Woman crosses dual carriageway on foot, gets hit by car, gets €3.2M

Gaoth Laidir · 05-02-2021 11:21am

I assume this is roughly where it happened. The shopping centre is on the left here, so maybe that bus stop on the right is where she was coming from.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.4529952,-6.2160748,3a,75y,37.71h,82.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shr6EgVrXDMgV9qQRhYcc6w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

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knucklehead6 · 05-02-2021 11:22am

pwurple wrote: »

So it wasn't connected to the shopping center as integrated design? Makes even more sense that it wasn't used.

Headline should read "shop assistant who was brain damaged on her way to work, using infrastructure the council designed, awarded damages."

I don't think the council designed the shopping centre. I can't remember if there was a bus stop at that particular location when I was working out in swords, it was 25 years ago and before I was driving a car. The footbridge was there to allow people living along the R106 to have access to Swords village.

The shopping centre came along and the need for a bus stop 200 feet away from the roundabout arose.

They should have made the developers of the centre put a footbridge in at the shopping centre, because as has been mentioned, laziness with a good dollop of stupidity will result in cases like this

pgj2015 · 05-02-2021 11:31am

this is why every car should have a dash cam, especially the ones that show what speed you are going. too many people around who do crazy things like this. some people run or cycle across the road without even looking.

tallaghtfornia · 05-02-2021 11:32am

I have worked in this area for many years and I see stupid people trying to cross this road on a daily basis I have also seen many accidents from people trying to cross the road - the main people who attempt to cross are people walking from office buildings over to the pavilions etc. also I have seen people dressed in black clothes on a winters evening attempting to cross.

This road is 80KHM per hour and has many erratic drivers between Audis & Land Rovers who think they own the road to Northen reg cars who basically have no regard for the rules for the road - there is absolutely no way I would attempt to cross unless it was using the foot bridge.

This stretch of road has two foot bridges that can be used safely and people still wont bother there backside to use them.

05-02-2021 11:32am

They should simply put up signs saying that anyone crossing the road, without using the footbridge will be prosecuted, along with hefty fines. And then actually prosecute people.

There's a lot of talk here about the driver being held responsible, but pedestrians should be responsible too. They create a risk to the driver and anyone else on the road.

knucklehead6 · 05-02-2021 11:38am

Deleted User wrote: »

They should simply put up signs saying that anyone crossing the road, without using the footbridge will be prosecuted, along with hefty fines. And then actually prosecute people.

There's a lot of talk here about the driver being held responsible, but pedestrians should be responsible too. They create a risk to the driver and anyone else on the road.

I think only one person here is saying the driver is responsible. Most are saying its more down the the former shop assistant who will never need to work a day in her life

feelings · 05-02-2021 11:41am

Is this in relation to Fingal?

Failure to maintain the divide, failure to make reasonable effort to stop pedestrians crossing the dual carriageway, failure to fix street lighting etc.

There are street lights on that road, near the Pavilions end that do not get fixed for months (I have reported broken lights a few times).

How do the know the driver was driving with 'excessive speed' btw?

monkeybutter wrote: »

On what basis

weldoninhio · 05-02-2021 11:43am

knucklehead6 wrote: »

I think only one person here is saying the driver is responsible. Most are saying its more down the the former shop assistant who will never need to work a day in her life

Unfortunately, the only person who matters when it comes to a payout (the judge) said the driver was 2/3rds the drivers fault.

alexonhisown · 05-02-2021 11:45am

Ridiculous decision and payout. Hopefully the driver will now sue the pedestrian for walking out in front of her. People are just too lazy to use that footbridge.

Kivaro · 05-02-2021 11:46am

Augeo wrote: »

Comparing walking off a cliff to crossing a road is absolutely fnkcing retarded.

That is an inappropriate insult. Often we see some who lack the ability in making reasonable statements on their position resort to insults, and that is generally the proof to confirm their position is flawed.

funkey_monkey · 05-02-2021 11:48am

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

I assume this is roughly where it happened. The shopping centre is on the left here, so maybe that bus stop on the right is where she was coming from.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.4529952,-6.2160748,3a,75y,37.71h,82.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shr6EgVrXDMgV9qQRhYcc6w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Stupid bint should not be crossing there. End of.

Why is BUS painted the wrong way around on the ground?

Northernlily · 05-02-2021 12:00pm

Absolutely outrageous payout. There is a footbridge close by.

Stupidity rewarded and the judges comments...

Jesus wept that clown is on a different planet.

05-02-2021 12:03pm

Kivaro wrote: »

That is an inappropriate insult. Often we see some who lack the ability in making reasonable statements on their position resort to insults, and that is generally the proof to confirm their position is flawed.

I consider it to be a very appropriate insult.:D

Nope. The position is pretty clear/reasonable, and considering the person involved to be retarded doesn't diminish that position.

So, you consider it perfectly normal, and acceptable that people cross a dual carriageway, as opposed to using the footbridge?

Kivaro · 05-02-2021 12:05pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I consider it to be a very appropriate insult.:D

Nope. The position is pretty clear/reasonable, and considering the person involved to be retarded doesn't diminish that position.

So, you consider it perfectly normal, and acceptable that people cross a dual carriageway, as opposed to using the footbridge?

You got it all mixed up Klaz. Have a gander again.

05-02-2021 12:08pm

Kivaro wrote: »

You got it all mixed up Klaz. Have a gander again.

Ahh gotcha.

knucklehead6 · 05-02-2021 12:19pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

Unfortunately, the only person who matters when it comes to a payout (the judge) said the driver was 2/3rds the drivers fault.

