So who’s fault......

[bruce1530]

Just saw an interesting incident. Fortunately nobody hurt.


Old bloke cycling through town. Helmet, hiviz, not going fast. Roads quiet, but lots of parked cars.

A couple of younger guys, in high spirits - might have had a beer or two - larking about on the pavement. Young guys don’t see the old guy coming, and step out onto the road.

Old guy collides with one of the younger guys.


Nobody hurt, apologies all round, everyone goes on their way.

Who was at fault?

Sounds pretty clear cut, doesn’t it.


But I omitted to mention that the old guy was going the wrong way up a one-way street, and didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with that.

 

[Drago]

Both parties.

Next question

 

[screenman]

Cyclist every time, you just ask any motorist.

 

[bruce1530]

What sort of beer?

The kind that makes you sing.

 

[Drago]

Choirboy beer?

 

[bruce1530]

Both parties.

Even if the pedestrians had looked in the direction that the vehicles were supposed to have come from?

 

[Dayvo]

I hope the beer wasn't spilt!

The old geezer was at fault - you don't need to look the 'wrong' way for a bike that shouldn't be there, IMO.

 

[Drago]

Even if the pedestrians had looked in the direction that the vehicles were supposed to have come from?

That was never stated in the scenario.

 

[jefmcg]

The cyclist. You (at the very least) if coming from an unexpected direction have a duty to look out for other road users who might reasonably not expect you to be coming from that direction.

Plus he was breaking the law.

 

[bruce1530]

That was never stated in the scenario.

It was also not not stated.... if that makes sense? I just said that the pedestrians hadn’t seen the old guy coming. I didn’t actually notice whether they looked back along the road.....

 

[jefmcg]

Even if the pedestrians had looked in the direction that the vehicles were supposed to have come from?

Well, yes, they might have stepped out in front of him even if he was riding in the right direction, sober road users do that all the time. But he was riding illegally, so he's in the wrong.

 

[bruce1530]

The kind that makes you sing.

... as opposed to the kind that makes you say “who the **** are you looking at”...

 

[Drago]

It was also not not stated.... if that makes sense? .

No, it makes no sense.

You describe some oiled up lads stepping into a road and make no mention of them looking, then ask a question about 'fault'.

Legally the cyclist may be at fault. Morally, you shouldn't be so beer'd up that you needlessly endanger yourself (or endanger others if the cyclist had been going in the correct direction.)

 

[bruce1530]

I just stated what I saw. I don’t know for sure if the guys looked or not. I don’t know for sure if they had been drinking - all I know is that they were on the pavement, being a bit noisy, maybe a bit rowdy, moved onto the road, got hit by a bike going the wrong way.

Nobody hurt.

 

[bruce1530]

My feeling, as a bystander, was that there was probably blame on both sides - was just wondering what others thought.