Accident on Newport Road - Tue 13th Mar 2012

[Andreas Rex]

I know someone who's related to the Vespa driver and he's really not ok at all. I think he's just been induced into a 2nd coma and has extensive leg injuries, amongst others. Great to hear the female pedestrian is well. Bad shit in general.

 

[tek-monkey]

Really not good, especially for what should have been a low speed collision. Not that it matters greatly, on 2 wheels even a squirrel can **** you over. My thoughts go out to the guy, especially when from what I can see he was in the right*. At least one of them is OK I guess.


* Although if you believe henryscat the pedestrian was, despite it not being a crossing and the traffic already moving.

 

[henryscat]

Just to be absolutely clear- I have not speculated about or referred to this specific accident as neither you nor I know what happened to cause it.

 

[GraphicsMan]

Re: Pedestrians...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070108

I think the last sentence in point one sums it up:

General guidance

1

Pavements (including any path along the side of a road) should be used if provided. Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic. If you have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and consideration for others.

We are all free to cross the road almost wherever we like, but we must all bear in mind that the onus is on us, the pedestrian, the ensure we do it as safely as possible. At the point where this incident happened you are only about 50 meters from a safer crossing point in either direction. Is it really worth the risk for a few minutes?

I have seen adult crossing at this point with small children, which I think is very foolhardy. Personally, I always use the one or the other crossings at this point. I have a three year-old daughter and I will always use a crossing if available, even if it means walking that little bit further. We make a game of her pressing the button, waiting, then she tells me when it is safe to cross. We also make a point of looking both ways even when the green man is on.

From a drivers point of view, it's not always safe to to wave a pedestrian across the road in front of you. They may assume because you have beckoned them to cross that it is safe to do so, and may not check for traffic in the opposite direction.

When I was young, many moons ago, it was drilled in to me at school, and by my parents, to use the 'Green cross Code'. With more traffic on the roads, I think it is more important than ever that we follow this guide and drum it in to our children too.

 

[henryscat]

We are all free to cross the road almost wherever we like, but we must all bear in mind that the onus is on us, the pedestrian, the ensure we do it as safely as possible. .

Some onus, but not all of it!!!

We need to think a bit wider than just "its up to people to make sure it is safe to cross". Government policy and consequently transport and town planning fail to prioritise pedestrians sufficiently highly. Driver attitudes to non-motorised road users are also a problem. This is what needs to be tackled.

 

[Thehooperman]

Some onus, but not all of it!!!

We need to think a bit wider than just "its up to people to make sure it is safe to cross". Government policy and consequently transport and town planning fail to prioritise pedestrians sufficiently highly. Driver attitudes to non-motorised road users are also a problem. This is what needs to be tackled.

What are you talking about? There are two crossings within 50 yards of this accident and you think it is reasonable for the pedestrian to wander into the road. Why is this a driver attitude problem?

You'll be saying next that pedestrians should have priority over trains and should be allowed to wander along the railway.

IT all comes down to common sense cars are fast and heavy and if there is a safe way to cross the road then pedestrians should use it.

 

[henryscat]

What are you talking about? There are two crossings within 50 yards of this accident and you think it is reasonable for the pedestrian to wander into the road. Why is this a driver attitude problem?

You'll be saying next that pedestrians should have priority over trains and should be allowed to wander along the railway.

IT all comes down to common sense cars are fast and heavy and if there is a safe way to cross the road then pedestrians should use it.

Sigh.

I'm not talking about that specific 50 yard section of road or that specific accident (which you haven't a clue what happened).

Just think about it before coming out with drivel.

 

[gilbert grape]

Drivel? Theres been a bit of that, alright!
Lets dismiss common sense and live like its 1900! Times change and common sense, safety and courtesy should be paramount. Everything being sided on the side of pedestrians would mean everything slowing down and in some cases stopping and that makes things even worse due to frustration and human nature.
I still see no problem in cars driving on roads, pedestrians walking on paths, cars stopping at red lights and pedestrians crossing when it's safe to do so.

 

[Thehooperman]

Sigh.

I'm not talking about that specific 50 yard section of road or that specific accident (which you haven't a clue what happened).

Just think about it before coming out with drivel.

You are talking on a thread about this specific accident and there's only one person talking drivel on this thread.

 

[henryscat]

Drivel? Theres been a bit of that, alright!
Lets dismiss common sense and live like its 1900! Times change and common sense, safety and courtesy should be paramount. Everything being sided on the side of pedestrians would mean everything slowing down and in some cases stopping and that makes things even worse due to frustration and human nature.
I still see no problem in cars driving on roads, pedestrians walking on paths, cars stopping at red lights and pedestrians crossing when it's safe to do so.

Ah right, so we mustn't frustrate drivers, but frustrating pedestrians is fine?

The problem is your neatly segregated world just doesn't work, because drivers particularly start to perceive that responsibility lies elsewhere.

Take your last bit about pedestrians crossing when its safe to do so - a big determinant of that is the speed of traffic. I can cross the road noticably easier when the speed camera van is present, yet people oppose speed enforcement because whilst we apparently shouldn't infringe the motorist's right to drive as fast as they like, stuff the right of someone to cross the road in relative safety.

Whatever you say - the car is favoured disproportionately. Redressing the balance is nothing to do with winding back the clock... If you think about it, walking is one of the best ways of making short journeys and needs to play a part in reducing congestion. The most ironic example is parents driving sprogs to school because it's "unsafe" because of, erm, traffic....

