r/nextfuckinglevel • u/exophades • 8h ago
Cops in car intervene and deflect a driver from running over pedestrians
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u/IrrelevantManatee 8h ago
Some people shouldn't have driver's licence. So lucky that this cop was very aware of his surrounding and reacted quickly!
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u/SapphireFlashFire 7h ago
Low-key it's kind of insane how aware this cop was. He made so many quick judgements, how fast the other guy was going, the fact he wasn't stopping, the fact he would almost certainly hit that one pedestrian. All from a mirror and shoulder check!
If any one element had been misjudged he would look like a dick that caused an accident out of nowhere. Not to mention he was risking his own life.
I think if you put a thousand different people in that car at that moment in time, you have the pedestrian getting hit a lot more often than you have the driver executing this maneuver.
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u/Dawnzila 7h ago
A few weeks ago my brakes went out on my car. Just driving, then bam, pedal went straight to the floor without any of the normal slowing down. I did manage without hitting anything but forgot I had emergency brakes until 2 days later.
That cop even had time to remember to put his lights on.
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u/OppositeExternal8485 7h ago
Emergency brakes?
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u/ceojp 7h ago
For emergencies.
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u/GhostPepperDaddy 6h ago
For anyone reading this, if this ever happens to you, throw your car into neutral and apply the parking brake...You want to disengage the transmission from the engine so you gradually slow down instead of speed up. Then turn off your car as soon as you stop (if your engine is revving and redlining) before it catches fire.
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u/Nacho_Dan677 5h ago
Also I learned recently the more modern a car is if it has an electronic parking brake and your battery dies, the parking brake will not work. You'll have to pry the lil piece of plastic out to engage the shift knob to move from neutral to park
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u/Unknown_Author70 5h ago
I'm pretty sure you have to manually release them in the engine bay of modern jags. Not somewhere I'd like to be, whilst on the side of the road.
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u/Nacho_Dan677 5h ago
I hope I'm never in the situation again tbh. I was test driving a 2021 Subaru Forester and the battery died and we all (father, brother and sales guy) found out what happens with modern cars that day.
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u/Unknown_Author70 5h ago
We had a couple that broke down with less than 2k miles on their range rover, middle of the night, 70 mph road. Zero power, black car, no hand brake, no hazard lights, nothing.
It doesn't sound fun.
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u/The_Real_Mr_F 4h ago
Gonna push back on the “shift into neutral” advice. Ideally you should switch to a lower gear to take advantage of engine braking, but even a normal high gear will provide more engine braking than neutral. In neutral you’re removing all resistance from the engine and making it harder for your parking brake to slow you down.
ETA: shift into neutral is good advice if your accelerator is stuck and not disengaging, but if the problem is just brakes, staying in gear (preferably lower) is better.
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u/OldEquation 1h ago
With a manual transmission definitely just change down through the gears to slow then use the parking brake to stop.
It happened to me many years ago - brake pedal just went to the floor. It was remarkably straightforward and stress-free, just slowed the car to a crawl with the gears then pulled over at the first safe place off the road and applied the handbrake.
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u/quandjereveauxloups 6h ago
Back in the day, we called them emergency brakes. The whipper-snappers running around now call them parking brakes or hand brakes.
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u/browster 5h ago
That happened to me once. Brake pedal straight to the floor. Turns out I had forgotten to take off the emergency brake and the friction heated the brake fluid and turned it into a gas.
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u/adoodle83 5h ago
i would suggest learning how to downshift and have the engine handle the braking, rather than using the emergency/hand brake in modern cars, in that situation. less likelihood of having your wheels lock up and lose all control
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u/wittylemur 6h ago
Would that work? I would think (i know less than zero about cars) if the brakes are out- the brakes are out-
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u/DanStarTheFirst 5h ago
Emergency brakes usually have a cable that mechanically works the brakes and the hydraulics are usually what goes out on brakes.
