# It's your life, but what about the poor person who hits and kills you??? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459 "2011-05-27T18:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/21 "2011-05-30T07:03:28Z")
> [@StuffLikeThatThere](#): > > There is one sect, however, that is forbidden to have any reflective tape or other adornment on their buggies. Sometimes they have an oil lamp swinging from one front corner of the buggy, which does very little to notify you if you’re approaching from behind. They maintain that “adorning” the buggy with reflective tape is against their religion, and that they are risking only themselves, because they would never sue if anyone was killed. Fine. They can walk then. There’s no religious requirement to use a buggy instead of walking. The horse and buggy is to be used instead of them driving a motorized vehicle. And there’s always the possibility that members of that sect have family members who are not of the same religious persuasion and who might be more than happy to sue. I went to [this nifty site (_ **WARNING: PDF** _) about safely driving a buggy in Pennsylvania](http://www.drivesafepa.org/Resources/Amish%20Horse%20and%20Buggy%20Manual.pdf) and found this tidbit on page 14: > [@](#): > > Pennsylvania state law requires that four-way flashers be used on all horse drawn buggies for nighttime driving. This means that a flashing amber (yellow) light must be visible from the front of the buggy and a flashing red light from the rear of the buggy. It is advisable to also use these flashers in poor visibility conditions such as rain, fog, sleet, snow, etc. From the same link, on page 15, is another bit of good gouge: > [@](#): > > There is probably nothing you can do that will better warn the driver of a fast approaching car than to have a slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblem or fanny flag on the back of your buggy. These emblems, however, have a tendency to fade or break and should be replaced from time to time. They are not expensive and are very easy to replace. **The SMV emblem is required by state law to be displayed from 2-6 feet off the ground on the back of any vehicle traveling less than 25 MPH.** None of this is new. I remember it all from my year living in Carlisle oh so long ago. ---
**Author:** ![kjbrasda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/74df32/32.png) [@kjbrasda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjbrasda)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/22 "2011-06-01T04:33:34Z")
We had a kid near here hit by a car and killed iirc when he was snowboarding down his driveway into the road, on a blind curve. I heard many people say they’d almost hit this kid or his siblings many, many times as they rode their snoboards, sleds, bikes or just ran out into the road apparently playing chicken. It still didn’t stop the authorities from coming down hard on the guy in the car, as apparently he had been smoking pot the night before (not sure how they found out, he was not high at the time of the accident.) Now, sure, marijuana is illegal here and the law says he deserves punishment for using, but they made sure to tie it to the accident charges \>\_\< ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/23 "2011-06-01T05:13:15Z")
Have you notice that windshield washer fluid doesn’t work on blood? I am SO tired of having to carry bleach around in the summer for my windows. And I’ve lost track of how many radiators I’ve gotten bone fragment punctures in. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/24 "2011-06-01T14:16:02Z")
You think runners, on the road are annoying? Where I live, (and we have especially narrow streets, causing city buses to require two lanes to turn), there are disabled people, on those scooters, who prefer the road to the ramped sidewalks and don’t even go facing the traffic or make any attempt to stay to the side. It’s not as bumpy, I realize, and they can reach top speed, no pedestrians or Mom’s with baby carriages, but you gotta know that every driver is thinking to themselves, “Why am I not surprised that this person is disabled? Maybe they have a death wish?” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/25 "2011-06-01T14:26:23Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > They can walk then. There’s no religious requirement to use a buggy instead of walking. The horse and buggy is to be used instead of them driving a motorized vehicle. In fairness, there are plenty of roads where it is essentially unsafe to travel by any means other than motorized vehicles, including walking. Everybody pays for the roads; everybody should have the safe use of them, or of alternate public paths. We ought to be building roads with separate lanes for different classes of wheeled vehicles, plus pedestrian-only paths, or else overlapping networks of paths for non-motorized travel. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/26 "2011-06-01T14:34:48Z")
