Have you notice how the general opinion is that people getting hit by cars somehow deserved it? My best friend was hit by a text-and-drive kindof woman. He was an athlete and now he can’t walk more than a few hundred meters.

  • Fallenwout@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    My policy is: if you are weaker, you have to be extra carefull and give way to the others.

    Usually in this order: pedestrian < bicycle < motorcycle < car < truck

    This has served me well. No reason to risk your life in competing even if you are in the right. Being in the right serves you nothing when you’re dead.

    • Moneo@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Yes, everyone should take precautions to keep themselves safe. Everyone should also advocate for safer roads and stiff penalties for vehicular violence.

    • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      You must always exercise safety and pragmatism, but that doesn’t mean that the “stronger” vehicle deserves the right of way more. I’d argue that the more dangerous the vehicle is, the greater the obligation to operate it with care and due regard for others.

      • Leeker@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        I mean I’m pretty sure this is exactly why trucks over a certain tonnage require and additional license to operate. At least here in the US they do. I’m sure many other countries have something similar.

    • wildcherry@slrpnk.netOP
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      10 months ago

      I mean, it makes sense from a self-preservation point of view. Too many are upholding this exact policy while driving though, which is what I’m pointing out. One could argue that the heavier / more dangerous you are, the more careful you want to be as well.

    • w2tpmf@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Being in the right serves you nothing when you’re dead.

      My Dad taught me this concept at a young. He called it being “dead right”.

      Yes you’re right, yes they’re in the wrong. You’re still dead.

      So don’t worry about other people doing it right, worry about yourself and your own safety.

    • ZC3rr0r@lemmy.ca
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      10 months ago

      “I had the right of way” makes a terrible headstone slogan.

      • wildcherry@slrpnk.netOP
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        10 months ago

        What about “I almost run over a cyclist so he attacked me with a hammer?”. One can only be so tolerant toward the constant threat of vehicular assault.

        Hell I almost got ran over by some bitch a couple of days ago while walking on the sidewalk.

        • ZC3rr0r@lemmy.ca
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          10 months ago

          I’m not saying or suggesting that it’s a pedestrian, cyclist, driver, or anyone else’s sole responsibility to stay safe. In fact, I strongly believe the “stronger” party has an outsized responsibility to make sure they act safely and not endanger other road users.

          All I’m advocating for is for all participants to be vigilant and not assume right of way will be honored by the other party.

          Ultimately, only you can keep you safe. Don’t assume anyone is flawless. Regardless of where you are driving a car, walking, cycling, etc. people can and will make mistakes, miss something, or forget to check.

          • wildcherry@slrpnk.netOP
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            10 months ago

            Of course. I am not disputing it. What I’m pointing out (and tbh I found it especially pernicious where I live, I did not have the same feeling in Canada or Ireland or France outside of big cities - in those places, yes infrastructure can be better, but people are actually nice on the wheel), is that dangerous behavior are normalized for cardrivers. And I would not equate dangerous behavior of a pedestrian with one of a car. In the first case, I’m only endangering myself. It’s not smart and of course people should be careful. But it’s not the same as drunk driving, for example.

            Like a few days ago I was walking on the sidewalk. Some seeyouhaynetee just backdrove into me from her parking. And it’s not an isolated incident, it’s common occurrence. ALL the cardrivers in my family are taking the wheel drunk. Its normal here.

            • ZC3rr0r@lemmy.ca
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              10 months ago

              I think what is considered acceptable strongly depends on where you live to be honest. Driving while druk (a felony offense in most places) is extremely frowned upon by the general public. At least, it is where I live.

              Although I do get where you are coming from in terms of other behaviors, there’s a reason traffic violations are the most ticketed offenses in just about any country.

    • EvacuateSoul@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      In the ocean, this is called the law of gross tonnage. Don’t count on the tanker yielding to your sailboat.

      • wildcherry@slrpnk.netOP
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        10 months ago

        The ocean is big. How do I exercise caution when some bitch is tailing me on my bike? If I fall I die. If I side, they pass you leaving the size of an apple as security. Quit your victim blaming lmao. Ocean tankers takes half an hour to take another direction, your cars takes 1 seconds. False equivalency.

        • EvacuateSoul@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          I agree, and I’ve been run off the road on my bike too. I didn’t make up the thing people say. I’m not even a mariner.