Drivers backing from driveways without looking for pedestrians.
Drivers making right turns on red only looking left for oncoming traffic without also looking right for pedestrians.
Drivers speeding at crossings that have poor visibility due to hedges.
In winter, cars driving too fast relative to the amount of traction they actually have on icy streets.
While cycling, by far the most common problem I have is drivers passing me far too close. It only takes a very small percentage of drivers to drive carelessly to put people at serious risk of injury.
> Drivers backing from driveways without looking for pedestrians.
> Drivers speeding at crossings that have poor visibility due to hedges.
Both of these are things you should be watching for. When approaching driveways, look for people inside the car, that means the car might move. And a crossing with poor visibility for the driver probably has poor visibility for the walker as well, so don't cross until you're sure there is no traffic.
If you truly are having close calls with cars all the time, it might be benefitial to walk more defensively. I can see having close calls in the above if one isn't paying attention, but not otherwise. Always make eye contact with drivers to get a sense of what they're doing, they might wave you to go first or you can wave them to go if in doubt.
> Drivers making right turns on red only looking left for oncoming traffic without also looking right for pedestrians.
Wait, if they are turning on red it means the pedestrian also has a red.
> In winter, cars driving too fast relative to the amount of traction they actually have on icy streets.
That I could see. Thankfully no winter as such here (silicon valley).
> While cycling
Yes, cycling is much more dangerous, since you're sharing the road with cars. I still bike a lot but yes, it's more dangerous.
Walking shouldn't be though, since you have a separate sidewalk and as long as you pay attention when crossing.
> Wait, if they are turning on red it means the pedestrian also has a red.
Not sure about OP but the dangerous situations I've seen when car turning on red was not looking around untill it reached the cross traffic that was a danger to him. Happily driving without looking through pedestrian crossing perpendicular to the direction he was comming from that now had green light.
> Both of these are things you should be watching for
Not sure what makes you think that isn't the case already. There is only so much a pedestrian can do when cars have tinted windows and they are parked right at the limit of the sidewalk, as they often are, which means that as soon as the car starts moving it will hit any pedestrian there.
> > Drivers making right turns on red only looking left for oncoming traffic without also looking right for pedestrians.
> Wait, if they are turning on red it means the pedestrian also has a red
Think of an intersection with the shape of a plus sign, where the driver is going North and the pedestrian is coming from the East. The driver only looks at the West because that's where the oncoming traffic is.
This issue is particularly common in T-shaped intersections with or without street lights.
> Walking shouldn't be though
Cycling shouldn't be dangerous either, yet here we are. A very small percentage of poor drivers is all it takes.
> > Both of these are things you should be watching for
> Not sure what makes you think that isn't the case already.
Obviously I don't know you, but what made me think that is your assertion that you are having close calls with cars every week. Something needs to be done differently if you are almost getting hit by a car every week.
Drivers making right turns on red only looking left for oncoming traffic without also looking right for pedestrians.
Drivers speeding at crossings that have poor visibility due to hedges.
In winter, cars driving too fast relative to the amount of traction they actually have on icy streets.
While cycling, by far the most common problem I have is drivers passing me far too close. It only takes a very small percentage of drivers to drive carelessly to put people at serious risk of injury.