A pedestrian walking across the crosswalk on Clayton Road was more than a little upset when a driver in a Dodge Durango failed to yield. The SUV pictured above came within a few feet of the pedestrian, and in return, the pedestrian slapped the side of the SUV with his hand.
The SUV then stopped in the middle of the road for a few seconds, blocking traffic, before leaving the scene.
This is a good reminder to drive safe (especially in the rain), and always yield to pedestrians.
Thanks to “4Victor6″ for the images & the play-by-play of the events.
{ 76 comments }
more in San Francisco than in Claycord but the result is the same. Drivers get really mad at the pedestrian they almost killed.
I feel that if a car is close enough to the pedestrian for them to slap the car soundly, then the driver deserves the wake up. I really don’t care how much the driver may be upset.
There is no excuse for a car running over a pedestrian in a cross walk.
Please be careful. Especially in downtown Martinez. Please stop plowing through the crosswalks.
This isn’t pedestrian road-rage. It’s self-preservation. Road-rage is an inappropriate response to a rational event, this is completely appropriate. Breaking the driver’s window would be rage.
And don’t use the phone when you’re driving. Drive safe people!
I hope to see more CPD action when it comes to ticketing cars that fail to yield to peds. Time well spent. It will save lives.
And I bet the SUV was more pissed off that the driver called them on it than that they almost hit someone.
In case you didn’t know the pedestrian has the right of way. To bad a police officer wasn’t sitting there.
One of the worse cross walks is at the corner of Treat and Belair Drive.
My son has almost been hit crossing the street there numerous times.
One driver yelled at him that they didn’t see him how in the heck can you not see a 270 pound person. Drivers get your heads out of your butts!
I’ve smacked more cars than I can even country doing the same thing. I agree that isn’t pedestrian road rage. Road rage would be opening the drivers door, pulling the dumb son of a bitch out, and beating his ass in the cross walk. Just sayin’.
I make that turn all the time, it’s sad how often I see similar scenes week after week. People simply don’t look for people crossing from that side.
RB got it right. That wasn’t pedestrian road rage at all, and the driver was just upset that there idiocy was called out. No one can be told they are wrong without being offended these days, even if they almost took someone out with there big ol’ SUV.
A name like “4Victor6″ and a dash-cam with time & date stamps? Seems suspicious. Maybe LE was on the scene?
Got stuck, thru no fault of my own, in a downtown SF crosswalk once. Wasn’t moving (couldn’t). Dumb little hippie chick yelled at me, cursed at me and then punched my car as she walked behind it. Saw her then wincing and shaking her hand in pain. HA!
Too many drivers are not paying attention or just don’t care. One thing I see that is dangerous is how vehicles pull into crosss walk without looking first. Alot of cars stop inside the cross walk not behind the line. It’s rude and ridiculous. How hard is it to stop behind the line and if you’re turning, stop behind the line, check to see the cross walk is clear and then proceed to turn.
This isn’t road rage at all. This is a person standing up for their right of way. May e this needs to be re wOrded mr mayor
I am taking the opposite view. I can’t tell you how many times I have had a bicyclist zip in front of me – I am watching all cars on the road, looking for pedestrians, and of course the “right of way” bicyclists. At least motorcyclists know to look. They don’t assume that because they exist – I should be ABLE to see them. In their dark clothing, at night, in the rain, in the fog, in the setting sun. No, I haven’t hit anyone, but it scares the heck out of me when I realize that someone didn’t have the sense they were supposedly born with to realize that when car meets flesh – the car will win. Unfortunately. It’s like these parents who think because they put a sign in their window … child on board… I drive more carefully??? I don’t ever want to be in an accident. I don’t care if its my fault or not. I don’t want to hurt anyone – that is why I drive so carefully. But again, pedestrians – YOU are the one who is going to lose.
“concordcarlos” I agree, especially at Sutter and Clayton Rd. Rarely do people stop for pedestrians there. One day I was stopped to let a lady with a stroller cross. This guy came up behind me and layed on the horn. What the? People are soooooo stupid! Hope they can get a crossing light there.
It must be white out conditions; thats all I seeeeeee.
There are several crosswalks in the area where it is unsafe to walk across because either cars are going too fast and don’t notice pedestrians, or they fail to yield.
I try very hard to be law-abiding – I don’t cross on a red light, etc. – but I have learned it is much safer to cross mid-block when one can see no cars are coming than to cross at some of the crosswalks.
