With the saturation of safety gear on newer cars you really have no excuse anyhow, the newer ones even slam on the brakes FOR you when they detect an obstacle.
One time someone was standing in the bike lane attempting to cross a 3 lane road against the light. She seemed upset that I was going to ride my bike through the green light anyway, and told me that you have to always stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk regardless of the traffic signal. Unfortunately, pedestrians aren't allowed to enter the crosswalk except when they have a walk signal (that flashing red hand means you're not allowed to cross, though I've never seen a single person follow that rule).
As a cyclist I think we should ban both walking and driving ;)
Well she's right; of course you have to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. You can't wilfully hit someone and just say 'my right of way' and be all in the clear.
I think in the UK pedestrians actually always have priority, as long as they are travelling in a straight line and you as a driver are making some kind of turn. So for example a road joining another road at a T junction, pedestrians crossing the joining road have priority over cars, regardless of lights or markings.
Willfully perhaps, but if it's accidental and all other circumstances being equal I would say that's the pedestrian's fault. I don't understand this logic that because the pedestrian is ignorant about how traffic law works that they're exempt from following it, yes the driver should be paying attention at all times and be ready for anything to happen, but if someone breaks a don't walk light and just wanders into traffic, they should be held liable for the resulting accident.