no idea what they think,if anything.

boybiker

Ive no idea what goes through pedestrians minds when they see a bike coming towards them but today I was whizzing down a pretty steep hill at close to the speed of light when this woman on the pavement waiting at a zebra crossing looked at me, waited until it was clear I could not possibly stop and then started to walk across, i avoided hitting her by slamming my brakes on and fishtailing across the road.
I gave her a piece of my mind, only an ickle bit 'cos I haven't much to spare, but I did say to her that if I had hit her we would both have been sorry.
but I was wondering what the legal situation is if you hit someone under such circumstances, I assume much the same as if you are driving a car and someone walks in fount of you without looking.

redddraggon

boybiker wrote:

today I was whizzing down a pretty steep hill at close to the speed of light.

did you find yourself getting very heavy?

FSR_XC

boybiker wrote:

. . . this woman on the pavement waiting at a zebra crossing looked at me. . . . . . I was wondering what the legal situation is if you hit someone under such circumstances.

You've answered your own question.

You should give way.

Lagavulin

While out on Friday I had some bloke with a pushchair and a woman turn onto a zebra crossing in front of me.
Okay, there wasn't a car coming but neither of them looked before the man pushed the chair a few feet onto the crossing. Being a law abiding saint I naturally stopped. However, I can only surmise that the baby/child in the chair did not belong to/wasn’t fathered by the man that put it onto a highway as sort of a test balloon for himself. A road on which both heavy goods vehicles and buses use regularly I might add.

I’ve encountered some real idiots in vehicles during my short 2 years on road bikes but this was a new one on me.

nwallace

FSR_XC wrote:

boybiker wrote:

. . . this woman on the pavement waiting at a zebra crossing looked at me. . . . . . I was wondering what the legal situation is if you hit someone under such circumstances.

You've answered your own question.

You should give way.

I remember it from learning to drive as Something like:
You should stop for a pedestrian if they are standing on the pavement at a Zebra, but you only have to stop if they are touching the roadway.

Also:
Pedestrian on the road way = Give Way to them regardless of the paint.

magibob

I was riding along the seafront road in Palma Nova couple of weeks ago. It was perfect visibility, and I was wearing a red shirt and white cap. A couple stood by the zebra crossing, looked along the road, Nothing coming either way apart from me, maybe 50 yards away. They waited, looked again, still nothing apart from me, (Now 25 Yards away,) Paused, then just as I was almost on the crossing they started to walk. Same story, Brakes on hard, finished sideways about 6" away from them. the conversation went as follows:-

Me "What the F*&K are you doing, you looked, you saw me, you waited till I was here then walked"

Bloke, "You're supposed to give way on a crossing,"

Me, (Bear in mind he was bald and sunburned,) "And you are supposed to have a brain, you lobster headed TW@T"

I still have no idea what they were thinking.

Andy

whyamihere

I reckon they were probably thinking that you're supposed to give way on a crossing. They're right you know. If you see someone at the side of a zebra crossing, and it's possible to stop, you stop. Simple.

demmerson

I think boybiker and magicbob have just given two perfect examples of why cyclists are not very popular with pedestrians.

jellybellywmb

Magibob wrote:

Me, (Bear in mind he was bald and sunburned,) "And you are supposed to have a brain, you lobster headed TW@T"



Andy

Brought tears to my eyes.

Soreknees

Definately have to agree with Messers Whyamihere and Demmerson on that one.

Red Rock

boybiker wrote:

Ive no idea what goes through pedestrians minds when they see a bike coming towards them but today I was whizzing down a pretty steep hill at close to the speed of light when this woman on the pavement waiting at a zebra crossing looked at me, waited until it was clear I could not possibly stop and then started to walk across, i avoided hitting her by slamming my brakes on and fishtailing across the road.
I gave her a piece of my mind, only an ickle bit 'cos I haven't much to spare, but I did say to her that if I had hit her we would both have been sorry.
but I was wondering what the legal situation is if you hit someone under such circumstances, I assume much the same as if you are driving a car and someone walks in fount of you without looking.

Even children know you're supposed to stop for pedestrians at Zebra crossings. :evil:

neeb

I always assume that pedestrians have complete right of way on zebra crossings and on pelican crossings when the light is red. They can dawdle out, jump out suddenly, whatever, it's their right as far as I'm concerned. They could be drunk for all I know (also their right as long as they behave). It's the responsibility of drivers and cyclists to anticipate any possible action on the pedestrian's part when they approach a crossing. This usually means slowing down to whatever speed is necessary so that you can stop if required, given the most unpredictable behavior imaginable by any pedestrians within range. On the other hand, I admit that I sometimes don't stop at red lights on pelican crossings if they are not at junctions and there is no-one anywhere nearby.

Stewie Griffin

Close to the speed of light :shock: ? You must have ceramic hubs ? If you hit someone on a zebra crossing its your fault, thats it no right of appeal be prepared to be taken to the cleaners. If we want to be taken seriously as road users then we have to obey some of the rules of the road at least .

Thats not to say that I dont agree that people at zebra crossings seem to believe that its not just their right to cross whilst everyone waits but they are wrapped in an invisible force field that prevents any injury to them while they do so.

Not being holier than thou, I dont obey every rule when I drive or ride either.