Human Traffic Hazard

No sign is required… it’s a residential area, not a motorway… expect the unexpected at all times!

In any close call on the road, both parties are likely to walk/drive away furious about their encounter with the “idiot” who nearly crashed into them. Hence 95% of drivers believe they’re better drivers than everyone else.

However in any close call, it’s extremely rare that any party involved can be let off completely scot-free…

Had the white Patrol just come around a corner from the nearby intersection prior to the close call? If so, the patrol driver is legally required to stop and give way to the pedestrian if the pedestrian was already crossing the street. Road Rules 72 and 73.

Was the ‘confused’ pedestrian on the road for a significant amount of time? Did the patrol driver continue at the same speed towards the pedestrian without slowing down, hence turning creating the above close call?

Did the pedestrian literally sprint out onto the road from nowhere? Or was he/she casually walking towards the road and not stop? If it was the latter, why did the driver of the patrol not slow down the instant they saw the pedestrian walking towards the road just in case something unexpected happened?

Was the patrol driver on the phone? Tending to children in the back seat? Playing with the radio? Unlicenced? Under the influence? Driving an unregistered vehicle? Probably not, but not impossible either.

We need more information before we agree with your stance that the pedestrian is completely at fault.

troll-sniffer said :

Never forget as you drive down life’s roads, it is incumbent on motorists to be able to avoid unexpected situations such as you describe.

Yep. Canberra motorists seem to forget that one. Just because a dreaded pedestrian is on THEIR road, doesn’t mean they are allowed to hit them.

troll-sniffer said :

There may well be an expectation that the road ahead is clear for your ‘right’ of passage but that must always be balanced by constant vigilance for the unexpected.

Something like THIS?

Never forget as you drive down life’s roads, it is incumbent on motorists to be able to avoid unexpected situations such as you describe. There may well be an expectation that the road ahead is clear for your ‘right’ of passage but that must always be balanced by constant vigilance for the unexpected.

Sure, the pedestrian you saw might well have been wrong to have been where he was but with the visibility available in all directions, an occurrence like you report should not have needed expert driving to avoid, the situation should have been visible to an alert driver way before evasive action was required.

Just sayin’ ya know…

BenMac said :

Something like THIS?

That is perfect! Spot on. Some of them dont’ need meth and the like to get like that though. And I think Meth-o is more their style.

RedDogInCan said :

http://expressway.paulrands.com/oldsite/photogallery/signs/general/warning/images/elderlyX_a.jpg

HUNTING SEASON OPEN

peterepete said :

EvanJames said :

Most Canberrans don’t even know about Ainslie Village, or its inhabitants. They really need to build a decent fence though.

Yes I was thinking less of a sign with elderly and more a sign with some other image

Something like THIS?

EvanJames said :

Most Canberrans don’t even know about Ainslie Village, or its inhabitants. They really need to build a decent fence though.

Yes I was thinking less of a sign with elderly and more a sign with some other image

Most Canberrans don’t even know about Ainslie Village, or its inhabitants. They really need to build a decent fence though.

Unless there is specifically a retirement home nearby I doubt if the govt or other authority will put up a sign as in RedDogInCan’s link,