As far as I can recall, back in driver ed we were taught that pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way, even if they're breaking traffic laws.

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Originally posted by darkest2000:
As far as I can recall, back in driver ed we were taught that pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way, even if they're breaking traffic laws.

That's what I was taught also.

In Germany they did

They had these striped crosswalks called Zebra Crossings and it was a sight to see drivers jam on their brakes the SECOND a pedestrian's TOE came within a foot of that thing. The penalties for violating it must have been immense is all I can imagine.

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Originally posted by PASig:
In Germany they did

They had these striped crosswalks called Zebra Crossings and it was a sight to see drivers jam on their brakes the SECOND a pedestrian's TOE came within a foot of that thing. The penalties for violating it must have been immense is all I can imagine.

And angry gestures from drivers - even just shaking a fist - will get you a hefty fine. Heaven forbid you flip someone off.

People should know that physics works. Abide by the Law of Gross Tonnage, and you'll be fine. I learned that lesson as a young child and it hasn't failed me yet.

I always used plain old long division with respect to deciding right of way.

A vehicle weighs around 4,000 pounds

A person weighs around 175 pounds on average

So, 4,000 goes over 175 one time with nothing left over.

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Originally posted by HRK:
Pedestrians in parking lots will walk right behind you

THIS^^^

Some people are just stupid...
As part of my general situational awareness I always watch for reverse lights in parking lots and either stop or move to the opposite side as far as possible. Also watch between cars for kids darting out and cars with running engines in general.

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Originally posted by selogic:
The worst thing was when I worked for the power company and I needed to go to one of the substations at LSU . There were a couple of streets that were gated and you had to have a pass or a good reason to access them . God help you if you were in that area when classes changed . Hundreds and hundreds of students jaywalking everywhere and all of them looking at their phones .They would step off the curb in front of you and never look up from their phones .

I don't go to LSU often, but I believe it is considered a pedestrian campus. I know that there are crosswalks everywhere with signs that say "yield to pedestrians in crosswalks". So I'm sure they are used to walking around and not having to "worry" about cars.

Of course they should worry about cars, as many have said, doesn't matter if you're right if you're dead. And I'm sure their "right of way" only applies in the crosswalks, not everywhere up and down the streets. But give an inch, they take a mile.

I’m sorry, but if you can’t figure out basic physics you loose…cars weigh more then people. And you can be right within the law and still get squished. Quit fucking around on your phone and look.

Problem is that pedestrians consider the odds of actually being killed to be pretty slim, but the odds of hitting the deep pocket lottery are well in their favor.

I can't see how "I have the right of way so I insisted on taking it" is going to fly when you run over a pedestrian.

Even if it were legal to run over stupid or rude people it would not be a good idea. Probably best to just door them, more of a challenge.

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Originally posted by HRK:
Pedestrians in parking lots will walk right behind you

I'm curious. Where are they supposed to walk? The parking lots are usually set up so cars are nose to nose so the only place they can walk is behind the cars.

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Originally posted by OKCGene:

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Originally posted by TBH:
Same goes with a pediatrician not willing to look up from their phone when crossing the street!

You got something against a baby doc talking to the baby momma?

Lol giggle snort guffaw! People around me are wondering why I’m laughing so much.

I hate autocorrect, it’s my worse enema and makes me say things I didn’t Nintendo.


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You got me good! The sad thing is I always do a quick proofread before submitting. Failed again!

If I understand correctly. Here you allowed to stop for pedestrians at intersections without lights/crosswalk signals as long as the speed limit is under 40mph. 40+ you may not stop, if there are signals vehicles and pedestrians must follow signal. No matter what a you can't run over a pedestrian, but they can be ticketed for j walking or going against the signals.

I have a bike trail near me with stop signs for the trail at each side and in the median. Bikers are supposed to stop, press signal, then proceed. Cars are supposed to stop. What happens instead is half of them shoot through and half use the signal. The result is everyone slams on their breaks at the crossing because they have no clue if they will win the unlucky lotto. This creates mass confusion and danger because the bikers and runners refuse to break pace and press a button and wait five seconds.

The Laishley Park Boat Ramp in Punta Gorda, FL:



Some people have the right of way here and the pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders, etc are very confused by this when they jump out in front of an 8,000 pound, 400hp, 860lb-ft of torque, diesel truck towing a 10,000 pound boat and trailer barreling up the ramp.

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Originally posted by Oat_Action_Man:

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Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Can't recall if it was all of Canada, but in Nova Scotia, particularly Halifax, pedestrians always had the right of way. Drivers would slam on the brakes and come to a complete stop whenever it even looked like someone might step off the curb. Took me a moment to realize what was going on.

Yes, they do.

Had that exact same experience when I spent a lot of time in Halifax. Driving at a nice clip then--wham--someone slams on the brakes to let a pedestrian "jaywalk". I say jaywalk because it's any ole damn place in the middle of a busy suburban road with about a 45mph and not remotely close to an intersection.

Alberta too. You have to be looking at other drivers as well as sidewalks while driving.

I lived in Calgary for nearly 2 years and pedestrians' lack of sense of self preservation was shocking. Unfortunately, they combine with the Canadian habit of looking at their feet when they walk. I worked by a train station and was shocked at the number of people who crossed a street while looking at their feet and never once looked both ways before crossing a road.

Many of the Calgary crosswalk buttons were instantaneous in turning stop lights red, and dumbass joggers wouldn't even break stride as they hit the button and ran out into the cross walk without looking both ways (looking at feet of course). Bicycle riders even got in on it and learned to mash the button without stopping peddling. More than once had to lock up the brakes despite driving the speed limit, and the light would go from green to red without going yellow.

I always had a morbid curiousity of how many Albertans die on vacation abroad by crossing the street while looking at their feet.

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Originally posted by Aglifter:
When the signal says “Don’t Walk.”

More people seem to look directly at traffic, and step out while looking at it, like they expect it to stop.

The sign should read "Don't Walk, Run!"

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Originally posted by gpbst3:
If there is a pedestrian signal then they must follow the signals. At a light with a crosswalk but no pedestrian signals then they have right of way anytime the light is green.


We have a walking trail crossing near my house. The trail crosses a street mid block. While there are signs saying yield to pedestrians in crosswalk the trail walkers have a stop sign. Almost daily cars come to a complete stop at the mid block crosswalk even when there are no walkers in sight. Pisses me off big time.

Don’t get me started on people who cross the street diagonally!

Here in Dallas, there are dozens of similar trail crosswalks on multi-lane city avenues. The trail walkers/cyclists press the "Cross" button on a post and the traffic light blinks amber and then shows steady red to motorists for 20 seconds. They seem to work pretty well.

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The expectation is all parts move with mechanical precision. And folks from Germany visiting the US, get squarshed every so often ...

My wife and I laugh about being honked at by the Germans when we were driving there. Whenever we hear a horn now, "It must be a German driver".