You are reading a single comment by @Oliver Schick and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
Oliver Schick
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.