They can use the roads, if they follow the rules of the roads. I’m sure these roads have paved and unpaved land to the sides that humans can negotiate on foot. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/27 "2011-06-01T14:38:21Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m sure these roads have paved and unpaved land to the sides that humans can negotiate on foot. Many roads really don’t. With absent shoulders, steep banks, fences and overgrown vegetation, there are many public roads that are literally unsafe to travel by any means other than motorized vehicles (and motorized vehicles above a certain speed, at that). ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/28 "2011-06-01T14:41:29Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > Someone needs to buy her a freaking treadmill. Great. Now everyone will have to swerve around her freaking treadmill. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/29 "2011-06-01T14:49:41Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Many roads really don’t. With absent shoulders, steep banks, fences and overgrown vegetation, there are many public roads that are literally unsafe to travel by any means other than motorized vehicles (and motorized vehicles above a certain speed, at that). Fine, and those vehicles don’t include unlit horse wagons. My point is that some Amish are driving unsafe, illegal vehicles on the roads, and apparently getting a pass. It’s unfortunate there aren’t paths and options for everyone on every road, but they need to stay off the ones they can’t operate on legally. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/30 "2011-06-01T18:30:38Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > … > Sure, she was going in the direction facing traffic, which we’ve all been told is safer because you can see what’s coming at you and get out of the way. No, you’re supposed to go WITH traffic, right? Sure, I’m certain that’s right and there will be no disagreement now that I’ve cleared that up. Seriously though, WITH traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/31 "2011-06-01T18:40:37Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Posted speed limit is 35, which is taken as more of a joke than a law. > > . . . > > Presumably, the road builders assumed that walkers could, yanno, use the SIDEWALK. I bet they also assumed that drivers would take the posted speed limit as a binding regulation, not as a joke. In other words, it doesn’t sound like it’s the pedestrians who are rendering this arterial through “a very populous subdivision” so perilous. Maybe it’s time to start writing some citations. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/32 "2011-06-01T20:32:19Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > No, you’re supposed to go WITH traffic, right? Sure, I’m certain that’s right and there will be no disagreement now that I’ve cleared that up. > > Seriously though, WITH traffic. Walking or running – against traffic Vehicle (powered or unpowered) – with traffic ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/33 "2011-06-01T21:58:33Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s your life, but what about the poor person who hits and kills you??? That’s one of the many “costs” of driving a car. If you don’t want to face it, don’t drive. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/34 "2011-06-01T23:08:27Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > No, you’re supposed to go WITH traffic, right? Sure, I’m certain that’s right and there will be no disagreement now that I’ve cleared that up. > > Seriously though, WITH traffic. > [@JeffB](#): > > Walking or running – against traffic But if there’s a sidewalk on either side – on the sidewalk, whether it’s with or against traffic ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/35 "2011-06-02T14:02:10Z")
I tried to let this go, but I just can’t, dammit. Someone explain to me why walking against traffic is any safer than riding a bike against traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/36 "2011-06-02T14:07:59Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I tried to let this go, but I just can’t, dammit. > > Someone explain to me why walking against traffic is any safer than riding a bike against traffic. Walking against traffic, if you see than an oncoming car is about to hit you, you can jump to the side of the road. That’s not so easy riding a bike, and in addition, as a bike rider, you have a duty to avoid colliding with pedestrians. They won’t see (or hear) you coming if you ride up behind them on the same side of the road. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/37 "2011-06-02T14:16:13Z")
I’ll give you one practical answer, and one more legal theoretical answer. If you’re on foot and a car is approaching, you can step up onto the curb very quickly to avoid it. The same is not true of a bicycle. It’s too cumbersome to get out of the way quickly. especially in cities where there are raised curbs more often than not. Also, a bicycle is a vehicle. It is a lot easier for the lawmaker types to deal with classes of things – laws for pedestrians, and laws for vehicles. It doesn’t make w hole lot of sense to legislate a bicycle as if it were a pedestrian, or a pedestrian as if it were a vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/38 "2011-06-02T14:47:32Z")
Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/39 "2011-06-02T16:58:28Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But if there’s a sidewalk on either side – on the sidewalk, whether it’s with or against traffic And on the sidewalk, walk on the right and pass on the left. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459/40 "2011-06-02T17:15:53Z")
In England too? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-your-life-but-what-about-the-poor-person-who-hits-and-kills-you/583459.md?page=3)