Walking behind a car reversing

SantiagueroRD

Bronze
Apr 20, 2011
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I love the DR. It is like having an ugly mother but I cannot understand why so many people go out of their way to walk behind a car that is reversing? A Dominican buddy says they want to make you stop because they can, another says they want you to hit them so they can sue, and another says it is because so many are just one step removed from the country life they do it because they do not realize the driver may not stop. What do you think?
 

robbie

Bronze
Aug 3, 2006
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I live in Canada and people do this here all the time, I think they are just abscent minded.
I drive all the time in the DR and noticed nothing different. Me thinks they just arent thinking or they just
expect you to stop for them.
 

tink23

Member
Jul 15, 2008
292
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It's the person's responsibility who is DRIVING the car to look both ways to make sure there is no one coming BEFORE they begin to reverse. Just because a car is bigger doesn't mean they automatically have the right of way.... although that is often the mentality here in DR...
 

InsanelyOne

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Oct 21, 2008
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I have a different theory. I believe it has to do with the fact that the Dominican Republic is a collectivist society. Dominicans believe on faith that everyone else is looking out for them. On the roadways it never ceases to amaze me the number of what appear to me as just completely stupid acts. People are always walking right in front of my car. People will open their door right into the active lane without regard for oncoming cars... or will just step out of their car into the street without looking. My only explanation is that they are truly confident that if someone is coming, they will move out of the way or slow down. I've lost count the number of times I've had to pull off the road to avoid a head-on collision. The obsession with passing the car in front of you in this country borders on lunacy. I've never seen a group of people in such a hurry to go nowhere and do nothing.
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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I think you have noticed something you will find anywhere in the world, people walk behind reversing cars. When crossing a road and you need to nip through a gap it is inevitable.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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tink 23 states


It's the person's responsibility who is DRIVING the car to look both ways to make sure there is no one coming BEFORE they begin to reverse. Just because a car is bigger doesn't mean they automatically have the right of way.... although that is often the mentality here in DR...

it is not often the mentality. it is ALWAYS the mentality. in over 20 years in this country, i have NEVER seen a car yielding to a pedestrian. i learnt, almost immediately, that might is right in the DR. in the USA, the motorist is charged with the responsibility to look out for the pedestrian. that is why you get a 250 dollar fine in NYC for entering the crosswalk with a pedestrian in it. in the DR, if you are crossing the street, and a car is turning into the crosswalk, he takes the position that you should get out of his way, because he has the car, and you do not. my police officer friends who work in upper manhattan tell me that they give out handfuls of summonses to Dominicans for violating the crosswalks, because they just cannot understand how things function in the USA, in that regard.
 

westcan

Member
Sep 10, 2008
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It's the person's responsibility who is DRIVING the car to look both ways to make sure there is no one coming BEFORE they begin to reverse. Just because a car is bigger doesn't mean they automatically have the right of way.... although that is often the mentality here in DR...

Of course it is the driver's responsibility.

But after you check and confirm that there is no one coming, and start reversing, suddenly they appear at the extreme edge of your field of view. Usually that happens in parking lots. It is irritating to the driver that even though his reverse lights are showing he is in reverse gear, AND he is moving, that a person will still walk across and behind the car. The driver stops, and thanks his lucky stars that he did not hit the person, because that person would be injured, and it would be his fault.

It is almost as though the pedestrian is saying, "go ahead,hit me, I don't care as it will be your fault" and not thinking about the pain he may be about to suffer. Stupid!
 

SantiagueroRD

Bronze
Apr 20, 2011
766
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The post by westcan is the situation I am referring to. I have seen people change direction to purposely walk behind my car. As a whole Dominicans are not stupid so there has to be a reason which may be a combination of those mentioned.
 

SantiagueroRD

Bronze
Apr 20, 2011
766
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"The obsession with passing the car in front of you in this country borders on lunacy. I've never seen a group of people in such a hurry to go nowhere and do nothing." I think I know part of the answer to the foregoing. It is that a lot of people are working using a car to perform a task but their boss knows how long it takes. If they can shave some time they can use it to do a private errand or just show their friends that they are driving.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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Just because a car is bigger doesn't mean they automatically have the right of way....
Wanna bet? That is the #1 unwritten traffic rule.