 

[My Name is URL]

Whatever you say - the car is favoured disproportionately.

Hahahahah love it... if losing an argument then stick your fingers in your ears and shout LA LA LA LA LAAAAA,I'm not listening

 

[GraphicsMan]

Some onus, but not all of it!!!

We need to think a bit wider than just "its up to people to make sure it is safe to cross". Government policy and consequently transport and town planning fail to prioritise pedestrians sufficiently highly. Driver attitudes to non-motorised road users are also a problem. This is what needs to be tackled.

Surely it is wholly up to the pedestrian to take every precaution when crossing a road. Drivers should always be aware when they see pedestrians waiting to cross the road, and be prepared to stop in case they step in to the road without due care and attention. But let's remember, roads are specifically for vehicles which are usually traveling upwards of 20mph. Pedestrians have every right to cross these roads but, for everyone's safety, should take special care when doing so.

I'm pretty sure that if I were to be hit by a car I would come off second best, so I do as much as I can to avoid that particular situation!

On your other point, I think there is ample provision for pedestrians around the town centre, too many crossings in some areas. The stretch from Broadeye along past Sainsbury's has three crossings in only a few hundred metres which can cause an enormous amount of congestion at peak times if having to stop at all three.

I mainly drive during the week, only to get to work. At a weekend I mainly walk or cycle and don't have any problems getting about or crossing roads.

 

[tek-monkey]

How much money could SBC save by scrapping pedestrian crossings? Hell, even pavements! As a non-driver I think the idea is insane, keep the road for vehicles and the paths for pedestrians. Neither is really that inconvenienced, as generally the crossings are at traffic lights and both get stopped at the same places. If pedestrians should be allowed to raom the roads to make a quicker journey, surely cars should be able to use the pavements to do likewise?

 

[gilbert grape]

Believe it or not, I am a pedestrian and have legs and walk places! I, for one, will be using crossings where there are some provided, applying the green cross code where I can and when driving, looking out for people ready to put their own lives at risk. If consideration is applied by all we shouldnt be getting hurt should we?
I've been to my second funeral in a month, today. I don't plan on being at another one too soon, especially due to wearing blinkers!!!!!!

 

[henryscat]

How much money could SBC save by scrapping pedestrian crossings? Hell, even pavements!

Not such a flippant comment actually about pavements. Consider the design of say, Bridge Street how it is now to how it was before and how that changes behaviour.

 

[Withnail]

It's all a matter of perspective -

If consideration is applied by all we shouldnt be getting hurt should we?

If pedestrians should be allowed to raom the roads to make a quicker journey, surely cars should be able to use the pavements to do likewise?

Surely it is wholly up to the pedestrian to take every precaution when crossing a road.

- it really is quite apparent which perspective is pre-eminent.

Hahahahah love it... if losing an argument then stick your fingers in your ears and shout LA LA LA LA LAAAAA,I'm not listening

- it does, indeed, appear that people who walk have lost the argument.

Two legs BAD, four wheels GOOD.

 

[henryscat]

Surely it is wholly up to the pedestrian to take every precaution when crossing a road. Drivers should always be aware when they see pedestrians waiting to cross the road, and be prepared to stop in case they step in to the road without due care and attention.

What if you're blind, deaf, have a mobility problem, or other disability?

But let's remember, roads are specifically for vehicles which are usually traveling upwards of 20mph.

Much of the road network pre-dates the motor car.....

I'm pretty sure that if I were to be hit by a car I would come off second best, so I do as much as I can to avoid that particular situation!

Indeed you would, which is why drivers also need to take extra care because of the harm that a vehicle can inflict.

On your other point, I think there is ample provision for pedestrians around the town centre, too many crossings in some areas. The stretch from Broadeye along past Sainsbury's has three crossings in only a few hundred metres which can cause an enormous amount of congestion at peak times if having to stop at all three.

The one near Broadeye isn't very effective most of the time as you can often safely cross before it changes. Take my favourite one by the station - compare the volume of pedestrians crossing, to the volume of people in cars in an hour. Then consider the priority given to those pedestrians, is it proportionate to the volume of people? I don't think it is.

As I've also said, I don't think that signalised crossings are automatically the answer. A lot could be replaced by zebra crossings which can be better for both pedestrians (you get to cross quicker) and drivers (you're stopped for less time).

I mainly drive during the week, only to get to work. At a weekend I mainly walk or cycle and don't have any problems getting about or crossing roads.

I live near a main road and crossing it (bearing in mind I am fortunately able to walk across quickly) is a nightmare. There is no crossing and the difficulty is the speed of traffic because it is grossly exceeding the 30mph limit. When the camera van is parked the difference is astounding...

 

[tek-monkey]

Much of the road network pre-dates the motor car.....

Much of the UKs housing predates the internet, lets just tell them to **** off if they want broadband. Chances are your house predates central heating, should that mean we exclude you having it. Things change, as a pedestrian I am under no illusion that roads do not hamper our progress. It's hardly like fences don't too though, or walls, or any number of things designed to keep us where we should be. I don't see roads as a pedestrian area, we have limitations as do drivers. Having seperate areas for large metal objects and soft squishy things makes sense to me, it just leaves a mess otherwise.

 

[United57]

Not related but has anybody else seen people walking by the side of the college where the pavement is closed?

I've seen 2 people trying to walk on 1 foot of pavement!

 

[tek-monkey]

At least they finally blocked off the stupid blind crossing on the exit from the roundabout!