Another pathetic outcome from death caused by a driver

fine of £500, are you joking.

fine of £500, are you joking. I got exactly the same fine for driving 34 in a 30. I am not kidding. exactly the same.

davel wrote:

Take Charlie boy’s other brake off, skull tattoo his entire face, inject him with Pol Pot’s ‘attitude’ and have him screaming obscenities that I haven’t even heard of – as a ped I’d still rather face him 10 times out of 10.

Or put your new version of Charlie in a car, with no brakes, defective tyres, perhaps no insurance, speeding, having a beer… He’d have done less time!

hawkinspeter wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

Shades wrote:

This made me think about my change in behaviour at zebra crossings.  For years I used to cross and assume that cars had seen me (when traffic was light).  After some ‘close calls’ I’ve started waiting until cars slow, or stop, before I cross.  People just don’t pay attention and then look at you accusingly when they’ve had to stop in a hurry.

I use the same approach as I do on the bike – make eye contact and maintain it. Positive body language goes a long way. We’ve got two zebra crossings in the town and people run them all the time. Got yelled at by a Porsche 911 driver for making her stop recently, apparantly I should have waited for her to clear the crossing before stepping off the kerb

The problem with Zebra crossings is that there seems to be confusion about the rules.

The Highway Code states:

Rule 195 wrote:

Zebra crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing

• look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross
• you MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing
• allow more time for stopping on wet or icy roads
• do not wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians across; this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching
• be aware of pedestrians approaching from the side of the crossing.

A zebra crossing with a central island is two separate crossings (see ‘Crossings’).

So, cars only HAVE to stop if you actually step out onto the crossing, otherwise it’s optional. It seems wrong, but as a pedestrian the onus is for you to step out in front of moving vehicles. However, if they hit you, then it would be their mistake.

Poor road design is behind a bunch of conflict in my town – we have a zebra on a bend where the pavement narrows on one side of the road. Parking regs aren’t enforced so invariably there are parked cars (not actually on the zig zag markings) that you need to overtake without knowing what’s coming. So drivers accelerate because they see oncoming vehicles and then fail to process that there’s a zebra coming up which they then have to brake for. One fatality and a couple of serious injuries as a result in the last ten years…

https://goo.gl/maps/E1fVx432sSm

kil0ran wrote:

Shades wrote:

This made me think about my change in behaviour at zebra crossings.  For years I used to cross and assume that cars had seen me (when traffic was light).  After some ‘close calls’ I’ve started waiting until cars slow, or stop, before I cross.  People just don’t pay attention and then look at you accusingly when they’ve had to stop in a hurry.

I use the same approach as I do on the bike – make eye contact and maintain it. Positive body language goes a long way. We’ve got two zebra crossings in the town and people run them all the time. Got yelled at by a Porsche 911 driver for making her stop recently, apparantly I should have waited for her to clear the crossing before stepping off the kerb

The problem with Zebra crossings is that there seems to be confusion about the rules.

The Highway Code states:

Rule 195 wrote:

Zebra crossings. As you approach a zebra crossing

• look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross
• you MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing
• allow more time for stopping on wet or icy roads
• do not wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians across; this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching
• be aware of pedestrians approaching from the side of the crossing.

A zebra crossing with a central island is two separate crossings (see ‘Crossings’).

So, cars only HAVE to stop if you actually step out onto the crossing, otherwise it’s optional. It seems wrong, but as a pedestrian the onus is for you to step out in front of moving vehicles. However, if they hit you, then it would be their mistake.

Shades wrote:

This made me think about my change in behaviour at zebra crossings.  For years I used to cross and assume that cars had seen me (when traffic was light).  After some ‘close calls’ I’ve started waiting until cars slow, or stop, before I cross.  People just don’t pay attention and then look at you accusingly when they’ve had to stop in a hurry.

I use the same approach as I do on the bike – make eye contact and maintain it. Positive body language goes a long way. We’ve got two zebra crossings in the town and people run them all the time. Got yelled at by a Porsche 911 driver for making her stop recently, apparantly I should have waited for her to clear the crossing before stepping off the kerb

Judge Bernadette Baxter wrote

Judge Bernadette Baxter wrote:

“I understand this has been an extremely stressful time for you and you are genuinely remorseful for not having stopped and reporting the accident. I hope you understand just how dangerous that behaviour was.

Poor dear. Maybe she needs counselling and a cup of tea, not a twenty year driving ban after all.

In any case, a swift Google search reveals this to be a long, long way from being the most eyebrow raising judgement from Judge Baxter.

Jimmy Ray Will wrote:

Yeah, but this is all splitting hairs… one was a pressured situation potentially exacerbated by a non-functional front brake (read missing), the other was pure lack of attention… potentially exacerbated by non-functional front light. 

Which you feel is more serious is up to you I guess.

Personally speaking, I believe ignoring / not seeing / reacting to (or any combination of those) someone who is lying in full view for 10 seconds prior to impact is demonstrative of a lower standard of driving than someone not avoiding someone stepping out infront of them. 

Say what you will about attitudes or chosen avoidance tactics, Alliston didn’t simply ignore the presence of his victim. 

 

Our sentences, nay, laws, need a hefty dose of objectivity. Judges can’t help themselves with their biases. 

Which I feel is more serious is dictated by physics. Daft bint in 1000kg of metal at 28mph vs silly twat on a bike at 10-14mph.

Take Charlie boy’s other brake off, skull tattoo his entire face, inject him with Pol Pot’s ‘attitude’ and have him screaming obscenities that I haven’t even heard of – as a ped I’d still rather face him 10 times out of 10.