In boating, we presume the powered boat is more maneuverable than the sailing boat, and thus the powered boat has to give way. If both boats are powered, or both are sail, there's specific give way rules for what are considered equal maneuverability vehicles:
When power meets power
You must give way to another vessel on your starboard. (right)
If you meet head on, both vessels must turn to starboard. (right)
When power meets sail
Power gives way to sail unless the sailing vessel is overtaking.
Sailing vessels should avoid sailing in a narrow channel. They have to give way to power-driven vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre in the channel.
When sail meets sail
The vessel which has the wind on its starboard (right) side has the right of way. The vessel which has the wind on its port (left) side must give way.
When both boats have the wind on the same side the windward (upwind) boat has to give way.
https://maritime.college/Boating-Rules- ... 0starboard.
When it comes to trains, most everything must give right of way to the train, as it's very nonmaneuverable (it can neither swerve nor stop in a reasonable timeframe). This is true of cars, trucks, emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and all other forms of travel.
In aviation, pedestrians aren't typically a problem, but there's very specific rules on right of way between various vehicles:
(c) In distress. An aircraft in distress has the right-of-way over all other air traffic.
(d) Converging. When aircraft of the same category are converging at approximately the same altitude (except head-on, or nearly so), the aircraft to the other's right has the right-of-way. If the aircraft are of different categories -
(1) A balloon has the right-of-way over any other category of aircraft;
(2) A glider has the right-of-way over an airship, powered parachute, weight-shift-control aircraft, airplane, or rotorcraft.
(3) An airship has the right-of-way over a powered parachute, weight-shift-control aircraft, airplane, or rotorcraft.
However, an aircraft towing or refueling other aircraft has the right-of-way over all other engine-driven aircraft.
Notably, we once again see most maneuverable must give right of way to the less maneuverable. Aircraft in distress have ultimate right of way, then balloons, then gliders, then aircraft towing/fueling other aircraft, then airships, then all other powered aircraft.
So then we get to the meat of it, for cars vs pedestrians, who is the more maneuverable? If you said "cars", please shred your driver's license. Cars cannot start, stop, or maneuver as fast as people on their feet, with the exception of those who are significantly disabled.
Thus, it makes sense that cars have the right of way, in accordance with the rules for roughly all types of vehicles.
Now those rules aren't perfect - the boating ones in particular suggest an oil tanker is more maneuverable than a sailboat, but I'd suggest those are flaws in the rules themselves, but say nothing about the intentions behind the rules. Less maneuverable vehicles get right of way over the more maneuverable.
What say you, NSG?