In this situation, should you increase the distance when passing a pedestrian?

In the video, you are driving slowly across a square in front of a building, between parked cars; in front of you, on the right-hand side, a man in a grey sweatshirt is walking, talking on the phone and not looking behind him. When going around him, you should increase the distance. The answer is: yes.

The Road Traffic Act states that when going around a vehicle, road user or obstacle, the driver of a vehicle is obliged to keep a safe distance from it and, if necessary, to reduce speed; on a square where pedestrians and vehicles use the same surface, you drive slowly and give way to pedestrians. The pedestrian is walking in your direction, so formally you are overtaking him, and the rule of a safe distance is the same. The Act does not give a number of metres, because a "safe" distance depends on the situation - and here the situation requires a larger one than usual: the pedestrian is talking on the phone, has his back to you and does not know you are coming, so he may suddenly change direction, stop or step sideways, for example to go around a puddle. That is why you move away from him as far as the parked cars allow, slow down to walking pace and do not use the horn.

Legal basis: Art. 23 para. 1 point 2, Art. 24 para. 2, Art. 26 para. 5 and Art. 4 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)