When you are a pedestrian do you feel you don't have to pay attention to traffic, because it's the drivers job to look out for you?

You would think with distracted driving becoming such an epidemic pedestrians would clue in but I guess distracted walking is just as bad.

Good gad no, I was taught from a young age to look left, look right & look left again.
The Green Cross Code Man (Dave Prowse, the bloke who played Darth Vader) educated kids by way of a tv ad campaign & this was burned into our minds, which is better than a car exhaust achieving the same thing.

It’s God’s job to look after me. I’m a practicing apatheist.

I know people who think exactly that. Younger kids, especially. There is too much idiotic talk of “I know mah rights and screw you,” on social media, to the point they’ve lost common sense.
I practice my old school manners. If a car is coming, I wait until they stop and wave me through, and 99% of the time they do. I throw a wave of thanks before I cross in front of them. You’d be an idiot to do otherwise.

It may ultimately be the driver’s responsibility but that’s not going to do you a lot of good if you’re daid.

No. As a human being, I feel I must not only drive defensively, I must live defensively in every aspect of my life. Too many idiots around to do otherwise!

I know what ya mean @Dutchess_III I have been with people with the attitude if they hit me it’s their fault type thing, fat lot of good that will do ya if you’re crippled or dead.

I care about my own life and detest the idea of having to have an accident that will leave you permaneny disabled, so no, it’s also my responsibility, a responsibility toward my own life. People can freely walk in to traffic under the idea that if you crush someone you’ll have to be responsible for the person, even if the pedestrian is careless or breaking the rules, because you can stop your vehicle and there’s no way you can’t do that unless you are already going fast in the first place, and that going fast usually already breaking the rules.

Hell no. They’re not the one that’s gonna be dead in a collision between me and them. I’d go so far as to say I’m a little overly paranoid crossing the street. I don’t belong in a city this big.

I dunno, are smartphones involved?

I dunno @Darth_Algar if they are does that make the driver or the walker exempt?

Heck no, some truck driver would plow me down!

I had a gal I went to high school with post an outraged post about someone not stopping for her in the parking lot. “The last I heard pedestrians have the right of way!” It was unreal. If a person is old enough to drive, they KNOW how distracting things can be for a driver, especially in a parking lot. I would not assume they saw me, #1.

@SQUEEKY2

If the pedestrian is on a smartphone then it’s the driver’s obligation to look for for the pedestrian.

^^^^ Wait…what?

Really @Darth_Algar then if the driver is on a smart phone is it the pedestrians job to look out for the car?
And what if both are on the phone?

I don’t think he was serious.

I’m usually playing Angry Birds on my smartphone, so drivers and especially truckies, should be cautious when I’m around.

It’s rather amazing to witness the casual neglect people can have when stepping off a curb. I’ve been considering a dash cam simply to record the apparent pedestrian suicide attempts in this city. Driving through parts of this town now requires skills honed in the days of my alleged addiction to video games.

I gave this a good question because I think of it all the time when I drive in to work in the big city that I work in. Pedestrians stroll out into the street and they take their time crossing. I’m more conscientious when I’m a pedestrian. Maybe it was the way I was taught: Look both ways before crossing the street.

Like my own haughty sense of superiority is going to save me from sucking Jell-O from a straw in some windowless hospital basement.

No. I watch everything.

I’d be dead long ago if I didn’t pay attention.

No! Who cares if you had the right of way if you’re dead. I was taught you don’t walk in front of a car unless you know the driver saw you.

Always assume that they would run you over intentionally.
Motorists can not be trusted.

A woman did this to me. Walked right in front of my car while staring at here phone. I slammed on the brakes and honked the horn at her.

She looks up, annoyed, and yells, “What?! I’m on a fucking call!” — and keeps walking.

^^I saw on TV a few days ago that car accidents involving pedestrians is way up. I don’t know if it was for my local area, state, or the country. They blamed it partly on people texting and being on the phone while walking.

Where I live it’s a golf cart community, and cars have the right of way. The golf carts still go right into traffic like cars don’t exist on the road. It’s scary. And, stupid.