Have you ever hit a pedestrian and what was the psychological effect on you?

No, although I knew someone who hit and killed a pedestrian. I always wondered what he thought about it. I saw no external evidence of psychological disturbance.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

i came close once.

i was at a busy street intersection. it was a right turn i was making, and i could legally do it on red after clearing traffic. i pulled up, stopped and began to creep forward to clear traffic. suddently a bicyclist ran into my right front fender. he was whizzing along on the sidewalk (which is illegal) and assumed i would just sit there til the light turned green i guess and was going to go in front of me. when i crept forward he couldn't stop quick enough.

i had cleared traffic for pedestrians but was not expecting a 20 mph biker.

i was pissed. he dented my fender in.

but he was unhurt and the dent was easy to push out from the inside.

i have hit large and small dogs before, cats, squirrels and deer. the dogs and squirrell bothered me the most. the sound is sickening. whenever i am tempted to speed through areas where kids especially might walk or run out i just imagine the sound of bone being crushed by my car and i slow right down!

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I don't see how psychological disturbance would be avoidable.

It would be a rare occurrence where the driver doesn't bear some responsibility for the accident.

And, it would be an even more rare occurrence where the driver doesn't believe that he bears some responsibility for the accident.

I agree. That's why I was so curious as to what was going on inside his head. He was a man totally convinced that everything that happened in life was part of a divine plan especially designed for each person. I wonder if that had any effect??

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Well then god hit the pedestrian didn't he?

I hit a few on a bicycle over the years.
How I felt about each one depended on how much at fault I felt. A mixed bag.

__________________
-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831799&postcount=13
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831807&postcount=14

Did you hit someone? How are you feeling?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I once had a drunk on a bicycle swerve off the sidewalk and into the side of my car as I was passing by. I'll never forget his face implant on my passenger side window. Scared the hell out of me. I pulled over immediately. He was bleeding from his face all over the place. I told him I would call the cops and he begged me not to bother, that he was fine. I gave him some paper towels for the blood and ask him twice if there was anything I could do. He said forget it. I took off like a bat outta hell never to see him again. No damage to me, but I was a bit paranoid about getting sued for something I had no control over. I got over it in a week or so.

__________________
Question Authority before it Questions you.

here in lafayette a couple of months ago a fellow who was impaired (i cannot remember if drugs alcohol or some medical condition) got off the bus and as the driver pulled away fell under the rear wheels and was crushed pretty comprehensively. dead.

no charges were placed against the driver. the fellow according to witnesses had gotten off the bus and was standing there normally until the bus started to pull away.

i imagine the driver must have an awful image of the bus climbing over the guy's body.

shuuuddddeerrrrr!

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

About five years ago in early spring, I was on my way to work at about 6 a.m., so it was still dark. I came up behind a Corolla that was turning right at a green light (two-lane streets both ways) just as a 20-something female jogger was approaching the intersection from the right on the far-side sidewalk. I only had to lift off the throttle a bit to clear the turning Corolla and was doing about 30 mph as I entered the intersection at the same time the jogger did while still keeping her pace up. I saw her come off the curb and had little time to react, but was able to move over about 1/2 lane as I saw her rear backwards in horror as we connected. SMACK! I saw her hit the ground after I passed and I stopped immediately, but she got up and hurried away while holding her hand. Evidently, the noise had been her hand slapping the folding mirror up against the passenger window. The only damage to my car was to the paint on the mirror. I expect her hand got severely bruised, if not broken. As to the psychological impact on me, I had some good adrenaline going afterwards, but I have no worries or guilt about the incident.

Thankfully, this happened while I was driving my BMW 535i and there were no oncoming cars -- I would not have maneuvered abruptly like that if there had been oncoming cars or I'd been in my 300td (which I didn't have then anyhow). I used to have a Class C motorhome and made the decision that I would not have any realistic chance to avoid anything in that behemoth and my only choice would be to brake hard in a straight line, lest I roll it over on top of what I was trying to avoid.

One of my former squadron mates hit and severely injured a kid. In car vs. kid encounters, the driver seems to usually be considered at fault. However, the main factor that absolved him of responsibility was the fact that the police had been called twice that morning for kids playing "chicken" with cars -- and the kid who got hit was among those who'd already been admonished by the police. My buddy was sorry it happened, but he really didn't have any guilt about the incident because it wasn't his fault.