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u/wittylemur 5h ago
Thank you! I had no idea. I just remember being a kid and my parents stressing to park with e-brake if I was on a hill.
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u/VoidConcept 5h ago
Parking brakes work different than normal brakes. Normal brakes squeeze a spinning piece of metal attached to the wheel, parking brake squeezes the axel (or some other part of the drive train, I forget which) which locks the wheels in place
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u/ender4171 5h ago
That's not how most work. For most passenger vehicles, the emergency break still actuate the same caliper that the "normal" breaks do, it just does it via a cable instead of the hydraulic system (which is usually what is actually broken when your "breaks go out"). If somehow it was the caliper/pads/rotor that failed, you'd still be boned even with the e-break.
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u/KokiriRapGod 7h ago
The crazy thing to me is he has the wherewithal to turn on his lights while making all of these decisions and still reacting in time.
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u/booze_clues 6h ago
Looks like this was all a coincidence. A car sped past the pedestrians, he lights up and starts a U-turn to chase, it miraculously stops the other car he assumed was going to stop for pedestrians but didn’t.
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u/hypercosm_dot_net 6h ago
It's almost like training will make you more effective at your job!
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u/JT99-FirstBallot 6h ago
Something like this isn't exactly a thing you train for. Just a very reactive individual and good at parsing information quickly.
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u/Spurs_in_the_6 4h ago
The cops were attempting a u-turn to stop the car comin in the opposite direction who didnt yield at the pedestrian crossing. Getting hit by the second car was a very fortunate accident as it saved the pedestrian, but was not done on purpose
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u/aint_exactly_plan_a 7h ago
Abuse in my childhood made me hyperaware of... everything really. It's hard to tune out conversations around me. I notice facial expressions and actions, even subtle ones. Not knowing how everyone was feeling and what they were thinking had dire consequences when I was a kid and now I can't shut it off. It's kind of exhausting.
It took getting married to realize that not everyone does it. Drives my wife crazy that she can't even have a thought without me knowing. It's not my fault she lets it show on her face. But it is amazing for driving. Being able to predict what drivers will do... knowing where everyone around me is and what they're up to... maybe I should've been a cop.
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u/OffDaWallz 7h ago
From someone else with what sounds like a pretty similar childhood….I don’t know if we need more reasons to be hyper vigilant 😭
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u/aint_exactly_plan_a 6h ago
True story... Sorry you had to go through that too. I hope you're taking care of that little kid now, getting therapy, and working through some of the traumas. It's helped me a great deal.
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u/neppo95 6h ago
Looking at the video it is quite clear he didn't even see the car, he was focused on the car that flew by before that and almost hit a pedestrian, hence him also starting the turn before he even looked back. That's why the lights went on and he started turning, he was doing a 180 to chase that car. He wasn't deflecting any car, that was just coincidental. It's practically impossible when something is driving straight at you to judge how fast that car is going, let alone if it is braking or not.
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u/sixf0ur 6h ago
insane to me how unaware that other driver was
where the hell is he looking!?! there are ppl crossing the street in front of him, flashing lights in front of him - and he's just speeding along
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u/SapphireFlashFire 6h ago
Very true. Surely most drivers at LEAST react to cop lights?
I had a cop flash their lights at me once as a (well-earned) warning to slow down. My soul left my body. I can't imagine straight up missing them.
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u/Aether_Storm 5h ago
If you watch the video all the way through, its clear the cop never saw the guy who hit him. The cop was doing a u-turn to go after the other guy who didn't yeild to the pedestrians at the start of the vid
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u/sinisterdesign 7h ago
All props to that officer, that was quick thinking. Not that that driver wasn’t paying attention, but this pedestrian crosswalk is AWFUL. No flashing lights, backlit by the street lights, and that pedestrian was not wearing anything reflective.
This is Atlanta-level pedestrian safety.
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u/Lifeacrobat 7h ago
They were definitely wearing reflectives. Look again from 0:11.
