Saw someone get run over today.

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Saw someone get run over today.

About 12 years ago, a young child, probably about 8 years old, engrossed with his gameboy , or similar, walked straight off the pavement on his way home from school, on a very busy road (campbell rd, by the old stoke city ground), straight into my path. I could not avoid him. Luckily for him, I had chosen to cycle to work that day, it hurt me more than him. Best of it was that his mother was the other side of the road, shouted and screamed at me for hitting her child. Firstly, I was in pain, the bars had gone into my groin and chest, secondly why the hell didn't she collect him from school and cross the very busy road with him, it is less than 100 yards. Thankfully for him, I was on my bike, my car at the time was a cavalier V6, I wouldnt have been speeding (never do in built up areas), but as I had a reasonably quick car, I would have assumed to have been speeding.......

I had a go at the lad's mother about her irresponsibility/laziness, all I got was a mouth of abuse......
 
About 12 years ago, a young child, probably about 8 years old, engrossed with his gameboy , or similar, walked straight off the pavement on his way home from school, on a very busy road (campbell rd, by the old stoke city ground), straight into my path. I could not avoid him. Luckily for him, I had chosen to cycle to work that day, it hurt me more than him. Best of it was that his mother was the other side of the road, shouted and screamed at me for hitting her child. Firstly, I was in pain, the bars had gone into my groin and chest, secondly why the hell didn't she collect him from school and cross the very busy road with him, it is less than 100 yards. Thankfully for him, I was on my bike, my car at the time was a cavalier V6, I wouldnt have been speeding (never do in built up areas), but as I had a reasonably quick car, I would have assumed to have been speeding.......

I had a go at the lad's mother about her irresponsibility/laziness, all I got was a mouth of abuse......

Unfortunatly the mother is always right in these cases even in court.... Mothers like that need shot IMO. My Daughters 5 and is very sensible for her age but would I hell let her cross any type of road on her own! :eek:
 
Some years ago a friend was driving along a dual carriageway through town (barriers either side of the roads and along the central reservation. some drunk had scaled the barriers and crossed one pair of carriageways & was now standing with his back to the central barrier, holding on behind him.
My mate saw this idiot & slowed from 30 to about 20 (as attested by the driver following). Despite the huge gap ahead, the idiot waited until my mate was on him before falling onto the bonnet & screen of my mate's car.
My mate couldn't even avoid by moving over to the left as there was traffic in that lane.
Defense reckoned the guy was a well-known local drunk & had performed a scam known as 'the flop'.
Police said the driver should take responsibility - be aware of dangers etc etc.
The drunk got shedloads of compo, my mate got a ban and a heavy fine.
The drunk's family then started this campaign of abuse, sending xmas cards "hope you have a happy XMAS because we never will again after what you did"
My mate ended up moving away.
To this day, my mate has nightmares, seeing this idiot's face splattering on the windscreen.

Perhaps it's time we adopted the laws of jaywalking? pedestrians only crossing at set points, anywhere else & they are fined?

Just to add, when I was a lad, I was in the tufty club and growing up we were always made aware of the dangers of roads - SPLINK, Green cross code, when you go out at night, always wear something white/bright, etc.
I cannot remember the last time I saw any road safety ads on telly and yet the roads are far more dangerous & pedestrians are now engrossed in ipods/music devices/texting/phone calls/mobile gaming/reading...
So why did we have road dangers rammed down our throats when we had minimal distractions & a fraction of the traffic?
 
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I unfortunately have had an accident where I hit a child :(, it was some 30 years ago but things like that never get forgotten.
I was riding a motorcycle near Orpington in Kent when a lad ran out from a bus queue, he was there before I could react :( (I will stress I was NOT speeding)
He bounced off the bike which I brought to quick stop (it was still on it's wheels)
He was shaken, and taken away by an ambulance.
His parents apologised for his actions, they didn't normally let him out on his own to cross the main road, and witnesses all said I had no chance to take emergency action.
Once grilled by the local police I had an awful 50 journey home.
The lad turned out to be not too badly hurt, but I carry the burden of the memories even until this day :(
I try not to speed through towns, I don't think you need to ask why


Trev
 
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