NHTSA Complaint #10640051 — 2011 NISSAN LEAF

AFTER STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION, LOOKING BOTH WAYS AND NOT SEEING ANYBODY, I STARTED GOING THROUGH AND CROSSING THE STREET, THEN I SUDDENLY COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH A PEDESTRIAN ONLY INCHES FROM THE SIDE OF THE CAR! I ALMOST HIT SOMEONE, AND THE EXPERIENCE LEFT ME QUITE RATTLED. THE PROBLEM IS THE PILLAR AT THE FRONT LEFT CORNER IS AT THE WORST POSSIBLE POSITION AS IT COMPLETELY BLOCKS THE VIEW OF THE FAR STREET CORNER, SO I DID NOT SEE THE PEDESTRIAN WHO STARTED CROSSING THE STREET. ALSO, THE PILLAR AT THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE COMPLETELY BLOCKS THE VIEW OF THE NEAR STREET CORNER. I HAVE SINCE TRAINED MYSELF TO CONSCIOUSLY PERFORM A CRAZY-LOOKING MANEUVER TO MOVE MY BODY TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT AND BACK, AT EVERY INTERSECTION, TO PEEK AROUND THE OBSTACLE. I DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE. THIS CAR HAS EXCEPTIONALLY TERRIBLE VISIBILITY BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE PILLAR, AND IT IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS. THIS NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IT RESULTS IN A PEDESTRIAN FATALITY. IT ALMOST DID. *TR