You don't have sidewalks on streets with speeds of 50mph or more ? Here in AZ if you walk in front of a car and get hit, it is your fault. Legally. Arizona law does say that at no time, even when entering a crosswalk, should a pedestrian step out so quickly in front of a vehicle that a vehicle does not have time to come to a full stop. https://www.breyerlaw.com/blog/pedestrian-accident/rules-of-the-road-for-pedestrians/ https://www.breyerlaw.com/blog/pedestrian-accident/rules-of-... Note we also have a "Stupid motorist law"
    - pwg 7y ago
      Virginia has a similar provision: § 46.2-924: ... No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic. ... Sadly, that clause is never enforced on pedestrians who do "enter or cross ... in disregard of approaching traffic". I've even seen some who seem to have some kind of personal death wish. They approach an intersection at full walking speed, do not even look to see what traffic is doing (and are not phone distracted either), do not slow down, and just burst out into traffic. Yes, drivers bear a large responsibility here, given that they are operating the 3000+lb machine. But some enforcement of the statute clauses that already exist against the worst offenders on the pedestrian side, to reduce the incidents of pedestrian forcing their way in front of moving vehicles without regard to the presence of those vehicles, would also go a long way towards reversing the statistics direction.
    - tonyedgecombe 7y ago
      Oh, that’s ok then, go ahead and mow them down.
narag 7y ago
If someone is distracted and gets under your car or bycicle and gets killed or otherwise causes you to crash killing you or killing others, would you still say it's not a crime?
chiph 7y ago
That's the definition of jaywalking - walking out into the street without regard for traffic.

hodgesrm 7y ago

It is if somebody gets killed. Recently a guy wearing headphones and listening (apparently) to his cell phone walked across the street against the light and directly in front of my car. He was completely oblivious that there was a light and didn't even hear me slam on the brakes to avoid hitting him.

tonyedgecombe 7y ago
If you had to slam on your brakes or make an emergency stop you were probably going too fast for the environment.
- geggam 7y ago
  You don't have sidewalks on streets with speeds of 50mph or more ? Here in AZ if you walk in front of a car and get hit, it is your fault. Legally. Arizona law does say that at no time, even when entering a crosswalk, should a pedestrian step out so quickly in front of a vehicle that a vehicle does not have time to come to a full stop. https://www.breyerlaw.com/blog/pedestrian-accident/rules-of-the-road-for-pedestrians/ https://www.breyerlaw.com/blog/pedestrian-accident/rules-of-... Note we also have a "Stupid motorist law"
  - pwg 7y ago
    Virginia has a similar provision: § 46.2-924: ... No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic. ... Sadly, that clause is never enforced on pedestrians who do "enter or cross ... in disregard of approaching traffic". I've even seen some who seem to have some kind of personal death wish. They approach an intersection at full walking speed, do not even look to see what traffic is doing (and are not phone distracted either), do not slow down, and just burst out into traffic. Yes, drivers bear a large responsibility here, given that they are operating the 3000+lb machine. But some enforcement of the statute clauses that already exist against the worst offenders on the pedestrian side, to reduce the incidents of pedestrian forcing their way in front of moving vehicles without regard to the presence of those vehicles, would also go a long way towards reversing the statistics direction.
  - tonyedgecombe 7y ago
    Oh, that’s ok then, go ahead and mow them down.

narag 7y ago

If someone is distracted and gets under your car or bycicle and gets killed or otherwise causes you to crash killing you or killing others, would you still say it's not a crime?

chiph 7y ago

That's the definition of jaywalking - walking out into the street without regard for traffic.