Important road safety information for pedestrians

[Mick_Marsh]

Are pedestrians on smartphones to blame for making city traffic less safe? - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-25/are-pedestrians-on-smartphones-making-the-roads-less-safe/9085160)

From the article:
where one pedestrian is killed every day. I think he'd be feeling pretty flat by now.


But, it is a serious issue. I think the statistics are a pedestrian gets hit by a vehicle in Elizabeth St., Melbourne each day. I've witnessed pedestrians get hit there all too often. I nearly hit a pedestrian darting across Bourke St. quite some years ago.

[AK83]

....
From the article: I think he'd be feeling pretty flat by now.
.....

If that pedestrian is Bill Murray .. you'd reckon he's used to it now :p

My thoughts are very simple on topics like these. Let them sort themselves out. If they don't value their lives the way we used too in the old days, then Darwins' theory needs to take it's course.

Here we all are worrying about non issues like climate change, when the probable future cause of the extinction of the human race is more likely to come from this form of apathy.

They talk about fines and policing and all manner of other similar futile protective measures .. but the reality is these people really don't care for the future. They're too engrossed in the NOW! .. to worry about consequences.
Handing out fines will just create new issues.

[Mick_Marsh]

My thoughts are very simple on topics like these. Let them sort themselves out. If they don't value their lives the way we used too in the old days, then Darwins' theory needs to take it's course.
With ya there, bro.

However, the road rules are written in such a way that the drivers are to be held accountable fir the pedestrians inattentiveness.

[Wraithe]

Ban mobiles...

Simple solution but I know I will need to brace for "Incoming"...

[Gordie]

I would say that most living beings, including adult humans, would have the most basic instinct of 'self preservation', i.e. continuing to live. If other pressing activities override that instinct in certain people, so be it. We don't need to run around protecting them from themselves....way too much of that going on in modern society.

[Xtreme]

Banning mobiles would partly address the problem but there are also other distractions such as earphones & (loud) music. Then there's those cultures that walk blindly into traffic believing that 'someone' out there is looking after them. :Thump:

[Homestar]

Ban mobiles...

Run for Paliament - I'd vote for you. 👍👍👍

[Homestar]

With ya there, bro.

However, the road rules are written in such a way that the drivers are to be held accountable fir the pedestrians inattentiveness.

That's just one reason I have a dash cam, had a couple of close calls in the City.

Snapped a couple of gems today (not pedestrians though), I'll have to upload them when I get a chance...

[Rick1970]

In Honolulu atm, can see why are trying to do something....it’s crazy. Seen a couple blindly walk into busy traffic filming themselves using a selfie stick....

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I wouldn't mind if pedestrians distracted by smart phone use injured or killed themselves, but that is not the only consequence of the distraction they are impacting the freedom of movement of the visually impaired. A study by Guide Dogs Australia found that more than a third of people using a white cane were bumped into every time they walked out the front door while 60 per cent of those doing the bumping were engrossed in their mobile phone (Source: Smartphone addiction: blind people knocked over, injured | Queensland Times (https://www.qt.com.au/news/smartphone-addiction-blind-people-knocked-over-inj/3236108/) )

[Gordie]

In Honolulu atm, can see why are trying to do something....it’s crazy. Seen a couple blindly walk into busy traffic filming themselves using a selfie stick....
Can't legislate common sense. Can't stop idiots being frikkn idiots.

[Eevo]

roads are for cars.

why are pedestrians on the road?

[trog]

Because too many idiots park on or across the footpath

[AK83]

... Seen a couple blindly walk into busy traffic filming themselves using a selfie stick....

I've personally hit two pedestrians in my driving life.
Both whilst working in my more fun past life as a courier(motorbike).

Worst one was the woman crossing the road in front of me.
She came out between two a van and a car only 5 or so meters in front of me on a busy section of the city.
At the time I had a CB900, at about 280kg, and me at about 100kg.
She came out onto a road without any thought to look into the direction of the traffic she was crossing.. just kept looking straight ahead of herself.
How she didn't hear the massively loud bike is beyond my ability to comprehend!
Anyhow she was lucky I hit her and knocked her clean over on the road, as the tram coming along right next to me would have completely flattened her much worse than the broken rib she got from the lightweight little Honda!

Cops came and all that usual stuff .. and they gave em the all clear as she admitted fault .. but of course she wouldn't pay the few hundred dollars for my side cover repair.

That was in the early 90's pre smart phone .. in fact pre when everyone had phones!!

So people doing this kind of death defying crap has been going on much earlier than then invention of the smart phone, stupid useless games/apps and facebook.
No point blaming the innocent device as the cause.
And as ever, the vehicles get the blame too, so speeds are lowered to suit the stupid and lame elements in society.
In my above example .. I know for dead certain that the tram would have caused that woman a much harder time of it than my Honda did.. and that she didn't hear not only my loudly exhausted bike.. but not even the old W class rattler tram too.

[Rick1970]

Can't legislate common sense. Can't stop idiots being frikkn idiots.

True, think there are laws about taking care of idiots tho ......

[trog]

What ever the reason , do you want it on your conscience that you plugged someone , pedestrian cyclist , whatever?
Whenever in an area that there is a possibility of a possible strike I slow down , hopefully enough to give enough reaction time.
Don't like , wel, that is how I was taught to drive and I stick to it.
As a pedestrian if you don't like the ear buds then find something to clear up my tinnitus, I would rather music than buzzing and ringing.

[Eevo]

What ever the reason , do you want it on your conscience that you plugged someone , pedestrian cyclist , whatever?


if they are at fault, i'll sleep easy.

[trog]

Cool , doesn't really bother me if I get hit either, though when walking I do keep to the footpath when I can and the same with crossings. Otherwise if you are in Brisbane I will wear a target so you can see me.

[bee utey]

if they are at fault, i'll sleep easy.

psycho!

[NavyDiver]

roads are for cars.

why are pedestrians on the road?

Give way : VicRoads (https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-rules/a-to-z-of-road-rules/give-way)

This is not about mobile phones it was the flip side I saw tonight. Idiot old drive (remaining genderless) tried to kill a school kid crossing in front of me at a terminating intersection where the kid had right of way. I spoke to her. She was surprised to know she was not allowed to run over the child, Toot like a fool to prove she was a idiot and did not think people should be allowed to cross the road. Why are pedestrians on the road? Is a little like why did the chicken cross the road[bigwhistle] My new Dash cam staying silent today as she did not hit the kid- very close - and she was not a total ****** and promised to look at the road rules.[biggrin]

I do agree about the rotten mobile phones zombies on or off the road, The dozens seen daily driving looking at their phones amaze me the most in the least nice ways. The Phone zombies on foot paths when I am running are dangerous as well.

whoops gender slipped out. I saw a t shirt about a daughter's dad with a weapon once. It was very poor taste. However- Run over my kids and I might feel sympathy for the point of view

[ATH]

This has nothing to do with idiots and their mobile phones as it precedes them by about 3 decades. I stopped a pedestrian (zebra crossing in the UK) crossing for a bloke standing there waiting on a busy main road, coppers in their dark blue/black Cortina stopped the other side, bloke steps onto crossing and walks forward and then BANG! Cops car gets hit up the arse by another car and goes shooting across the crossing just missing the pedestrian.
It was so funny, he stopped and looked right over his shoulder, then left over his shoulder, didn't even smile, just shook his head and kept walking. Driver of the offending vehicle sat there with his head resting on his hands on the wheel not daring to look up as 4 cops climbed out of their car.
It was like a skit from a comedy program.
They didn't even want me as a witness. :-)
AlanH.