I would kick the car if I could. I had this happen to me in WC; my crosswalk light turned green and I stepped off the curb while looking over my shoulder to make sure the another car wasn’t coming at me (from the turn left lane to my right backside). Sure enough, some idiot SUV ran the red and began to slam on his brakes. I stopped to let him pass (because now he’s in the middle of the intersection) and flipped him off and yelled. Another SUV driver who was in front of me waiting to turn right had the audacity to say “hey, cool off lady, it’s Christmas time”. I told him to F*UCK off and die too, it was my green and that driver could have killed me.
Happened to me in San Francisco once…slapped the side of the offending driver’s car and he stopped and got out to look at his precious car and shake his fist at me…until he saw my 3 rather large friends coming up behind me…he hightailed it out of there very quickly…
While many drivers are idiots, there are just as many pedestrian morons running around out there too. People who walk off a curb anywhere with the “go ahead and hit me, watch me sue” attitude. Without trying to sound like a whiny old fart, whatever happened to the ” look both ways and cross only when it is clear”? Seems the pedestrian has a bit of a responsibility also.
Friggin happens to me every single day while crossing at a freeway entrance. Really people is it going to kill you to wait 30 seconds for someone to cross the street who obviously has the right of way as in the above pictures. Stupid dumb a** drivers. This is one of my many pet peeves!
I too wish there were more cops sitting around at cross walks, they’d make their ticket quota in no time. I’ve seen way too many drivers not even look both ways before they pull out into traffic as well and almost run over peds myself included. And the silly thing is the driver is the one who gets upset! What’s up with that logic? Too many people need to go back to driver’s ed.
I agree with GG. Pedestrians may have the right of way but they need to have common sense. Do not assume that drivers see you ever. Especially in parking lots.
Yeah, I remember that intersection. This pedestrian is in the right. However, I’ve seen a lot of other pedestrians who think it’s alright to cross with a green arrow, and that really messes with traffic.
Smacking someone’s car is a good way to get a beat down. They both made unwise choices.
these types of drivers are probably the same kids that would saunter across the road at a -2mph getting some satisfaction in life because they had to make someone wait for them.
if you’ve lived back east like ny you understand that the roads are for cars and you get your but across it in as timely fashion as physically possibly. and you dont assume all drivers see you. i’m not referring to this situation where the driver was definitely in the wrong.
I know it would be the driver’s fault if he had hit the pedestrian, but it does appear that this pedestrian is RUNNING……never a smart idea when using a crosswalk, especially not on a rainy day when the dimly-painted lines and the mends in the road surface get all tangled up together with the rain dribbles on the driver’s windshield.
I’m writing this in horrified remembrance of the time I had STOPPED at a crosswalk and looked to the left ……. no one in the crosswalk……no one on the curb waiting to cross…..before I started a right turn into a shopping center. A bicyclist came from NOWHERE from my left (where I was no longer looking because I had ALREADY looked). He zipped within/inside the crosswalk right in front of my bumper, and gave me a nasty look because I had already started my turn by then and was a little bit into the crosswalk.
What is the law for bicyclists in that instance? If a bicyclist is using the pedestrian crosswalk, is he not still supposed to get OFF the bicycle and WALK it within the crosswalk? And if he’s still RIDING the bicycle, isn’t he supposed to be out in the road behaving like a vehicle? Again, I know that for insurance liability purposes, it still would have been MY fault if I had hit him.
I’ve seen too many pedestrians just walk out expecting the cars to see them. Pedestrians need to be cautious too. If you don’t make eye contact with the driver, don’t cross. Just because we have the right of way doesn’t mean we should cross whenever we want. I was making a left turn at night, had my blinker on so the pedestrian saw I was turning. I didn’t see him at all. He was dressed in dark clothes and just walked out in the crosswalk. He had to jump out of the way when I came through. I was shaking after that. He didn’t get mad at me because he knew he blew it. Dusk and night time is limited visibility for drivers. Not all of us are driving unsafe. In Minnesota the pedestrian doesn’t have the right of way and believe me they do not step off the curb there until they know its safe. Cars don’t slow for pedestrians there. That makes pedestrians much more cautious. For the driver, we have so many distractions, lights, driveways out of shopping centers, multiple lanes, etc. Everyone needs to be cautious and defensive in their walking and driving.
Accidents happen. That is why they are called accidents. I always look both ways and then one more time as I pull out over the crosswalks Nevertheless, I have still had some close calls.
Also, as said above, the pedestrian will be the loser if stupid enough to stand in the way of oncoming traffic. You never know when a texting maniac will cross your path.
