You possibly can but safer to cook them and they'll taste a lot nicer too...

General advice is don't as they contain toxins removed by boiling.

I've often chewed on raw runner beans (already sliced) and have come to no harm. They taste rather nice, I think.

Oops! Just Googled the question and this is what I found.

"Although it is common for green beans to be eaten raw in salads or straight from the garden, green beans are actually mildly toxic when raw. They contain the same toxins and anti-nutrients as mature and dried beans, but in lower concentrations. Beans contain a compound called lectin. Lectins are glycoproteins that are present in a wide variety of commonly-consumed plant foods. Some are not harmful, but the lectins found in undercooked and raw beans are toxic. ... Beans actually have a better nutritional profile after they are cooked."

Perhaps I'd better stick to cooking them.

They do taste quite nice though - must confess to having munched the odd one.

At least I'm not the only one. So we're both still here Stera and relatively fit so they can't be too toxic. Can they?

We are here to prove that one won't hurt you...Its the actual beans that are toxic though, not the pods.

Oh that's ok then because it's the green I like. The beans have an odd taste. Not surprising now I know they are toxic.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/beware-of-the-beans-how-beans-can-be-a-surprising-source-of-food-poisoning-931862.html

You have "bean" warned !! I couldn't find any info on the pods. Seems I was lucky when I munched one bean...