Just yesterday here in Atlanta, some dude was running from where he'd just stabbed a guy and thought jumping between the cab and barrel of a fully-loaded and moving cement truck was a good way to make a getaway. Well, he didn't quite make it and pretty much became a streak on the pavement. The driver of the truck hardly felt anything. (BTW, the stabbing victim survived).

I wasnt going 20mph, a jogging pace though.

It was in Athens OH (kinda small college town), outside of downtown limits, and I was in a crosswalk so the driver was "at fault" - almost same as above, she was turning right on red and didnt see me.

I don't know if she held a grudge against me - her insurance agent told me that she was very remorseful (she knocked me onto the ground braking my clavicle (?)) I definitely didnt hold a grudge against her - as an "overachieving" motorcycle rider , I ride (motorcycles and bicycles) as if I am the only one that can keep me from getting hit.

(this might not be accurate at all times, but, you gotta look out for yourself becuase no one else will - I failed to do that when the lady hit me). I consider the accident a failure on both parts. I feel bad that it went on her record (she was ticketed b/c of the crosswalk, other parts of the city it would have been my fault for riding a bike on a sidewalk (???)

-John

__________________
2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Never hit a pedestrian. Hit a motorcyclist who was doing 60 or 70 on a neighborhood street at dusk. I had a yield sigh, I see the headlight a block away (a short block but plenty far enough at normal speed) and then the guy totals my old Saab 96 and breaks both arms in the process.

The cop cited him for "deception" due to the high speed. Fortunately for me, 3 teenage kids saw the whole thing, and the motorcyclist even admitted to the cop that he was doing at least 60.

I felt kinda bad about it, but not that much. His insurance paid his medical and got me another Saab.

I am way burnt out on pedestrians just walking into crosswalks w/o even pausing or looking. I see it way too much. A couple of times, I've shouted "Didn't your mother teach you to look both ways before crossing the street?!?" Buncha brain-dead drones. Them white lines won't stop a car.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I almost hit a bicyclist a few times.. but knock on wood, none actually have been hit yet.

The problem with a lot of these bikers, is that they seem to think that they have the same rules as pedestrians. What they don't realize is a bicycle is technically a self-propelled *VEHICLE*, and are subject to the exact same laws. Meaning, if you drive on the wrong side of the road, run a red light, or just plain "don't look both ways before crossing"... you can easily get hit.

The one "close call" I had was when I was making a right-hand turn, as someone else said earlier. Same thing happened... I waited for the pedestrians to clear, and some guy on a bike tries to squeeze in at the last second. Problem? This is one of those veered-off "on-rampish" entrances to a road. The kind where there's a huge blind spot to your left. Part of me thinks it'd be kind of funny if I didn't hesitate, and he slammed into the side of my car. Too bad that in this modern day and age, people can sue for their own stupidity.

The lesson here? If you want to ride your bike... wear a helmet, give signals, and damnit... obey the rules of the road. If you think the fact that you have no motor exempts you from stopping at a red light / corner? Think again.

__________________
_______________________________
(Oo{=|=}oO) 1983 MB 300D USA, 212,000mi. 80's yellow/white. "Gunther"
(Oo{=|=}oO) 1984 MB 300D Euro, Turbo Added in Germany, 186,000mi [SOLD] Missing her dearly.
(Oo{=|=}oO) 1984 MB 300D USA Turbodiesel, 269,000mi. [SOLD]

When you see those clowns at UW Madison that cross the street irrespective of what is coming down, I can. Sorry, you are 200# and the car is 3000#. Physics say you lose. Car cannot manuever as easily as you. You need to watch out. You run in front of my car and I hit you, I would be wondering if they would total my car, how long it would take to fix and if you wrecked anything bad. Other than that, no guilt.

If you jump out in front of my car without giving me time to react, how is that my fault? You can detect me more easily than I can detect you driving in a car.

If I hit someone who was acting stupid, I wouldn't blame myself. I wouldn't believe that. A guy rammed my Excursion. He didn't yield. Think I feel bad about it? You bet. Considering my SUV was laid up for a month from the damage and his totaled and his rib cage hit badly, no insurance and DRUNK, I was hoping he would die and save us money. Think I bothered to help him out of his truck? Think I cared if he could not breath? Not a whit. His head was slumped over the wheel. Think it bothered me that he might choke? Nope. Kinda hoping he would. Unfortunately for me the wife had to tilt his head back.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow