Splashing Pedestrians by Driving into Puddles

AugustusMaximus

I'm just wondering if anyone here likes to drive into puddles on purpose to get pedestrians on the side of the road.

I personally think its the sign of an utter ****. Wouldn't do it myself. If I did get splashed by a driver, the top of my umbrella would go through his windscreen if he had to stop at lights.

pvt.joker

if someone does it to you, get the reg number and report it to the gardai. They can be charged for driving without reasonable care and consideration.

cyclopath2001

pvt.joker wrote: »

iThey can be charged for driving without reasonable care and consideration.

That would be only if the splashing is unintentional/accidental.

Doing it on purpose is an assault.

Sherifu

I absolutely soaked a guy once. It was completely by accident, the puddle was right after a corner on a narrow road. As I looked at him in the mirror with him looking really pissed off, I laughed my ass off. I wouldn't do it on purpose though, shìtty thing to do.

maidhc

pvt.joker wrote: »

if someone does it to you, get the reg number and report it to the gardai. They can be charged for driving without reasonable care and consideration.

I can't see how a charge would be brought (proof?). The roads are waterlogged at the moment. If you walk you run the risk of getting wet. I have been at both sides of the fence here, and unless someone does it maliciously I suggest you go home and have a shower.

If they do it maliciously, and a garda observes it, then maybe it might be followed up.

maidhc

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

That would be only if the splashing is unintentional/accidental.

Doing it on purpose is an assault.

If it is accidental, then it is "an accident". People don't get charged for offences if they do something accidentally.

Assault? Interesting theory.

Anan1

maidhc wrote: »

If it is accidental, then it is "an accident". People don't get charged for offences if they do something accidentally.

I thought you were studying law, maidhc?:D

galwaytt

What about Act of God - like, the guy who put the puddle there in the first place ?? How do we get his ass into the courtroom ??

mikemac

maidhc wrote: »

People don't get charged for offences if they do something accidentally.

I think you might want to check that one.
It can be taken into account but for sure you can get charged for something even if it's an accident.

My own little story
Working as a hotel barman for a graduation (debs?) and as was the custom we didn't serve spirits at all. Oh the abuse we took the night from drunken students. Was called every name under the sun and then more.

Twas a wet night and as I was driving home there were 10-12 lads and girls in their tuxedo's and gowns by the main hotel gate. You bet I splashed them all
I'm hoping they rented their outfits as they were certainly ruined that night.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

micmclo wrote: »

I think you might want to check that one.
It can be taken into account but for sure you can get charged for something even if it's an accident.

My own little story
Working as a hotel barman for a graduation (debs?) and as was the custom we didn't serve spirits at all. Oh the abuse we took the night from drunken students. Was called every name under the sun and then more.

Twas a wet night and as I was driving home there were 10-12 lads and girls in their tuxedo's and gowns by the main hotel gate. You bet I splashed them all
I'm hoping they rented their outfits as they were certainly ruined that night.

Bitter?

maidhc

Anan1 wrote: »

I thought you were studying law, maidhc?:D

Sorry, i should rephrase. The gardai will generally not prosecute someone for "an accident" if you not at fault for anything in particular. e.g. if it is something which happened which couldn't be helped.

Obviously if you accidentally run a red light, do 90mph, or kill somone the result is different.

You are accusing me of being a law student! :eek:

Hal1

Put up a poll OP, and I'd never dream of soaking a pedestrian.

cyclopath2001

maidhc wrote: »

If it is accidental, then it is "an accident". People don't get charged for offences if they do something accidentally.... Assault? Interesting theory.

Accidents happen when people don't exercise proper care or consideration.

Proving deliberate intent would be difficult, it's easier to prove behaviour was negligent or lacking in care or consideration.

maidhc

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Accidents happen when people don't exercise proper care or consideration.

Proving deliberate intent would be difficult, it's easier to prove behaviour was negligent or lacking in care or consideration.

If we take the puddle:

A car can be driving down the road in the dark. Anther car is coming against the car, the light is reflecting on the road, the driver doesn't see the puddle until he is reasonably close. He cannot avoid the puddle, he does not see fit to risk doing an emergency brake so he keeps going (it is only a puddle ffs). Unfortunately a person is walking on the footpath.

Who is wrong?

Likewise in cases where a person pulls out of a blind junction and an oncoming car crashes into them. It is very very rare they would be prosecuted, as the whole thing was "an accident".

Anan1

We know what you mean, maidhc. But I wouldn't go around repeating this

maidhc wrote: »

People don't get charged for offences if they do something accidentally.

too often if I were you.:)

towel401

micmclo wrote: »

I think you might want to check that one.
It can be taken into account but for sure you can get charged for something even if it's an accident.

My own little story
Working as a hotel barman for a graduation (debs?) and as was the custom we didn't serve spirits at all. Oh the abuse we took the night from drunken students. Was called every name under the sun and then more.

Twas a wet night and as I was driving home there were 10-12 lads and girls in their tuxedo's and gowns by the main hotel gate. You bet I splashed them all
I'm hoping they rented their outfits as they were certainly ruined that night.

noice!

jill_valentine

I think I've gotten trenchfoot from the walk home.

Bus drivers, I hate you.

cyclopath2001

maidhc wrote: »

It is very very rare they would be prosecuted, as the whole thing was "an accident".

In the situaltions you describe, the question is not whether or not it's an accident, but whether or not a person was exercising 'reasonable care'.

Rowley Birkin QC

Saw a guy getting absolutely soaked tonight while he was standing at a pedestrian crossing, wasn't the drivers fault though. The puddle was huge and the pedestrian should have been aware of it.

If I had to drown some guy walking or swerve to avoid a puddle in wet conditions I'm going straight throught the puddle.

joeperry

I was the victim of a drive by ,feckers got me in the face with a supersoaker.

I started to run after them,don't know why,id never have caught them.

:P

crosstownk

My mother got soaked by a motorist a good few years ago. The lady who did it was mortified - she stopped and gave my mother a lift home and told her to call her and let her know how much the dry cleaning was and she'd gladly pay for it. My mother never called her as she reckoned she'd been honest and it was accidental.

Berty

I drive into puddles often and on purpose mainly because I dont have a choice. I will normally slow to a snail pace to pass through the puddle real slow anyway.

Pedestrians normally run past puddles or use their umbrella as shields most of the time.

Doing it as a form of entertainment is wrong but heck some people are bitter and then again some people are in a world of their own and pay little attention to other people.

I cant remember ever doing it on purpose so I probably havent. I was once hit by a tomato whilst cycling. I grabbed in as it ran down my face and hurled it back at the car. Took the reg and reported it. Never heard anything about it.

Hagar

galwaytt wrote: »

What about Act of God - like, the guy who put the puddle there in the first place ?? How do we get his ass into the courtroom ??

The man who sued God.

kikel

if anybody soaked somebody accidently would ye not stop and apologise. maybe offer the person a lift.

Berty

Hagar wrote: »

The man who sued God.

That was only because god is omnipresent. Nobody is omnipresent except for Gatso vans.

cyclopath2001

bigkev49 wrote: »

If I had to drown some guy walking or swerve to avoid a puddle in wet conditions I'm going straight throught the puddle.

No, you stop and wait until it's possible to traverse the puddle without injuring anyone.

SV

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

No, you stop and wait until it's possible to traverse the puddle without injuring anyone.

hahahahahahahaha

Anan1

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

No, you stop and wait until it's possible to traverse the puddle without injuring anyone.

Not least because you can't see what's under the water.

oleras

I remember an add from before, went like this.

people waiting at a bus stop, raining, large puddle in front of them, boy racer comes heading for the puddle to splash the people.......sinks into the puddle and his fluffy dice rise to the surface.

To be honest, i dont do it justice..........lol

Wishbone Ash

Sherifu wrote: »

I absolutely soaked a guy once. It was completely by accident

maidhc wrote: »

The roads are waterlogged at the moment. If you walk you run the risk of getting wet

maidhc wrote: »

A car can be driving down the road in the dark. Anther car is coming against the car, the light is reflecting on the road, the driver doesn't see the puddle until he is reasonably close. He cannot avoid the puddle

bigkev49 wrote: »

he was standing at a pedestrian crossing, wasn't the drivers fault though

Just bear in mind folks that, during a driving test, an examiner will take a very dim view of anyone who splashes a pedestrian.

quirke_folder wrote: »

I drive into puddles often and on purpose mainly because I dont have a choice

You don't have a choice!!! :eek:

Are you not in control of the vehicle you are driving and don't you adapt you driving to suit the prevailing conditions?

Sherifu

The driving instuctor has arrived. Scatter! :pac:

Steve

In formula one they call it a 'splash and dash'...:pac:

Voodoomelon

A car in front of me today sent a torrent of water straight for a pedestrian today which just missed him. I drove around the puddle, my good deed for the day.

Alkers

Horrible, horrible thing to do. If it was done to me and I saw the car stopped at lights I'd have no problems getting my own back.

cyclopath2001

Voodoomelon wrote: »

A car in front of me today sent a torrent of water straight for a pedestrian today which just missed him. I drove around the puddle, my good deed for the day.

It's sad to think that not injuring someone is considered to be a good deed.

What you did was good driving, something that is expected from everyone.

Victor_M

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

It's sad to think that not injuring someone is considered to be a good deed.

What you did was good driving, something that is expected from everyone.

It's sad to think that someone being splashed with a little bit of water is considered as injuring them.

I don 't know why you bother posting in the motoring section.

SV

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

It's sad to think that not injuring someone is considered to be a good deed.

What you did was good driving, something that is expected from everyone.

Ok, go for it. How is splashing someone with water injuring them?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

ClioV6 wrote: »

Ok, go for it. How is splashing someone with water injuring them?

It may not be injuring them, but it is assault, and as such is a criminal offense.

Seth Brundle

ClioV6 wrote: »

Ok, go for it. How is splashing someone with water injuring them?

injure


• verb 1 do physical harm to; wound. 2 offend or hurt.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/injure?view=uk

maidhc

kbannon wrote: »

injure


• verb 1 do physical harm to; wound. 2 offend or hurt.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/injure?view=uk

and?

We assume we are not using context "2" here. Is wetting someone physcial harm? I don't know....

Berty

Sean_K wrote: »

It may not be injuring them, but it is assault, and as such is a criminal offense.

Assault. Jesus Effin Christ. :eek:

1. a sudden, violent attack; onslaught: an assault on tradition.
2. Law. an unlawful physical attack upon another; an attempt or offer to do violence to another, with or without battery, as by holding a stone or club in a threatening manner.

If driving through a puddle is assault then you probably think brushing a womans arm in a crowded bar is Rape!!

Seth Brundle

I would have put it under #2!

maidhc

Sean_K wrote: »

It may not be injuring them, but it is assault, and as such is a criminal offense.

Is it? I don't know anything about criminal law, but my vague recollection was that this is governed by the non fatal offences against the person act which says:

2. —(1) A person shall be guilty of the offence of assault who, without lawful excuse, intentionally or recklessly—
[GA]

( a ) directly or indirectly applies force to or causes an impact on the body of another, or
[GA]

( b ) causes another to believe on reasonable grounds that he or she is likely immediately to be subjected to any such force or impact,
[GA]

without the consent of the other.
[GA]

(2) In subsection (1)(a), "force" includes—
[GA]

( a ) application of heat, light, electric current, noise or any other form of energy, and
[GA]

( b ) application of matter in solid liquid or gaseous form.
[GA]

(3) No such offence is committed if the force or impact, not being intended or likely to cause injury, is in the circumstances such as is generally acceptable in the ordinary conduct of daily life and the defendant does not know or believe that it is in fact unacceptable to the other person.

L-M

I remember listening to the radio a few years back, and this was the topic.

One lad rang in to say he had never done it before, thought had never even crossed his mind. So, one day he's driving home in the pissing rain, and he comes to a puddle, with a fella just walking past on the path. So, he drives straight through the puddle and drowns me man. Only to look in the mirror and realise he was down syndrome. Out of complete shock and guilt and what he had done, he stopped, picked him up and brought him home, to have to explain to his mother what he had done.

Lets just say he didn't get a very nice reception, and i'm sure he'll never do it again lol.

Gregor Samsa

I was walking along minding my own business years ago in Ballsbridge, when a car swerved in beside me into a huge puddle and soaked me. There was no other cars on the road at the time, and this pr*ck went out of his way to splash me.

I happened to be carrying a carton of milk and instinctively threw it at the car. It exploded all over the back window with a huge thud. The car stopped for a second, and then drove off.

I only wish I was carrying something heavier.

Voodoomelon

Ha ha, brilliant, well done.

SV

phutyle wrote: »

I was walking along minding my own business years ago in Ballsbridge, when a car swerved in beside me into a huge puddle and soaked me. There was no other cars on the road at the time, and this pr*ck went out of his way to splash me.

I happened to be carrying a carton of milk and instinctively threw it at the car. It exploded all over the back window with a huge thud. The car stopped for a second, and then drove off.

I only wish I was carrying something heavier.

We used to carry stones on the way home from school to do the same..anytime someone came along it just took a stone in the hand throwing it up and down to make sure they didn't try it.

fairly funny.

Don't think I've ever done it to anyone myself though..but I would do it to a few pr*cks if I seen them walking.