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Although pedestrians need to take responsibility and cross streets safely, drivers are controlling a vehicle that do much damage to a person (rather than the other way around) and therefore, they should be subject to some penalty when hitting a pedestrian just like the concept that the driver in the car hitting the rear of another car is usually at fault.
As someone with a cdl who drives large commercial vehicles in midtown everyday, and I happen to take it very seriously and go out of my way to be carefull when turning, going through intersections etc. I could say it's usually the pedestrians fault. The number of people walking with their heads down, with headphones on, crossing against the don't walk, not looking in the street, jaywalking is unreal, I go out of my way to be cautious, I could never live with killing someone, and even I have had a few close calls, people really take no personal responsibility for their surroundings. Most of these vehicles have Huge blind spots, that even if your turning slowly, with the green, and paying attention, you could easily lose a person to a blind spot. This law is ridiculous and a shame. Obviously no one wants to hit someone. If the guy is speeding or blowing lights etc by all means arrest him, but majority of the time, an accident is an accident, nothing more nothing less
Absolutely! I have a cdl as well...and drive large trucks in all 5 boroughs. And you are spot on
If the driver was impaired or breaking traffic laws, then I have no problem locking them up.
However sometimes an accident is an accident.
The other day I was crossing Amsterdam on 145th Street. I had a green light and was going through the intersection when this girl who had her head buried in her phone walked right off the sidewalk and directly in front of me. I slammed on brakes and swerved to the side and missed her, and fortunately there was no other traffic to the side so I didn't hit anything, but I'll be damned if I'm going to jail in a situation where I'm doing everything proper and some knucklehead just steps out in front of me. Likewise, if I had hit someone, I'd expect the pedestrian to be held liable for the damages.
Problem with laws like these is they give cops power. Since cops are known to heavily abuse power and have very poor judgement these laws are very dangerous. An accident is an accident. There is so much blood lust in America today where people want others to be harmed, even if things were clear accidents. Things happen. Someone shouldn't be punished/harmed for having an accident. It can happen to anyone of us.
Yes jaywalking can be problematic but it is second nature in a city and necessary. If there is no criminal intent it is not a crime.
The other day I was crossing Amsterdam on 145th Street. I had a green light and was going through the intersection when this girl who had her head buried in her phone walked right off the sidewalk and directly in front of me. I slammed on brakes and swerved to the side and missed her, and fortunately there was no other traffic to the side so I didn't hit anything, but I'll be damned if I'm going to jail in a situation where I'm doing everything proper and some knucklehead just steps out in front of me. Likewise, if I had hit someone, I'd expect the pedestrian to be held liable for the damages.
Agreed. But conversely, when pedestrians are clearly not at fault and they had the right of way (with the walk symbol) the driver should be liable unless there are additional circumstances. Surely a competent driver paying attention should be able to yield to a pedestrian with the right of way?
"Vision Zero" included a change to the law where non-impaired drivers can be arrested for "failure to yield" to a pedestrian. Theoretically that could make sense and the intent is good. However in NYC the volume of pedestrians and vehicles have turned accidents into crimes. A bus driver was recently arrested when he hit a girl who was in his blind spot and some reports say she was texting as she crossed the street. She may have had the right of way but pedestrians need to take some responsibility for their safety. If I'm not positive a bus sees me, I'm going to wait until I'm sure. I think this is a bad law as to how it seems to be being applied.
I see people crossing the street all the time not paying attention because they are on their phone. Any adult who gets hit by a car should always share some responsibility because you are supposed to pay attention to what's going on when crossing the street.
I see people crossing the street all the time not paying attention because they are on their phone. Any adult who gets hit by a car should always share some responsibility because you are supposed to pay attention to what's going on when crossing the street.
That's true. that's why I always look both ways when crossing a street with the light. Even when there is a reckless driver on the road, other drivers are responsible for their own safety and should be cautious when driving around the reckless driver. Whatever the case we need a world where people understand an accident is accident. If someone didn't intend to do something there is no reason to have blood lust.
That's true. that's why I always look both ways when crossing a street with the light. Even when there is a reckless driver on the road, other drivers are responsible for their own safety and should be cautious when driving around the reckless driver. Whatever the case we need a world where people understand an accident is accident. If someone didn't intend to do something there is no reason to have blood lust.
Right if a drunk reckless driver is coming down the street it's your responsibility to notice it so you will now not to go across the street and get hit.
That behavior is infuriating, but drivers who don't slow down in the face of such behavior don't get off the hook either. Even if pedestrians didn't have the right of way, reasonable drivers should slow as to try avoid running into such fools if doing so is safe, which it often is.
Oh I agree you can't drive like it's GTA mowing people down at will. 30 years ago my Father was driving on Seaview ave on Staten Island, below the posted speed limit because that's how he drove. A menatlly ill women jumped out of the driver side of a double parked cab in the middle of the street and litterary ran into my Fathers car. She broke her leg. Since he was so close to the hospital he picked her up and ran her in to the ER. The cops investigated, no skid marks, clean licence etc...no citations were issued, but he was sued and All State dropped him.
If that was today he may have found himself locked up and was put in an impossible situation through no fault of his own.
The biggest difference between than and now is that pedestrians are more easily distracted by electronic devices and don't watch where they are going, and yes this applies to drivers to. However there are already laws on the books for distracted driving. Something needs to be done about distracted pedestrians as well.
God knows this Mayor doesn't have the balls to do it. deBlasio and like Bloomberg before him see's drivers as a nuisance. deBlasio views people who own or lease cars as rich who need to be punished.
Myself personally I tend to er on the side of caution and let people cross if possible.
Agreed. But conversely, when pedestrians are clearly not at fault and they had the right of way (with the walk symbol) the driver should be liable unless there are additional circumstances. Surely a competent driver paying attention should be able to yield to a pedestrian with the right of way?
Even if they have the green and the right of way doesn't mean they can just merrily walk into the street. You still have to look both ways.
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