Who has the right of way? Pedestrian or driver?

It might be a little bit dependent on where you live too....(laws aside)

Right now, where I am, the minute someone steps into the street cars will stop. Especially when it comes to parking lots and smaller streets. People don't even look. (Especially annoying if you're a driver trying to get anywhere during a major shopping holiday.) Pedestrians consider themselves to have the "right of way"

Where I used to live, you took your life in your hands if you wanted to cross anywhere a car might have access. Drivers considered themselves to have the "right of way"....

Eye contact is very important. Hopefully someone slows down and waves you across.

I also feel that cars should not be allowed to turn when pedestrians have the walk light at a crosswalk. They should have their own light for when it's OK to turn. Awhile back a truck hit and killed a 2 year old in a stroller this way.

At an uncontrolled intersection like in many residential areas, the pedestrian has the right of way. If it's a four way stop, pedestrian has the right of way. If one direction has a stop or yield sigh, the cars not subject to those signs would have the right of way.

And don't jay walk in Vegas..

"When approaching an intersection, you must yield the right of way to any pedestrians who are crossing the street. You must stop your vehicle before the crosswalk, which will either be painted on the road or be an imaginary extension of the sidewalk." - international traffic rules.

It does NOT matter if it is a marked cross walk, the pedestrian ALWAYS has the right of way at any intersection.

In my state - Florida - the pedestrian has the right of way - period.

What that works out to in reality is that the pedestrian has the legal right to take their life in their hands and attempt to cross the street!

The uni I went to for grad school had a hard and fast rule that pedestrians had the right of way. That meant you could walk in front of a car and they damned well better stand on the brakes. I got so used to it that I damned near got myself killed out in the "real" world.

This rule is pretty standard.

The rule that doesn't seem to be standardized is that concerning when a driver is permitted to proceed. To my dismay this province allows you to proceed once the pedestrian crosses your side of the street. Seems dangerous to me as my being stopped is a signal to the driver opposite to do the same. There seems to be a difference of opinion in my city too over how a 4 way stop works, but that is another thread entirely.