I felt very very self satisfied and pleased yesterday..... Driving .....

[nauseous]

Nearly hit a car when reversing out my drive in me van. First time i'd ever driven in, not doing that again lol.

 

[conny]

In the car park? I think don't the pedestrians always have the right of way?

The most annoying is when you are reversing and people are just walking behind your car and it's your job to stop and let them pass. Anyone without reversing cameras and sensors will have fun!

25 years ago pedestrians had no rights in a supermarket car park. My present wife was walking back to her car with her then 3 year old daughter. The car park was icy and a car came round the corner behind my wife. A woman on foot who was approaching my wife suddenly stopped and screamed. Instinct caused my wife to push her daughter in between 2 parked cars and my wife took the full force of the car as it pinned her, face on, against another vehicle. She ended up with a broken spine and multiple cuts and bruising.
She was hospitalised for a number of weeks and told she would probably never walk again. She put in a claim against the driver but his insurance company said because it was not on the public highway they were not liable and to sue the supermarket for not clearing the ice. Supermarket denied liability because car driver was insured.
At the time my wife was married to a wealthy business man who shelled out many thousands in order to get her compensation. Finally her legal team advised dropping the case because they would just spend as much as they needed to in order to avoid liability. If they had admitted liability by paying out it would open the flood gates to many more claims and ultimately cost millions on future claims. The driver was not even prosecuted for driving with undue care and attention.
She defied the doctors and learnt to walk again and have a successful career but time catches up and these days she struggles to walk more than a couple of yards without assistance. Her spine in crumbling and the day will come when she will be confined to a wheelchair. Getting a pay out would not have stopped the inevitable but it may have helped to make her life more comfortable in her later years.
Maybe the law has changed these days and someone is accountable but I would rather not be in the position to find out.

 

[Ian H]

Anyone without reversing cameras and sensors will have fun!

My car has a reversing camera and an option for it to paralell park itself. The camera is great, it's shows any obstacles, but I wouldn't dare try the parking button!!

 

[Notch7]

Her spine in crumbling and the day will come when she will be confined to a wheelchair

Im sorry to hear that, but pleased to hear she managed to walk again.

Thank you for sharing, its a sobering thought the trauma some of us suffer in our lives.

 

[securespark]

Conny, every good wish to your other half.
You may find this interesting:
https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=63772

 

[securespark]

I disagree about turning round to look when reversing.
A lot more can be seen by using the mirrors - all three unless it's a van.
Or maybe I have just driven too many commercial vehicles.

Yes, I have driven many commercials, up to 7.5 ton. But I often did what the HC advise if you can't see when reversing...get out and check if anything is in your way.
I remember a trip to London, trying to reverse this 7.5 tonner into a delivery yard. Got out, checked the area behind - OK - got in started reversing "BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...."
Old dear walks behind me anyway. Gee that was close. One of those moments when you jam the air brakes on and the cab is rocking.

 

[conny]

Conny, every good wish to your other half.
You may find this interesting:
https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=63772

Thanks for the link SS but as it was so long ago when my wife was injured, (and I'm not rich like her ex LOL), that we couldn't afford to pursue it even if we wanted.