The judge didn't decide anything, the two teams of lawyers did

weldoninhio · 05-02-2021 12:22pm

knucklehead6 wrote: »

The judge didn't decide anything, the two teams of lawyers did

The judge decided it was a suitable settlement

Approving the settlement ,Mr Justice Cross said Ms Regazzoli’s life had been turned upside down.

He said the settlement was fair and reasonable and he wished her well for the future.

knucklehead6 · 05-02-2021 12:25pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

The judge decided it was a suitable settlement

Approving the settlement ,Mr Justice Cross said Ms Regazzoli’s life had been turned upside down.

He said the settlement was fair and reasonable and he wished her well for the future.

the judge didnt decide the driver was 2/3rds to blame. The judge APPROVED the settlement, we have no way of knowing what he would have done in trial, but as i said earlier, the defence must've been terrified of what he WOULD have given if they offered a settlement

pwurple · 05-02-2021 2:09pm

knucklehead6 wrote: »

I don't think the council designed the shopping centre.

The council approve planning. They are accountable.

And when I look at that map link, I see a huge gap in the hedge, and worn grass showing that this is the routine way for people to cross. The footbridge is in the opposite direction. It isn't even clear that it would lead to the shopping center. It looks like it doesn't.

If you were to take that footbridge, I'd guess it's roughly 1km additional walking, instead of crossing the road with a worn path right in front of you as you get off the bus.

I guarantee you there are plenty of people insulting this victim, who would consider themselves to be idiots to take that bridge instead of walking directly to the destination in front of their face.

McGinniesta · 05-02-2021 2:23pm

It sounds like the judges dont want the insurance company's arseholes closing up

knucklehead6 · 05-02-2021 2:35pm

pwurple wrote: »

The council approve planning. They are accountable.

And when I look at that map link, I see a huge gap in the hedge, and worn grass showing that this is the routine way for people to cross. The footbridge is in the opposite direction. It isn't even clear that it would lead to the shopping center. It looks like it doesn't.

If you were to take that footbridge, I'd guess it's roughly 1km additional walking, instead of crossing the road with a worn path right in front of you as you get off the bus.

I guarantee you there are plenty of people insulting this victim, who would consider themselves to be idiots to take that bridge instead of walking directly to the destination in front of their face.

300m extra actually.

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I'm not arguing with you that the council should have insisted on a bridge going in. In my opinion they shouldn't have allowed the bus stop be there, but as I mentioned, I can't remember if that was a preexisting stop. There is a link from the bridge to the shopping centre from the bridge so they may have presumed that this would suffice

pwurple · 05-02-2021 4:21pm

Sure if they cross a dual carriageway, they can also walk across a carpark rather than around it... but thanks for doing this, it's a good ballpark.

Yup, either the bridge link changed, or put the stop nearer the bridge. I can see the issue there too, it's the roundabout. Bus stops, traffic ploughs into the back of it., but it's not for you or me to solve, this is an infrastructure problem to design and plan, and they just didn't do it. Humans take short-cuts on the design too, right?

Unfortunately the shortcut the council took, led to the pedestrians taking shortcuts, led to someone being brain-damaged for the rest of their life. And the payout is larger the younger you are, because of the expected lifespan. This person is in their 20's.

AMKC · 05-02-2021 4:46pm

Utterly ridiculous. Instead of using the footbridge provided her even her own ears and eyes she walks out onto a dual carriageway in front of a car that had the right to be on the road. Pure laziness. 3.2 million just ridiculous.

is_that_so · 05-02-2021 4:50pm

Meanwhile coming soon, we hope.

A meeting of the country’s judges has been adjourned for two weeks to allow them to further consider proposed new guidelines expected to reduce general damages awards for many personal injuries, especially minor soft tissue injuries.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/judicial-council-adjourns-for-fortnight-to-further-consider-damage-awards-guidelines-1.4477073

DaveyDave · 05-02-2021 4:53pm

Even if the driver was going too fast she has eyes and ears doesn't she? Who crosses an 80kph dual carriageway and isn't extra vigilant?

PCros · 05-02-2021 5:08pm

I live in Swords and I'm sorry this girl went through all that pain but the payout is utter nonsense.

She got off the bus and crossed 4 lanes of traffic (plus 2 bus lanes) where there is an 80kph speed limit. Its laughable that people are saying that Fingal Coco should have closed the tiny gap in the hedge dividing the roads and there is liability with them.

There is a footbridge that she could have used a mere 200m from the bus stop which brings her to the same destination. As she chose not to use the bridge then liability is fully with the girl.

koutoubia · 05-02-2021 5:27pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

Even if the driver was going too fast she has eyes and ears doesn't she? Who crosses an 80kph dual carriageway and isn't extra vigilant?

On that dual carriageway from one end of Swords to the other you would be surprised (or maybe not!) at the amount of people who cut across through the median hedgerows to cross the road. There are a few footbridges across that are seldom used.

begbysback · 05-02-2021 5:48pm

Surely there a joke in this somewhere

Why did the part time model cross the road?

Feisar · 05-02-2021 5:51pm

yaknowski wrote: »

Cue a load of diving in front of cars as per Asia.

It was the heat of the moment...

05-02-2021 5:56pm

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

I assume this is roughly where it happened. The shopping centre is on the left here, so maybe that bus stop on the right is where she was coming from.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.4529952,-6.2160748,3a,75y,37.71h,82.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shr6EgVrXDMgV9qQRhYcc6w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Stupid bint should not be crossing there. End of.

I must confess, I would cross there (assuming this is the offending location)

Woman crosses dual carriageway on foot, gets hit by car, gets €3.2M

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