Williams v. Lehigh Traction Co.
Williams v. Lehigh Traction Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
On the night of November 26, 1918, David Williams, with two others, wished to board an automobile bus that had stopped between street crossings. It was crowded
The rule as to the right of pedestrians to cross or be in the cartway, of a street between crossings was stated in Gavin v. P. R. T. Co., 271 Pa. 73, 74, and need not be repeated here. Had this accident occurred when it was light enough to see, we would have no hesitancy in declaring the conduct of deceased and his companions grossly negligent.
We are not impressed with the suggestion that drivers of automobiles, street cars and other vehicles must exercise a higher degree of care in passing auto or jitney busses loading or unloading passengers between regular crossings on our thoroughfares than in passing pedestrians. The same degree of care is required of them as that taken against mishaps to pedestrians intending to cross a highway between or at crossings. Ordinarily, drivers of street cars or automobiles, traveling on a highway between street crossings, are not bound to anticipate that persons will step in their path from behind such
But here we have an accident happening at a late hour, and, as stated, during a dark stormy night, with a street car traveling without head or signal light to warn of its approach, and without any other precautionary means to give such notice. These circumstances, together with the noise from the departing automobile bus, present a case for the jury to consider both as to defendant’s negligence and the contributory negligence of Williams. The speed at which the street car traveled between crossings was not negligence, nor was the absence of warning by bell.
We affirm the court below solely on the concurrence of facts as here outlined: see Kaselicska v. Pittsburgh Rys. Co., 220 Pa. 43, 44, and Patterson v. Pittsburgh Rys. Co., 260 Pa. 214, 217.
There is nothing in this ease to show indisputable physical facts from which the court could demonstrate plaintiff’s story to be false. The absence of a headlight was well established by the evidence; it was not denied the night was dark and stormy, and the motorman, apparently, did not see the bus until he was “on top of it.”
Defendant urges the light from within the car should have filled the requirement of notice. We cannot so decide ; part of it was obscured from the front, and plaintiff’s testimony is adverse to such conclusion. With the ordinary light, not intended as a reflecting headlight or
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
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- Negligence — Street railways — Pedestrian crossing behind automobile bus between intersections — Contributory negligence — Case for jury. 1. Under the peculiar circumstances of this case, it was held that a pedestrian struck by a street railway car at night after having passed behind an automobile bus between intersecting streets, was entitled to have his case go to the jury: Gavin v. P. R. T. Co., 271 Pa. 73, distinguished. 2. Drivers of automobiles, street cars and other vehicles are not required to exercise a higher degree of care in passing auto or jitney busses loading or unloading passengers between regular crossings on the thoroughfares, than in passing pedestrians. The same degree of care is required of them as that taken against mishaps or pedestrians intending to cross a highway between or at crossings.