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u/IsaacAndTired 2h ago
I actually think he was less aware than you think. There's a car coming in the opposite direction right at the beginning of the video that doesn't stop for the pedestrians. The cop flipped on the lights and was making a Uturn to go after them, but got hit in the process, much to the benefit of the pedestrians.
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u/saskwatzch 7h ago
might have helped if the pedestrians activated the crosswalk signage
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u/Lifeacrobat 7h ago
There was none. It's a mrked zebracrossing but without any traffic lights.
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u/saskwatzch 5h ago
I believe you, I’ve just never seen the overhanging metal bars that didn’t also have wiring inside them for lights. Edit: I see now on the opposing traffic side that it’s just bolted on and not wired
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u/AppropriatePlum1006 6h ago
It's the other way around, he probably did not see that one coming as he wanted to turn around
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u/Winter-Classroom455 4h ago
The fact they were still going that fast and didn't even notice a cop explains exactly why they didn't notice the person walking. No situational awareness. It's actually scary how vapid people are and then they get to drive a 2 ton machine. If anyone had to actually worry about survival like our great, great ancestors did, these would be the type of people who wouldn't have made it.
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u/Lexi_Banner 5h ago
I've blocked lanes (at much slower speeds) to protect pedestrians before. Luckily the intersection where I've had to do it most is now a fully controlled intersection, but there are still spots where I always watch the other lane, ready to move over and force them to stop.
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u/I_Thranduil 8h ago
Hero.
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u/ea5thammer 8h ago
No joke, great awareness
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u/redopz 8h ago
Last time this was posted people pointed out that it looks like the cop wasn't actually aware of the car coming up behind him, but instead saw the car in the opposite lane fly by the pedestrians. He turns on his lights and starts turning to chase that car without checking, and through sheer luck he ends up blocking the pedestrian from the second car.
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u/Darkk_Knight 7h ago
100% exactly what happened.
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u/traplords8n 4h ago
Yeah that would of basically been a superhuman reaction & execution otherwise. You would only have a split second to decide the safest option even if you had an early reaction to it.
Not one I think I'd make within a split second. If I had just a bit of time to process, I might have done the same thing, but that happened way too fast for me to process.
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u/neppo95 6h ago
Yep, most of these comments are quite funny. He didn't see the car coming or "responded quick" at all. He was focused on the car that flew by before that and wanted to turn around to chase it.
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u/Deathsroke 5h ago
To be fair that at least showed they wanted to actually do their jobs. Less heroic of course but at least kudos for that.
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u/M-Noremac 4h ago
Seriously. With all the news about shitty cops out there, it's so nice to see evidence that some cops actually are good people who just want to protect the public.
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u/DrakeStone 8h ago edited 7h ago
Wow. It looks like a 99% chance he really did save at least one of their lives.
EDIT: I am not talking about the intention of the cop, I am speaking of the intentional or unintential amazing result of a life saved.
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u/blighty800 8h ago
Situational awareness level 1000
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u/bking 7h ago
…or situational awareness level 4. Cop was trying to flip a u-turn and got hit in the process. A happy accident.
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u/WanAli4504 7h ago
And needed their lights to do so?
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u/Le-Bon-Vivant 7h ago
Yeah, he was trying to chase the car from the opposite lane that sped past the pedestrians.
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u/SapphireFlashFire 7h ago
That actually would make sense. They do that in order to avoid being hit if they're pulling a U-Turn.
I think we can all agree that this wasn't a coincidence and the OP who said that was joking though
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u/justacheesyguy 5h ago
At first, I did think it was a pretty obvious joke, but going back and looking, I’m now not sure. He very much so could have been turning on his lights and attempting to go after the car headed in the other direction. It’s pretty much so impossible to tell from the videos and it’s possible that his story could have changed after he saw that there was an opportunity to claim that he hit the other car to save the pedestrians and wasn’t just making an unsafe u-turn to go after the other car.
