Anyone ever hit a pedestrian?

Ah the old you wouldn't dare run a small child down routine, what is it with pushchairs etc?

 

I hear ya, I live over in Port Richey/New Port Richey area north of St.Pete and it is just unreal how horrible the drivers are. We have US 19, another of the nations top 20 dangerous roads. Ever seen a bumber sticker saying "Pray for me. I drive on 19."? Yeah. I use the sidewalks, if they exist, otherwise I'm on the 3 foot wide shoulders that line most of the major highways, like ole 19'.

The sidewalks are pretty brutal too. They are in disrepair, they are breaking apart at points and cracking into pieces. Thats what happens though when you build upon sand. Fortunately there are very few pedestrians in this area. I actually pass by many more cyclists on the sidewalks. ('cylists' is a relative term, these are people on Roadmasters and Next bikes from wal-mart doing a half-mile trip to the liquor store.)Sidewalk riding is just a accepted part of cycling here. In my one accident involving a car, because I was on a sidewalk at the time, the officer told the driver it was her fault because 'pedestrians always have the right of way' LOL.

So far I am pedestrian Accident free..I've only been in one car accident, and the rest of my accidents are from me misjudging my speed or hitting a sand trap.

 

Okay, no one will read this, but....lets set the way back machine to (oh rats, gotta think...) 1972....I was....well, lets just say I was in school, okay. On a sidewalk, booking on my "ten speed". Group of girls ahead. I yell "look out". I swerve to the left. All four step off the sidewalk, to the left. I swerve to the right. One steps in front of me. No time to brake, turn, do anything. I hit her. I go over the bars, do a header. Onto the sidewalk. Concrete. Split my skin at the eyebrow. She is flopping around like a mullet (the fish) out of water. Find out later she ended up with a broken leg. Enough fault to go around. I'm bleeding like, well, most skull wounds bleed, vigorously. Bent my wheel. Didn't ride for a year afterwards.

 

I found a great way to get people to move is to tell them loudly to move in the direction you want them to. People respond to instructions very well, especially in stressful situations where people are waiting for someone to tell them what to do. It's worked most of the time when I've used it though once in a blue moon you get the thinking impaired.

 

I hit a pedastrian who walked out into traffic when i was a courier. 45 kmh, 3 broken ribs and a sprained rist. 0 days off work though as no work, no pay.

I make a fake truck horn sound to move them, also make it clear you are going through, if you slow down in advance people keep walking out infront.

If you really want to make people move, make the horn sound, stand on the pedals and speed up, and look like you are mad as a double cut snake. Facial grimaces are good for this. Also holding post-it tubes and waving them around in one hand helps too.

 

Agree with that last comment about insisting on your right of way. At the slightest hesitation, pedestrians (oncoming ones) will continue on their path. If you hold line and don't back off at all, they will usually move.
after leaving work, my favourite route begins in an easterly direction on a shared pathway...oncoming people are blinded by the setting sun and cannot see me clearly. Thats' where my AirZound comes in very handy.
Some of them will walk four abreast and it's bloody hard to make them move but the horn startles them...so even the morons with head down chatting to their mates will notice the noise...

 

aussie steve - beware Reg 216 (2) of the WA Road Traffic Code 2000...........