Funnily enough I was thinking about just this topic as I walked down the street, playing with my nano (ipod you japesters)

I recalled a BBC news item from about 1982 about exactly this fear with the then-newfangled Walkman. Road safety campaigners were up in arms etc. I'd love to leave it there but as someone above wrote:

"But that does not mean I am solely responsible, nor that I am at fault if some fool walks out in front of me without looking."

A few years back I was driving down one of those suburban streets where cars are parked both sides, leaving room for at most two cars to squeeze by. Living on the street, I knew kids played on it, and it was about 4pm in the afternoon.

For this reason I was driving at about 15mph (well below the 30 speed limit) when a kid on a bike pulled out between two tightly parked cars.

As it happens his timing was lucky: he pulled out as I was going past, his front wheel of his bike hit my rear car wheel, and the kid fell off his bike.

I stopped, got out to check he was ok, and gave him a bollocking that I hope he learned from. There was nothing I could reasonably have done any better that could have made my driving safer - and if he'd have pulled out a second earlier it would all have been a bit different. (I have no doubt they'd have tried to pin it on me too.)

I now *always* drive carefully in situations like that. You would too.

So I guess you can never be too careful eh?