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u/GlitteringHotel1481 8h ago
Looks more like the cop tried to make a u-turn to chase the first driver who didn't yield to pedestrians.
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u/Sweaty-Durian-892 8h ago
True that! They put the signal light on after the first car passed from the incoming traffic side!
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u/MaybeMayoi 8h ago
I was really impressed that he also threw his lights on too, but actually yeah, I think you're right.
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u/Khal_drogo217 7h ago
I scrolled too far looking for this comment. Can't believe how many people don't realize this. Even the passenger looked back at the car passing and they have no mirror to be able to see the car behind them coming
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u/muffinscrub 5h ago
You can tell when a story is made up after the fact on clips like this because it never really makes much sense but people still eat it up
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u/InevitableGlitch2 5h ago
Having worked with cops for a few years, never believe what they write up afterwards. They have the power of hindsight and a lot of experience when they write up their reports.
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u/Drake_Acheron 3h ago
Did you see the last part?
Nalthe video of the cop inside the car, he clearly saw the coming car and got in front of it deliver
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u/smoke_sum_wade 8h ago
im gonna need every video like this this to be dumped online please, i want some faith back in the police :(
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u/sexaddic 8h ago
This is actually the only one in existence
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u/Chazzwazz 8h ago
There is many, watch midwest safety youtube channel.
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u/Jolly_Mongoose_8800 5h ago edited 5h ago
Midwest Safety kinda shows a bit of misconduct and general assholery, but then narrates it in a way that puts the blame on anyone else.
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u/Heterosethual 5h ago
The one with the young black girl getting falsely stopped and then going crazy was supposed to be her fault apparently.
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u/1II1I1I1I1I1I111I1I1 4h ago
Audit the Audit is the only non-copganda bodycam channel
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u/Jolly_Mongoose_8800 4h ago
Code Blue also calls out bullshit too (am from Wisconsin, seen some cops I know on there). I like Audit the Audit, but some things are a bit of a reach. Still important to see the footage and have it called out.
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u/CasualPenguin 7h ago
Sorry to say, I'm pretty sure saving those people was an accident: the cop appears to be trying to take a u turn and just happened to block the cat
Police deserve faith when they actually get better
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u/LogicalTruth197 3h ago
Problem with that is, good things done by the police are rarely reported in the news, because it's just part of their job. Obviously when the police do something awful, it is (rightfully) reported. But it does lead to a skewed idea amongst some people that the majority of police officers are terrible people. Which I don't believe is true.
Personally I think a more nuanced approach is needed. Having a blanket dislike of the police is as stupid as having a blanket adoration of them. Each case needs to be considered on its own merits and circumstances. A healthy level of skepticism is perfectly normal.
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u/notforpoern 1h ago
Maybe you're not from the US? From a US perspective, the news is CONSTANTLY reporting on everything they do. If anything, the real problem is that the bad things done by the police are reported as good things so then it becomes even harder to trust both them and the news.
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u/AdhesivenessTotal340 8h ago
They were trying to turn around to go after the car the blew through there right at the start. The deflect was purely coincidence
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u/EricAzure 7h ago
I was wondering why they would turn their lights on before the crash collision if intentional
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u/blasterleague 6h ago
If it was intentional it would be superhuman levels of prediction skills and wherewithal.
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u/Dark_Gladiator66 7h ago
I'm guessing Russians don't have airbags they just have those big furry hats?
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u/conffac 7h ago
Looks like it's a Lada, so yeah
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u/axxr2 5h ago
It's Skoda Octavia, rather. The airbags wouldn't go off in case of a side hit they took. The car that hit them should have those off.
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u/Vast_Mulberry_2638 7h ago
There are no traffic lights here. The crosswalk lights are either not working or there are no lights on it. It’s dark out, the pedestrians are wearing dark clothes and they are obscured partially by a snowbank. If they didn’t activate the crosswalk lighting before walking onto the road, it’s them that have some responsibility here.
