Your original theory has merit. When I hit a ped, it was just as you described it. I was on my way to school (8th grade), and I went left, and so the ped. I then went right, and so did the ped. We met violently. I was in the wrong. If I had slowed, and maintained a predictible path, I think the incident could have been avoided.

Your SOP failed the other day. But how many times has it worked? Sometimes, no matter what you do, you are gonna eat it. Please don't junk a procedure that has worked countless times and failed once.