Unsure road safety if the sole responsibility of motorists or joint responsibility of both pedestrians and motorists. My recent observation of teenage pedestrians riding their skateboards in an opposite direction on a bus lane and pushing each others from a footpath towards a busy road make me wonder if only motorists are responsible for the road safety and pedestrians can turn the roads into their playgrounds as they wish?
Road Safety Is Whose Responsibility
wtfnodeal on 17/09/2021 - 20:14
Last edited 17/09/2021 - 20:24 by 1 other user
Last edited 17/09/2021 - 20:24 by 1 other user
Comments
The question sounds like what you hear on any worksite or dangerous work place.
Who's responsible for workplace safety?
The answer is obvious unless you're an idiot.
The way I look at it is how you quite often see people jaywalking everywhere… even in the middle of the night in dark clothes.
So you are free to run them over, you will win in court but this then comes down to the notion that if there were no penalties for murder then would you murder whoever you come across if they annoy you?
OP needs to question his morality if he cant seem to find any reason for other people to exist if they impact on his ability to go about his driving.
No one is free to take anyone’s life, legally or not, if you wonder that is what I hope to hear from anyone here.
I am genuinely unsure if pedestrians have the ‘right of way’ at all times and all motorists are always at fault even if they try to avoid running them over and therefore the teens have been educated in such a way to rely on motorists will always lookout for them even they don’t look after their safety when playing on the road or near the roadside.@wtfnodeal: In some countries there is what they call ‘strict liability’ which immediately assumes the motorist is at fault in an incident involving a more vulnerable road user, such as a cyclist or pedestrian. In Australia there isn’t such a rule so drivers often get off way too lightly after hitting a pedestrian or cyclist. ‘It’s just an accident’ is often the phrase used after someone is killed. Doesn’t help their family at all.
Teens have no brains. They forget the rules, think they are bullet proof and the not ones in existence. They take risks for kicks.
Did you report your observations to anyone or just post it on OzB?
We are OzWeListen or OzConfessionBox.
Or OzSnitches?
As title said I wasn’t sure about whose responsibility because all other motorists including me waited patiently for the playtime to finish before we started driving.
Sounds the safest option.
Def safest option, but leaning on the horn reviving and moving forward might get them off the road a bit quicker - without intent to run them over of course.
We live and are part of a society.
teenage pedestrians riding their skateboards
However people can get carried away or some just don't care. Human nature.
Just because someone is doing something silly doesn't mean that those behaviours are condoned by everyone?
OP, please stay inside your home if you are unsure about whose responsible. We live in a society.
Unfortunately my work requires me to drive and unable to work from home.
Well now you know. We gotta look after each other.
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Depends on who has “RiGhT oF wAy!!1!1!!!”
Pedestrians have rules to follow as well (Road Rules 228 to 239). So do users of “wheels recreational devices” (Road Rules 240 to 244).
No one has right if wa…. oh….
Microsoft - since they developed mspaint.exe
Very simple, why not run one over and let us know how it feels.
However that hopefully you won’t do that.
Really you have to be concerned about this, if you don’t already know that, even if, someone else is being stupid..
The best lesson I ever learned was on my p’s I ran into the back of another car. The older driver got out, saw thankfully there was no damage, shrugged their shoulders and smiled. They then said, you will learn with experience, and drove off.
He could have “taught” me “more” by abusing me, damaging my car, or calling the police, but the realisation of what I originally did wrong would have been lost. And even today I still remember that courtesy.
If you see it regularly, contact the local station, they may just put a patrol car out to let these kids know what’s wrong with this. I can guarantee thats more effective, as these kid’s probably don’t read forums at ozbargain.
Mine. And it doesn't matter how well I can handle my car or bike, I need to expect that others don't see safety as their priority.
I will say that there was one time when a kid basically ran behind my small truck while I was reversing out. I did see the kid and stopped, because the reverse camera was there and I did see something moving on the side mirror before I reversed in my peripheral vision. If I didn't, the kid would have had ended up with in ER.
I am just saying, teach your little ones that all cars have different blind spots. The fact that someone would knowingly run behind a truck that have started to reverse shocks me.
I am not saying the drivers have no responsibilities in checking for safety, if I did run over that kid, I accept that it would have been my fault. That said, the kid will be the one who ends up with significant damages to their body. Whose fault it is isn't really going to undo the damages.
I had the exact same experience. Was reversing out of my garage to driveway and a kid ran right towards behind my car as if he was waiting for something to happen. I waited for about half a minute for him to eventually gave up and moved along before I continued to reverse my car to the road. I have heard this trick is common in some countries that there are syndicates behind these pedestrians try to create accidents and ask for compensation from motorists.
I don't think my case was that insidious, but eh. Not the best way to start a morning. I simply think the kid didn't know better in my case. One of the reasons why I am going to teach my kids road safety fairly thoroughly.
I have worked around big vehicles enough to know that an accident with those things are not something you want. I've seen enough near misses in a controlled environment.
As a driver, you have a duty to do whatever you need to do to avoid a collision whether it be with a pedestrian or another vehicle, regardless of who might be at fault.
As a pedestrian, you have a responsibility to not put yourself in a position where you could be injured or killed. That includes paying attention to your surroundings. Never assume that a driver has seen and will stop for you. Also, never assume that cars will actually stop at a red light too.
Shit will still happen because of human error, but it's everyone's duty to try to minimise these incidents.
A tip from someone who has been driving for over 50 years.. always expect the unexpected.
I had someone try to suicide by jumping in front of a taxi I was driving one night… I managed to stop in time.
I noticed in my mirror that another car some way back did not…
It's all about survival, you never know what is coming at you next, either as a driver or pedestrian.
Everyone
isshould be responsible.
Not everyone behaves in such a way though.So do your best to keep yourself and others safe even if they are in the wrong.
Everyone’s - motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and government.