Abiding by first world traffic laws, even the written Dominican traffic laws, is a great way to have an accident here.

You may have the "right of way" but you alsomight be smashed, maimed and killed. That's little consolation for being "right."

It's safer to deal with how driving here is, as opposed to how it should be.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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Of course it is the driver's responsibility.

But after you check and confirm that there is no one coming, and start reversing, suddenly they appear at the extreme edge of your field of view. Usually that happens in parking lots. It is irritating to the driver that even though his reverse lights are showing he is in reverse gear, AND he is moving, that a person will still walk across and behind the car. The driver stops, and thanks his lucky stars that he did not hit the person, because that person would be injured, and it would be his fault.

It is almost as though the pedestrian is saying, "go ahead,hit me, I don't care as it will be your fault" and not thinking about the pain he may be about to suffer. Stupid!

That is how I was badly injured in 2008. I began crossing a street, after checking for cars and seeing that the coast was clear, - a car parked perpendicularly to the street suddenly reversed out of the parking lot. It happened so fast that I never saw him.
By all rights, it was the driver's fault. However, since the driver was Dominican and I am not, he somehow escaped having to take responsibility for my injuries.
 

jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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dont you find it annoying when waiting at a junction that everyone walks in front of the car........usually just when you have a space to get out .
It doesnt seem to occur to most people that they are in the way and walking behind the car will be a lot safer
 

ffritz

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Feb 7, 2008
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dont you find it annoying when waiting at a junction that everyone walks in front of the car........usually just when you have a space to get out .
It doesnt seem to occur to most people that they are in the way and walking behind the car will be a lot safer

But that would involve walking 10-15 feet further ....
 

whirleybird

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Feb 27, 2006
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Of course it is the driver's responsibility.

But after you check and confirm that there is no one coming, and start reversing, suddenly they appear at the extreme edge of your field of view. Usually that happens in parking lots. It is irritating to the driver that even though his reverse lights are showing he is in reverse gear, AND he is moving, that a person will still walk across and behind the car. The driver stops, and thanks his lucky stars that he did not hit the person, because that person would be injured, and it would be his fault.

It is almost as though the pedestrian is saying, "go ahead,hit me, I don't care as it will be your fault" and not thinking about the pain he may be about to suffer. Stupid!

Exactly as you state it and it is one of my few pet hates when driving here. My cause is not helped by the fact I am petite and therefore have to make greater efforts, after checking all mirrors, to physically turn and look in all directions to constantly make sure that there are not additional people walking behind the car whilst I continue reversing.

What is even worse is, if they do stop and wait after I have given them a little toot on the hooter, I then end up apologising for reversing and thanking them for waiting!!
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
I can't remember having incidents of people walking behind me while I'm backing out but it could be I think nothing of it and stop to let them by. I rarely am in a hurry so this maybe a reason this doesn't stand out.

Also, whoever says Dominicans don't give way to pedestrians doesn't really understand what they see on the roads here. One thing are the well traveled highways but another thing altogether are the streets around town. Generally whoever gets their first has the right of way, whether it be a person or a motorcycle. I've had to stop numerous times for people who are crossing the street. Sometimes it appears as a game too because if they see I'm moving relatively fast they will get out of the way. Generally, Dominicans feel that everybody is aware of them and this is what you see on the roads here. They would be right too because people here are very defensive drivers(before 8 pm and not on holidays) and expect people to do the unexpected.

Another case in point is that typically people here will pull right out into traffic often causing oncoming cars to stop if not slow down a great deal. This still bothers me but the best solution I have is just not to get in a hurry and call the guy who does pull in front of me a dope. :)
 

tink23

Member
Jul 15, 2008
292
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Wanna bet? That is the #1 unwritten traffic rule.

Abiding by first world traffic laws, even the written Dominican traffic laws, is a great way to have an accident here.

You may have the "right of way" but you alsomight be smashed, maimed and killed. That's little consolation for being "right."

It's safer to deal with how driving here is, as opposed to how it should be.

Did I say I'm going to go against them because i'm right and they're wrong? No. I said just because they think that way doesn't mean they're correct.
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
8,367
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They often see you moving in reverse and then start to walk behind the car. Always wondered why they do this so often in the DR. Its a DR thing for sure. Why? I have no idea.