You're still subjecting yourself to a foreseeable danger, and you're breaking the law. A "reasonable person" (look that one up as well) always follows the law. . . slowly backing up and sounding my horn to warn a lawbreaker of a potential danger hardly constitutes neglect or reckless driving. . . Besides, what good will a suit do this woman anyway? What sort of damages would I be paying for? . . . The only thing criminal that I might have done is assault with a deadly weapon, but I highly doubt those charges would stick.
forgive me if my answers/comments aren't in any particular order or organized appropriately. i've been writing things as i've been reading your responses in this thread. cliff notes: you're wrong about a lot of things you've said.
dear: dumpy dooby, esq.:
you should know that contributory negligence doctrines vary by state. some are a complete bar to recovery. some aren't.
if you intentionally hit someone with your car, there's no fucking way you're innocent, civilly or criminally. my guess is that you've exhibited prima facie reckless behavior. you should read up on the "eggshell skull" doctrine.
damages? you knock her over, she breaks a hip. hospitalization, pain and sufferring, can't work for 8 weeks @ $2,500/week. attorney's fees. punitive damages for being an asshole. you might have to sell the house bro. at the very least, if they find a lawyer to take the case, you're out $5K paying a defense lawyer. still worth it?
oh, you said you didn't hit her? well, remember that eggshell skull thing? turns out mrs. space hog has a mental illness and now will no longer walk in parking garages. this really sucks for her, since she has to park in one each day to get to work. so instead, her husband has to take her every day, which costs a few dollars in gas, some time delays, etc. these things might add up over 10 years though! uh oh, wait... her lawyer is really greedy though, and wants to claim intentional affliction of emotional distress (yes, that's a real thing!) once again, you gotta pay a lawyer 5-10k to defend you.
if you commit an act for which the consequences are reasonably foreseeable to cause harm, you've probably committed the tort of negligence. in your case, your act was KNOWING, not simply negligent. "knowingly" committing an act is a little higher up on the totem pole of offenses. we'd have to see what your state says.
assault with a deadly weapon? most state statutes don't define deadly weapon to include vehicles. automobiles generally get their own chapter in the state code. nice job pulling that one out of your ass, btw. by the way, what makes you "highly doubt those charges would stick?" are you a lawyer or just a really good guesser?
i wouldn't move for you i don't care how fast your flying back. Pedestrians don't have to move for crap, you hit anyone still your fault. sue you and profit mad $$$$ and find out where you live so i can drive by in a hummer with your money and flaunt it in your face
