Yes, absolutely, pedestrians have the right of way. But, pedestrians also need situational awareness when they are in the same vicinity as cars and trucks. Right of Way doesn’t do anything if some asshat driver isn’t paying attention and clips the pedestrian and/or kills them.
Edit: I am absolutely not defending the guy in the tweet. Pedestrians aren’t menaces.
Pedestrians don’t always have the right of way, but the majority of drivers don’t want to kill pedestrians, and so most will still yield… Isn’t that why jaywalking is a crime in the US?
Sweden law says that cars are required to stop for people at the zebra crossings (övergångsställe), but at passageways without zebra (gångpassage example) it’s the pedestrians who shall yield to cars. Basically, a passageway is to be considered as a part of the roadway (you’re not supposed to run out into traffic), whereas a zebra crossing is a legal extension of the sidewalks (cars supposed to yield to people on sidewalks).
However, way too many pedestrians don’t understand the difference. In practical terms it shouldn’t make a huge difference, because you should always reduce your speed and be alert when nearing any kinds of crossings, and we usually have speed bumps directly before many passages… but still.
If someone collides with you at a zebra walk, they’re almost always losing their license, and maybe a couple years in prison if you got badly injured. But if you walk out into a non-zebra passage and a car doesn’t see you in time, you can actually get fined if the police are feeling cheeky, as you didn’t yield to the car/your behavior thus caused the accident.
So no, pedestrians are definitely not menaces. But if we want to continue to reduce traffic injuries, it’d be nice if both groups were a bit more concentrated and respectful.
Yes, defensive driving (and I guess walking now) is a thing. Driver’s Ed instructor said that you’re just as dead in a fatal crash if you had the right of way as if you didn’t.
All that said it is incumbent on the driver, not the walker, to be sure they’re not hitting anyone.
Yes, absolutely, pedestrians have the right of way. But, pedestrians also need situational awareness when they are in the same vicinity as cars and trucks. Right of Way doesn’t do anything if some asshat driver isn’t paying attention and clips the pedestrian and/or kills them.
Edit: I am absolutely not defending the guy in the tweet. Pedestrians aren’t menaces.
I saw a comment the other day that was like “You can be right but you still get the wheelchair”.
Also , if you want to murder someone, hit them with your car. Good odds you won’t even be charged with a crime.
Pedestrians don’t always have the right of way, but the majority of drivers don’t want to kill pedestrians, and so most will still yield… Isn’t that why jaywalking is a crime in the US?
Sweden law says that cars are required to stop for people at the zebra crossings (övergångsställe), but at passageways without zebra (gångpassage example) it’s the pedestrians who shall yield to cars. Basically, a passageway is to be considered as a part of the roadway (you’re not supposed to run out into traffic), whereas a zebra crossing is a legal extension of the sidewalks (cars supposed to yield to people on sidewalks).
However, way too many pedestrians don’t understand the difference. In practical terms it shouldn’t make a huge difference, because you should always reduce your speed and be alert when nearing any kinds of crossings, and we usually have speed bumps directly before many passages… but still.
If someone collides with you at a zebra walk, they’re almost always losing their license, and maybe a couple years in prison if you got badly injured. But if you walk out into a non-zebra passage and a car doesn’t see you in time, you can actually get fined if the police are feeling cheeky, as you didn’t yield to the car/your behavior thus caused the accident.
So no, pedestrians are definitely not menaces. But if we want to continue to reduce traffic injuries, it’d be nice if both groups were a bit more concentrated and respectful.
Yes, defensive driving (and I guess walking now) is a thing. Driver’s Ed instructor said that you’re just as dead in a fatal crash if you had the right of way as if you didn’t.
All that said it is incumbent on the driver, not the walker, to be sure they’re not hitting anyone.