ChrisB

Last night I was reversing out of our drive at home.

Have to cross the pavement like most drives, so need to check for pedestrians etc. Now visability over your right shoulder is severely restricted as the neighbours front garden has some big bushes in it. Same neighbours also had visitors who had parked their car 50% on the pavement.

So... I creep down the drive fairly slowely whilst assesing the situation.

What scared me last night was I reached the pavement, a young lad on a push bike went belting past on the pavement. No way of seeing him because of the bushes and car. I reckon another metre or two and he'd had either gone in the side of me or I'd have clipped him as he went past.

Would it be my fault even though he was riding on the pavement?

The Crushinator

I would guess, Yes, it would be the drivers fault! I usually reverse into the driveway, it makes it a tad easier to get back out again

Brendan Hughes

You're not allowed to ride a pushbike on a pavement, especially past a certain age (10-12ish). My son did his Cycling Proficiency test two years ago, it was made very clear.

But you would be at fault as you have a fast car so we know you were speeding

MarkO

According to the Traffic Officer on the UKTL list (JP, ChrisB), reversing onto a public highway is actually technically illegal!

chuckster

Sorry but you were driving without due care and attention. Mines a pint on the 3rd August.
Chuck

skiddusmarkus

It's much easier to reverse onto your drive and not have to worry about **** letting you out and as already mentioned if it's a main road is a definite no-no in highway code.
I think it's about 12 for the maximum age for you riding on the pavement but if you hit someone and they were older no doubt you'd still get the blame...unless you nicked their bike,beat them up,took their keys and robbed their house.Then you'd get off scot free.

boomer

MarkO,

"According to the Traffic Officer on the UKTL list (JP, ChrisB), reversing onto a public highway is actually technically illegal!"

I disagreee!

According to the Highway Code, rule 177, "Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can". Note the lack of the words "YOU MUST NOT", thus it is advice, and not law.

Similarly, rule 15 says "Reversing vehicles. Never cross behind a vehicle which is reversing, showing white reversing lights or sounding a warning", so the kid on the bike should (but not MUST) have been careful.

However, rule 54 states that "You MUST NOT" - cycle on a pavement, according to "Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A sect 129"!!

Not many GATSOs on the pavement though

mb

jasey

Your fault and you would probably get banned / jailed. If on the other hand you where to follow him home and car jack his dad's car and run him over while making good your escape it would obviously be his dad's fault for making it so easy for you to nick his car [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Little Miss WRX

You know it wouldn't happen Chris, the Miss Daisy driving you do...........the cyclist would have died waiting for you to hit him

BuRR

he Highway Code isn't law...... its commonly accepted as best practice.

boomer

BuRR,

...but the "YOU MUST"s etc. refer (explicitly) to actual law, the rest, as you say, may be used as "evidence" in a prosecution.

mb

Katana

If you reverse fast enough and kill the cyclist, you can accidently kill him and put him in your boot. I think the crematorium only charges a few hundred quid for their service. Best thin is, you'll still have a clean license at the end of the day.

ChrisB

LOL, you fools

Pint of Vodka Chuck?

SWRTWannabe

Chris

The more time you spend crossing the pavement, then statistically the more chance there is of you having an accident on the pavement.

So, rev it up reverse out of your drive like there's no tomorrow