Why do drivers need to stop for pedestrians? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Question

I got a ticket from a police officer last night because he said I came dangerously close to hitting a pedestrian in a crosswalk. However, I didn't see the pedestrian because it was dark outside, and while they could see me (I drive a Chevy Suburban and it's nearly impossible to miss), I couldn't see him. So why wasn't the pedestrian yielding for me? It should also be their fault for not driving. Also, does anyone know any legal recourse (I live in Texas).

Answer 1

My friend by all means a pedestrian always reserves the first right to use any road (if not a dedicated corridor case) becoz roads are given to provide very basic pedestrian access between any two places and are later upgraded to carry vehicular movement between the points..

Further, all motor vehicular acts makes it our duty to drive safely while ensuring other's safety too....

Lastly as compared to drivers the pedestrians are always more 'vurnerable to injuries' in any accident, (thanks to latest safety gears tailored into modern automobiles). Thus the car drivers ought to be more responsible and precautious for their safety.

Answer 2

Maybe, just maybe you need to be paying a bit more attention to huge lit up signs that are usually in bright yellow paint with white lettering that say something along the lines of pedestrian X-ing when you encounter something like this you need to make sure you slow down to the point where you can appreciate your suroundings vividly, and the answer to your next question is, If pedestrians would have to yield to vehicles then it would be open season on all pedestrians. In other words it would give people with your mentality the green light to run down innocent people with no legal recourse whatsoever. Now think about what you wrote, about it being the pedestrians fault also. Now you are really showing us how uneducated you really are. By the way, you named yourself after a common thief.

Answer 3

Pedestrians dont yield to cars, they avoid walking infront of them. If a pedestrian jwalks, they're crossing illegally, but if its at a specified marker or crosswalk, they have the right of way.

Now if you were coming at them at say 40mph and they walk out infront of you suddenly, it's their fault because they put you and themselves in a dangerous situation.

I dont understand how you think you're not wrong. Being dark has nothing to do with it, you either werent paying attention or werent wearing your glasses. He saw you coming, and unless it was a highway or something you should have stopped to let him pass.

This question to me is akin to someone asking "I hit the back of a car, because the car behind me hit me and pushed me into the car infront of me, and I got a ticket for it", you shouldnt have been so close to the car in the first place, although you didnt do anything wrong really.

Then again I wasnt there, and I dont know what happened, if you werent at fault you would have gotten a warning, not a ticket most likely.

Answer 4

Grow up and learn to drive. When coming to a crosswalk, it is the driver's duty to check for pedestrians, not to wait for them to appear in front of the vehicle. It always has been. Unless the pedestrian RUNS out in front of you from behind a bush or something like that, there really is no excuse that will wash in court. So if it was so dark you couldn't see the pedestrian, how did the officer, who wasn't even in the same vehicle as you, spot him? Answer that one if you can. Take this as a lesson for the future, and maybe you, like me, will make it over 40 years without killing a pedestrian.

Answer 5

You signed your driver's license, right? It is a legal document that states YOU will yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and everyone else that has the right-of-way. If you don't agree with the terms of this legal contract, then cut your license in half and take the bus. You are an unnecesary driver.

Besides, who needs a freakin' Suburban anyway? Seats 9, carries one? Were you carrying a big load of Viagra home to compensate for something small? Douchebag.

Answer 6

Well was the light red or green? was it raining? I think it's the driver who should yield if it's cold, snowing or raining as he/she is in a car while someone else is walking. But if those conditions don't apply and the light is green then the pedestrian should yield for the driver. However some drivers are very careless and tend to keep going even when they see a pedestrian crossing, it happened to me and I got my right side nearly crushed as a result.
The only thing I can tell you is to fight the ticket and be more careful next time.

Answer 7

As a mother I can teach my kids to always cross at the crosswalks and look both ways, but it takes time and maturity to accurately judge velocity, braking power, road conditions and distance.

I recently read an article that said that said that level of maturity wasn't reliable until they are 7 or 8. (But I've seen enough accidents to realize DRIVERS haven't the ability to judge these things 100%)

In Canada, in winter, it's not unreasonable for a kid that age to be in a crosswalk in the dark under tough driving conditions.

Please watch out for our pedestrians. I'll teach them to watch out for you too.

Answer 8

Maybe you should buy a Japanese car instead because American cars sukk. Then he would yield to you. He wouldn't say to himself "Look at that redneck in his Chevy. Everyone knows how cr@ppy American cars are. Let's just pretend he's invisible". See he'll just ignore you. But if you have a Toyota or Subaru, the pedestrian would say "Hey, now there's a smart dude! I think I'll let him go first!"

Answer 9

Depending on the cross walk it would seem that you may have run a stop sign or a red light. Most cross walks are at intersections where there are stop signs or lights. Now if he was crossing against a light and you have proof that he was then you can contest it in court and win. The problem is being able to prove it. The officer obviously did not site you for any other moving violations (At least you have not mentioned them) as a driver you need to constantly be aware of everything you are traveling too.

Answer 10

I agree that there are in fact times that pedestrians could use better judgement as to how they cross. That doesn't excuse the fact that as a driver, you have to be alert and expect the unexpected. Truthfully, I think there are a few details missing to fully take one side or the other.