Pedestrians/Car door opening

[Mudster]

As a result of the Bicycle thread I've felt it necessary to vent at something that's been increasingly winding me up lately.

People who open their car doors with no regard to any traffic coming whatsoever, either getting in or out of the car.

It used to happen occasionally, now I actually expect it to happen when I'm driving along any high street.

However, the one that really grates is pedestrians that simply wander across the road with no regard for any oncoming vehicles, often whilst staring at you as though you're impeding their space....This also ties in nicely with people walking out and getting in their cars with complete disregard for what's driving down the road directly at them.

Maybe I'm just noticing it more or becoming less tolerant in my old age...I just don't remember seeing this problem to such an extent until recent years.

 

[Mark300SL]

However, the one that really grates is pedestrians that simply wander across the road with no regard for any oncoming vehicles, often whilst staring at you as though you're impeding their space....This also ties in nicely with people walking out and getting in their cars with complete disregard for what's driving down the road directly at them.
Maybe I'm just noticing it more or becoming less tolerant in my old age...I just don't remember seeing this problem to such an extent until recent years.

No - Its happening more often - its called the Ipod generation
Too many pedestrians are totally oblivious to whats around them, Yes we had the original walkman in my day but these were nothing like as prolific. My last 4 or 4 phones have enabled me to store large amouints of music on them and came equipped with the headphones/controls to make full use of the feature. Most people have a phone, most phones will act as a personal music player of some description.
Now mix "I-pod oblivion" with teenage invulnerability and its a recipe for disaster.


To my mind the only thing that could possibly be worse is a cyclist with the above mentioned oblivion!


Mark

 

[Howard]

I knocked a door off a pastel yellow Lada on the Greenford Road once ...

An old chap just threw it open ( literally ) 10 yards in front of me , i wasn't speeding , but had no chance to stop ...

When i say 'threw' i do mean it was just flung open , not opened gently ... presumably the next thing would for him to have swung his legs out ...

Anyway , i was driving my old Mk1 Golf cabrio and just hit it at about 25/30mph , the door bent clean round and snapped off ....

I didn't even stop .... young and foolish (and annoyed ) as i was .... ( 19 ) never heard any more about it

 

[whitenemesis]

I regularly encounter youths wandering across the road with total disregard for the traffic. In fact I would go as far as to say they are actively seeking confrontation.
I did point out to one youth that a collision between a 1ton car and 8 stone of spotty adolescence could only have one result.
He responded that if I knocked him down I would get "banged-up"! I replied I would expect to be out at some point in time. His residence in a wheel chair would likely be indefinite!

He stared at me, blankly..........

 

[Natalie]

Agree entirely, happening more and more often. I too expect it rather than not these days. It's the "I'm in my own little world and no one can touch me there syndrome". I also can not understand the amount of people who try and cross the road behind a car that is reversing! What's that all about??

 

[verytalldave]

Kids - and when I say kids - I mean anyone under the age of about 18 - are TOTALLY indifferent to anything outside their own tiny little world of friends.
Its not until one of those friends (and pray its not your son or daughter) that gets either killed or seriously injured that that group get the real world wake-up call.
They have all been so cossetted throughout their entire existance that none of them can truely appreciate what cause and effects really mean. You can tell them until you are blue in the face - and they see it all on TV constantly. But its not until one of their inner sanctum gets wiped out that the message gets through. I have seen this with all my 3 kids one by one. My son - who is the yougest of my 3 - is now 19 and one of his mates was killed on his "ped" one night. The lesson then goes straight in and takes effect. I noticed the difference the incident made upon him. He now appreciates mortality and consequences that certain types of behaviour can have. I am just so glad he was one of those that learnt their lesson and not one of the few that had to die teaching it.

I will now get off my soapbox.......................

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I have to admit to opening my car door without checking but DID learn my lesson and have taken more care since.

Many years ago I was visiting a customer in the roughest part of town, pulled up to the kerb and swung open the car door. I didn't notice the kid on his bike hurtling down the pavement from behind my car - he hit the open door with a sickening thud.

I made sure he was OK and scarpered sharpish hoping that his Dad wasn't about. If there was one street in town where I didn't want a confrontation this was it!

Ever since I have been a bit more observant when opening the door kerbside.

Knowing my luck I'll lose a door to a passing lorry now that I've said that I'll be more careful.

 

[Jon_F]

My brother in law once had a car door opened on him. He was a pedestrian... he now has a very neat scar on his neck where he walked end on into the door.....could have killed him!