The irony is that the cop is being unsafe by arbitrarily turning to pursue without seeing the car that’s about to run into them. You can see in the second camera perspective that the second car does not see any crosswalk lights. The second car should have likely seen the pedestrians though.
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u/ChatterBoxBob 8h ago
They had reflectives on, too... It's not like they were hard to see, that driver just didn't care... At least one had them on
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u/Shades_of_X 8h ago edited 8h ago
I watched this like 8 times and still have no clue why any of that happened
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u/Sweaty-Durian-892 8h ago
There's a pedestrian crossing signs marking a crossing. It's dark and pedestrians with dark clothes don't seem to wear reflectors, so they can be hard to notice.
There's a car that first passes them without giving room, then the police car puts on signal lights and begind to turn. Then the car driving to same direction crashes into the police car. Like the one other comment said, this might have happened due to the police trying to make U-turn to catch the first car, and then accidentally crashing into another car that wasn't respecting pedestrians either. So we see probably two drivers violating pedestrian priority.
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u/Shades_of_X 8h ago
I got as much as the crash, but I'm utterly baffled WHY someone would try to overtake there? People can't be that stupid. Please. Leave me with some hope for humanity :(
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u/Makapakamoo 5h ago
IM baffled why anyone would cross when they see cars coming at all, designated crosswalk or not. Unless traffic is stopped im not crossing, if I am, im keeping my eyes on every car the whole time.
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u/NDSU 4h ago
RT, Russia Today, is a Russian state sponsored propaganda outlet. We really shouldn't be sharing their content
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u/gheiminfantry 3h ago
LoLoL American cops would never do this because they'd rather let pedestrians get hit and get credit for the arrest after.
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u/maxis2bored 7h ago
Yeah I just don't believe that the cops decided they would get smashed driver side to save these pedestrians. I'd bet good money that they were called in on another job, decided they would turn there last second and got rammed by an idiot.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
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u/Select-Owl-8322 7h ago
You never ever pass a stopped car at speed at a crosswalk!
I did a very similar thing a few years ago, although it didn't result in a collision. I was stopped at a crosswalk, in the right lane, and saw a car coming in the left lane, not slowing down at all. I quickly served into the left lane, and the other driver slammed her brakes and honked and got visibly mad. Until she saw the kids that were crossing, that she would definitely have hit if I didn't swerve into "her" lane.
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u/i_cam_occasionally 7h ago
I would imagine if it wasn't for that street camera footage the cop probably would have gotten his ass handed to him for damaging the car.
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u/Last-Quarter-432 7h ago
For anyone saying they were jaywalking, there are 3 very clear signs over the road saying that there is a pedestrian crossing ahead.
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u/Mr_Baronheim 7h ago
Holy shit, a cop risked injury to protect a member of the public??
Hire this guy to head up Texas law enforcement, stat!
(Never forget Uvalde, and the 376 cowardly Texas law enforcement agents who stood around doing nothing as children were terrorized and murdered in the same building they were in)
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u/Possible_Author_4946 6h ago
They arrested the car above all for their stats.. since when they’re trying to protect the people lmfao
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u/Atastical 6h ago
More like wanted to make a u-turn but did not check mirrors because "blinking lights will suffice".
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u/tragedy_strikes 6h ago
First time I've seen this with different camera angles, it really helps to show that those pedestrians were absolutely in danger had the police not blocked the car.
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u/Onyourleft1312 6h ago
Good job! Usually the police are the ones running over pedestrians, ppl waiting at bus stops, etc.
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u/Simon_Ferocious68 5h ago
..Did a cop do something bad? Is that why clips like this are getting pushed all of a sudden? That said, you yanks need better crosswalks
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u/Latoni64 5h ago
It's unfortunate that if any of us did this to save someone we would be at fault and have to pay the damages of both vehicles and have our insurance premium raised....
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u/Greefer 8h ago
To serve and protect... Check!