Oops!!! I had only looked at the FIRST picture when I wrote that the pedestrian in the picture appeared to be running. But please would someone respond to my questions about the law pertaining to bicyclists within pedestrian crosswalks?
I’m mildly interested to know why the person taking the pictures had his telephone up and ready? …..or knew he should GET his telephone up and start taking pictures?
Double edge sword, yes we as drivers need to be cautious but I too have seen where a pedestrian stands strong to they have the right away and just walk off the curb without looking. Take it back 20 years when our parents taught us to LOOK BOTH WAYS and make sure it’s clear. Pedestrians do have the right away-but as it’s already been said..they will lose each and every time..if your life is worth value..you always look to make sure it’s clear..never assume!!!
Safety & awareness are very important! However, I am very suspicious of the allegations & photo’s! The 1st few photo’s are before anything happens! (dash cam?). Next, the pedestrian is stopped at the island in frame 3, as the suv enters the crosswalk area. Frame 4 shows the ped. continuing in stride as the suv passes 4 to 5 feet in front of him. I feel that the pedestrian was never in any danger and simply chose to hit the suv cause they are a self absorbed jerk? That said, I and my kid’s have had many encounters with distracted drivers! Literally have had to jump out of the way numerous times! I suggest always make eye contact with the one behind the wheel!
Cheers!
Ball bearings through the back window gets their attention. Been carrying them for years when I know I am going to be walking in town. 3 for 4 so far.
my mommy taught me to look both ways before crossing the street.
But, I’m well aware that most of my fellows in California were just told
that they are precious snowflakes.
So they have that to fall back on when they’re tucked in
nice and warm
under a car.
And I get to stand in the rain to investigate why.
BRAVO; more people need to fight back against those who victimize innocent people because of contempt, they don’t care, or they are texting or talking on the cell phone. This behavior endangering and threatening with a deadly weapon that is as dangerous as a gun.
I have been bicycling for 36 years and about 4 out of 5 drivers will cut off a cyclist or pedestrian; before they built the bridge on Treat it was about 10 out of 12 by far the worse in Northern CA.
The driver of the SUV was definitely in the wrong, my question has to do with the person who took the pictures. What? Did they anticipate this happening, do they have a camera mounted in their car? Why? I hope I get an answer because this just seems strange to me.
This has happened to me 3 times in the last couple of months at the same intersection. I had the right of way, inside the crosswalk, got about halfway across when a truck comes out of the CVS parking lot to make a left turn and nearly runs me over. I had to run to the center island to avoid getting hit.
My question is why did the person taking the pictures start taking them almost 9 seconds before the car even began to move from the limit line?
It’s as if the driver taking the pictures knew this was going to happen. I think this looks staged.
I don’t consider this road rage. It’s standard practice in SF to let the driver know they did something wrong and nothing usually comes of it. However, it’s a huge deal if done in this area since everyone is so protective of their mammoth vehicles.
Example of pedestrian/car road rage: Many years ago, I saw someone in SF kick a side mirror off of a car that nearly hit a crowd of people crossing the street. Nothing happened except the car drove off with the mirror hanging down.
In some states it seems the pedestrian is not given right-of-way over cars, but I doubt that’s the law. It is more the “norm” of how people behave so pedestrians walk scared. Those cars often block the crosswalks while they are stopped at intersections, too. The lines are there for a reason. This makes no sense to me that pedestrians, especially in wintry weather, are made to wait while drivers are comfy.
When a car doesn’t stop I am not sure if they saw me and decided to go anyway or if perhaps they maybe didn’t see me, I have heard that humans are not perfect.
Either way I know when I am walking across a street two things are certain:
1) I can see cars moving and do not assume that they will see me.
2) If I try to occupy the same physical space as a car – things will go worse for me than the car.
As for slapping the car, well, good luck on that one. I had a similar issue while driving one time (in my rather unsavory younger years) and the pedestrian actually kicked my car. I stopped the car in the road way, got out to very politely discuss the situation with this gentleman. The guy made a move coming toward me, my buddy got out of the car and this little weasel took off running which really bummed me out because I had to get back in the car and ended up following my buddy who took off after the guy…
Ah – good times
Ever see pedestrians on cell phones crossing the street? I wonder what they are thinking?
“Here lies the body of Sam McTay
Who died defending his “right of way”
I know there’s more to the poem, but I do remember the phrase “He was right…DEAD right….”
It doesn’t matter if the pedestrian is walking, running, biking, moonwalking..etc…The driver of the Durango should get a ticket.
Driving is a privilege not a right.
I have an in-car dash camera to basically record people behaving badly. Began when a driver in a pick-up truck decided to do doughnuts on a rainy afternoon on Oak Grove Rd., then a second time on Treat. Another time, a driver of an older 5 Series BMW used the center merge lane on Concord Blvd. as his personal express lane. I felt the need to record these folks for the Police or Claycord to see, before they kill someone. I am tired of people driving without intelligance. The camera is on whenever I drive, and is a hands free operation.
It so happens that I know the pedestrian in the picture. And it so happens that I know him to be a responsible and carful adult, definitely not prone to just walk into the street without paying attention.
If you look at all nine pics carefully, you will see that the SUV clearly failed to yield to the pedestrian, who was crossing in the crosswalk and with a green light – and that makes the SUV at fault, not the pedestrian. Additionally, judging from the angle between the SUV and the pedestrian, there was no way the pedestrian could have seen the SUV coming until it was too late. Therefore it is once again the SUV driver’s responsibility to yield to the pedestrian who was already in the crosswalk.
Peeps, it doesn’t pay to be in a hurry. The split second you thought you saved by cutting someone else off can dearly cost you when you misscalculate and hit said cut off person instead, inflicting injury that might cost you more than you ever thought you’d have to pay.
People, this is not staged, turns out I know the pedestrian and yes, he was a little upset that the SUV came close enough that he could reach out and bang on the back window.
VICTOR, Victor! And thank you for explaining.
I have almost been hit in the same location by someone making a left.. In spite of my being careful and watching for idiots. I too slap the side of a vehicle when they have a near miss. The Durango could see the person, they could have waited a few seconds.
If a pedestrian is crossing legally, and a moving vehicle comes close enough to be smacked, the driver has it coming. Nuff said.
These pictures are so obvious, why is everyone assuming what is going on, or talking about what happened once, look at the pictures, it is obvious the SUV was passing through the crosswalk illegally.
There are no bicyclists, no motorcycles and this is not SF so see it for what it is.
The title of this article is absurd. Please stop using swollen language to try & get readers to view your article. In fact, if I was that pedestrian I would be outraged to hear a paper accuse me of pedestrian road rage when this SUV clearly did not see the pedestrian in a RED jacket that was already more than halfway through the intersection IN the crosswalk following all codes. A tap on the window is clearly not road rage given the fact that this SUV almost hit him! If it were not for this pedestrian’s heads up matters could have been much worse. Shame on you for titling this pedestrian rode rage.
My thanks goes out to “4Victor6″ for capturing those images and the accurate play by play. As the person crossing the street I was surprised to find myself on claycord.com. I was walking home from BART and crossed the street as usual. I glanced and saw to Durango in the middle and figured I was clear to cross the rest of the way. As I progressed pass the median I saw the Durango out of the corner of my eye and couldn’t believe it. So I banged on the driver side windows 3-4 times with my fist. Then they stopped and I raise my arms questioning why they couldn’t see me or the bright red jacket.
I am grateful to God that my pace was not quicker cause getting hit would not have been fun for sure.
Bottom line, drivers need to be aware of pedestrians.
@Amy, Claycord.com isn’t a “paper”.
@ 4Victor6… Since you’re apparently not LE, after all and you presumably set your rig up, at your own expense… Would you mind sharing any other details? Cost, reliability, vid format, file transfer, ease/difficulty of installation, etc. I’ve always wanted to do the same thing, especially for the “No Look No Signal” lane-changers.
It WAS your fault that you were stuck in the crosswalk. Do not proceed into an intersection if the traffic ahead of you is stopped. That is a ticket-able offense. Crosswalks are not for cars, douche.
@Robert, how does it feel to be a local celebrity? Haha. Glad you didn’t get flattened dude.
@ #54… Wow. Really? You’re going to jump to conclusions, pass judgement and then call me a “name”? Like I said, it wasn’t my fault. In fact, it was unavoidable. I’m not going to give you any details, because I certainly don’t answer to the likes of you.
@Nick kind of crazy. And I am glad I wasn’t flattened too.
@4Victor6, just out of curiosity, as the frames progress from 1 to 6 you appear to be moving forward, but in frame 7 it seems you jump backwards. What happened?
If someone from another country was driving without a license then they wouldn’t know that the pedestrian has the right of way because they didn’t have to study for a drivers license test.
@anon #59, ignorance of the law is not a valid defense. Unless said foreigner has diplomatic immunity they would still be at fault. What’s the moral of the story? Don’t get run over in the crosswalk by a foreign ambassador.
Wish I were 30 years younger, I’d slap and nudge then do my best Hollywood stuntman roll. CPD gives tickets in the summer time for motorists failing to yield.
anon@59,
Then deport them back to Sweden, or wherever it was that they came from.
Inconsiderate @$$ hole. What is wrong with people these days??
with approaching drivers as I cross. It also helps to be carrying a brick.
Way to argue Amy on minor details Mayor, and dodge the real issue. Sensational news doesn’t suit you, knock it off.
Kicked plenty of cars in my time. Ever notice that the make and model of cars that try and run you over tend to be similar? Can we say that if you own a large American brand auto from say 1995 to 2009 you will likely almost hit pedestrians? You probably like bad food and tv shows too, but thats another subject.
The opposite is also horrible. Liberal nazis going out of their way to get revenge on the evil motorists. Lot of that in the city. Which is why I live in Concord, and I don’t drive.
@Paul #11, hate to say it, but if you were “stuck” in the crosswalk that means you were blocking the intersection and technically guilty of a gridlock violation (you were probably not the only one). That is one of my pet peeves. If you can’t get completely through the intersection, wait at the limit line.
I think it’s funny to read all of these comments when i’m sure some of you have done as the SUV did. As a frequent walker (against my will since i’m only 16), I encounter a driver such as this one at least once a week. Not to mention the ones who don’t give pedestrians the right away. There was one time where I hit the hood of a car with my fist, but the lady wasn’t even paying attention and started going right as I was in front of her car. People… -_-
@ Teacher wannabe #66… *sigh* now I’ve been found guilty, to top it all off.
According to the cop that came on the scene, I was fine and did exactly what I was supposed to do, given the circumstances. In fact, he shook my hand and thanked me for my help. No ticket, oddly enough.
I cross the street everyday by Chili’s , and NOT one single car stops for me to cross the street , after I have the safe green walking signal. They rush thru the crosswalk, so busy to turn right. Only once has car ever slowed down for me, and upon a closer look, the driver was from out of state.
@teacher wannabe, agree with you on the gridlock thing but, how annoying is it when you stop to wait for the intersection to clear and start getting honked at by the idiot behind you?
@concordian, you sound alot like my old lady’s younger brother. That’s not a knock in any sense, just a strange sense of familiarity. You didn’t happen to get dropped of at school this morning by someone with my name did you?
I am still in awe of the play by play photos. The one I have come to most appreciate is photo #6. Standing completely still banging on the windows so I can keep crossing.
@JJ
Keep that in mind when you kill a toddler in a parking lot. Drivers have the greatest responsibility because they’re the ones that can injure another party. Drivers need to go SLOW, SLOW, SLOW in parking lots. They’re congested and have a lot of foot traffic.
You mean deport them back to Mexico. The Swedish are too smart and classy to live in this hole.
What if this person was legally blind or fully blind and had been crossing the crosswalk based on the beeping signal that alerts a partially / fully blind pedestrian to cross the street? I believe most crosswalks in Concord now have this feature. If that had been the case and the pedestrian was crossing at the appropriate time and had been hit the driver would have been at fault.
The result of lack of driver training/selfishness. I never seen worse drivers in CA then in East Bay. No one uses blinkers, to me Communication is extremely important when driving, thats what a blinker is. No headlights on in the rain? It’s the law and more importantly, it’s common sense. I never needed a law to tell me to turn my lights on. Daytime running lights dont cut it either, when I’m coming up upon the rear of your vehicle and my visibility is reduced, bright tail lights solve that issue, daytime running lights do not light up the tail lights. Oh and just because you have your blinker on, it still needs to be safe to change lanes, if you are driving at 25 and I’m going 45, and you cut in front of me with or without your blinker, I hit my brakes, slide and crash. See how that works? Slow traffic yield to the right still applys on all roads, if no one is in front of you and someone is behind, you, get over. As for the pedestrian, I wouldnt recommend hitting someones car, they could jump out with a gun. Lots of guns in this area and lots of nut jobs. I’ve been in the same situation as this pedestrian only the guy was pulling a trailer, I stepped off the curb, with hood on my head and the truck passed me, i thought, what a jerk, took another step and almost was wiped out by the trailer he was pulling. Shook my head, told myself to be lucky to I’m alive and carried on.
I have a different view but there r blind spots at times between front and side window and there have been times this has happen to all I’m sure. U fell like an idiot but it happens. This truck was obvisouly going a safe speed or he would of flattened them!!
Other thing is living in WC I can’t stand peds they’re always in my way i.e., crosswalk by H&M!! Don’t f n cross when my light is green !! Stupid peds!!!
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