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As a lawyer, I have to point out that almost all of this is total bollocks.
As a matter of criminal law, pedestrians cannot be prosecuted for walking without due care and attention, since there is no such criminal offence. Cyclists and car drivers can be prosecuted for cycling (RTA88 s. 29) or driving (RTA88, s.3) without due care and attention, but failing to stop for a pedestrian who leapt out in front of you with no warning, giving you no time to stop and no means by which you could avoid them could not be careless driving or cycling.
As far as the civil law is concerned, all road users owe other road users a duty of care to take reasonable care whether they are walking, cycling or driving. The fact that pedestrians are not insured makes absolutely no difference to whether or not they are liable in damages to another road user. If a pedestrian steps out into the road with no warning and without looking and as a result causes injury to another road user, then they are liable for the consequences of their actions and will be liable in damages.
Moral of the story - PE teachers probably aren't the best people to go to for legal advice.
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Brommers
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Oliver Schick
I've copied and pasted this post from "peds" thread. I'm quoting myself from a while ago, it pains me to admit it but @Rhodrich is along the right lines here. Have a read:
"I was having a chat last night in le pub with my mate, she's a PE teacher and did a cycle course with the kids and also a green cross code thing to.
And errr.. It was explained to me that peds have absolutely no obligation to stay on the pavement when the red man light is on at a pedestrian crossing. She just teaches kids that you can't so they don't get run over..
Plus if a ped jumps out in front of you last second then basically tough shit and the only reason it scares the living shit out me so much is that in comparison to a 4 wheeled motorist a cyclist can and usually does come off a lot worse in a ped collision.
It also doesn't matter if it wasn't your fault, meaning it was proved that the motorist/cyclist was using the road with "due care" when the incident happened.
The only time when the ped would be considered as wrong is if they show "due negligence" aka they are pissed out of their face and that's about it.
Even then they wouldn't be liable for damages as peds aren't insured."
That should clear it up.