 

[W210 Fan]

Kids - and when I say kids - I mean anyone under the age of about 18 - are TOTALLY indifferent to anything outside their own tiny little world of friends.
Its not until one of those friends (and pray its not your son or daughter) that gets either killed or seriously injured that that group get the real world wake-up call.
They have all been so cossetted throughout their entire existance that none of them can truely appreciate what cause and effects really mean. You can tell them until you are blue in the face - and they see it all on TV constantly. But its not until one of their inner sanctum gets wiped out that the message gets through. I have seen this with all my 3 kids one by one. My son - who is the yougest of my 3 - is now 19 and one of his mates was killed on his "ped" one night. The lesson then goes straight in and takes effect. I noticed the difference the incident made upon him. He now appreciates mortality and consequences that certain types of behaviour can have. I am just so glad he was one of those that learnt their lesson and not one of the few that had to die teaching it.

I will now get off my soapbox.......................

Using logic which is always mechanically right but not always socialy we could just kill 1 of every group of friends to teach this important lesson from an earlier age, there is too many people on the planet anyway so who is going to miss a few idiots?

 

[W210 Fan]

I expect to be flamed for that!!!!!!!!

 

[verytalldave]

I expect to be flamed for that!!!!!!!!

If thats your honest opinion, then right or wrong you are entitled to it.

Personally, I think thats a tad harsh and to pigeon hole all under 18s as idiots is a bit blinkered.
Idiocy is not linked to age. It is something that manifests itself within us all at various times and points in our life. Likewise age is no indication of wisdom.

 

[whitenemesis]

Kids just totally believe yeah, like, that they have rights..

 

[punjabi]

If only I had a snow plough..........open all the doors you want!

 

[Silestanix]

I've hit 3 people whilst driving on Heathrow's departure lane outside work at T4, I pick up my car via shuttle bus from the staff car park and drive back to T4 to pick up work mates to drop them home.

The 3 people I've hit all walked out from the pavement without looking and I've braked but hit them. Everytime, I've got off clear after breath tests etc because it's all caught on cctv and the Police have to deal with many incidents like this daily.

Doesn't bother me too much too be honest, if you're going to walk across the departure road of one of the worlds busiest airports and not look properly, it's down to you. Thats what the Police say, I say, and all my superiors have said in all 3 situations. I've done my part by driving with my lights on and driving to the 20mph limit.

 

[verytalldave]

Trouble is roads close to areas where alot of foreigners (who are probably used to LHD roads) roam around is always going to be a hotspot for these type of accidents.
Do you know if those who hit you were from abroad or simply dopey locals with a death wish?

 

[Silestanix]

Locals, all 3 of them; two of them had headphones on and one was on their phone. Funnily enough, foreigners actually use zebra crossings and look around more than locals do around Heathrow.

 

[pluggers]

However, the one that really grates is pedestrians that simply wander across the road with no regard for any oncoming vehicles, often whilst staring at you as though you're impeding their space....

I have seen quite a few people around my way doing this,They quickly run across the duel carriage way 40 feet from away from a pedestrian crossing then when they get half way across and see me they seem to slow down to walking pace.They seem to have a death wish

 

[tray1664]

There is a school on my run to work each morning and there are always kids sat in the middle of the road whoc can't be bothered to walk the 5 metres to the safe central crossing point. As it's just after a turning you have to be careful as it's a bit of a blind turn so if you're checking for oncoming cars they are easy to miss. I used to stop for them until one little toe-rag decided to give me grief (A dirty look as he crossed after I stopped and a few polite F's when I suggested that a thank you might be nice) - however a strongly worded email to the school resulted in his suspension apparently. Possibly a bit harsh but if they have no respect for my why should I give back. The school still doesn't seem to do anything about it though.

 

[DITTRICH]

Locals, all 3 of them; two of them had headphones on and one was on their phone. Funnily enough, foreigners actually use zebra crossings and look around more than locals do around Heathrow.

Because in many other foreign countries, pedestrians are much more likely to be hit, and therefore they take much more care. In Moscow, because some of the streets are so wide, instead of infrared detecting the pedestrians, they simply have a display with the number of seconds to go before the lights change. People then make an informed decision if they want to risk it. Watch them speed up as those seconds slip away while they're still somewhere in the middle of a very very wide road!

Les

 

[oldcro]

How about a national Jaywalkers week? Points for everyone you hit while driving within the speed limit.:bannana: