Boy dies while texting, blames car park

[audiman08]

Originally Posted by lisa_spyder

7 storeys high...aproximately 150 feet up from ground level. That's where this boy was. At night in a poorly lit facility...

Guardrails the entire length of all highways is not a relevant comparison (sorry)...and neither are guardrails in the home (sorry again).

This building code is not new here either; it hasn't just been introduced. It's been around for years...but this carpark was built before and should be brought into spec with the addition of higher barriers. I'll bet it will happen...as it should.

I am grumpy, overworked at the moment (stick my head in here from time to time for a bit of relief) and full of a summer cold...this is not a good combination so I apologise in advance if I am not my usual pragmatic and 'polite' self...

but you guys need to see a little bit of the shade 'grey' in some things...not everything is black and white.

Well said...and please don't be sorry.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Agreed. Nobody likes to hear of someone being killed but OTOH we can only dumb down society so far...

That said, there probably SHOULD be edge protection for the benefit of disabled persons - had this been a case of someone going over the edge because their faculties were impaired or compromised due to a medical condition, injury, etc. rather than someone just not paying attention it would probably be a different matter, right?

[jyl]

I suppose you Darwinians don't see the point of having any edge protection at all, then? Let's just have a open 7 story drop. When your wife or child falls off, be sure to post here so we can all mock you?

[Geronimo '74]

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Agreed. Nobody likes to hear of someone being killed but OTOH we can only dumb down society so far...

If this were to happen in the good old USA, the company that made the steel for the guardrail would be sued

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

I suppose that could be used for driving as well.

[sammyg2]

My parents told me when I was very young to watch where I'm going and to pay attention. I listened.
Others should do the same. It is just common sense.

People who text and don't pay attention when they should be paying attention are just stoopid. No excuses allowed.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by jyl

I suppose you Darwinians don't see the point of having any edge protection at all, then? Let's just have a open 7 story drop. When your wife or child falls off, be sure to post here so we can all mock you?

No, the only time there shouldn't be any fall protection would be where personal injury lawyers tend to congregate

My wife and children are not stoopid enough to walk without looking where they are walking.
Now, if there was a design problem that put people at risk through no fault of their own that would be a totally different story.
Suppose there was a water leak that caused ice to build up and someone slipped on the ice and went over, that'd be different.

But when someone is walking and completely focused on something other than where they are walking and they walk off an edge, then they are to blame and no one else.

I suppose they need to put up signs in Yosemite national park now warning visitors not to text while hiking because they might fall off a cliff. Or maybe they need to close all the trails that don't have big study chain-link fenses completely covering the trails.

[oldE]

I am firmly in the camp of "Watch where you are going". I got a reprieve when I was about 9 years old. I was about to cross the road to join a friend, but saw a car coming. As soon as it passed, I started across and was almost scared out of my skin by screeching tires as the driver behind the car I saw braked hard to avoid hitting a stupid kid.
I figured that was my one chance. Some don't even get that, so I have been lucky.

When we visited Iceland this summer, we visited Gullfoss, a large waterfall. As we made our way to the edge of the gorge, I noticed the barrier designed to keep the hundreds of tourists (busloads delivered from Rekjavik) away from the edge: a length of 3/8 inch rope on wooden pegs, about 6 inches off the ground.


Do you know something? People were respecting it. They realized they were responsible for their own safety.

It is tragic this kid fell over a three foot barrier because he was paying more attention to his device than he was his surroundings. It would have been equally tragic if I had not had a Good Samaritan in the following car that day.

The long and short of it is: we teach our kids to watch out for traffic. We should be teaching them to watch where they are going too.

Les

[widgeon13]

I have always been intrigued by the fact that there are no barriers at the Grand Canyon (anywhere, that i know of) and yet I haven't heard of anyone going over the edge, while I'm certain it has happened. People do use their heads if given the opportunity.

My one close call came in Chicago where they have one way streets for cars but yet buses go the opposite direction. Almost bought the farm there years ago. Don't know if it is still that way but it certainly got my attention. Had I not been walking with an associate I wouldn't be typing this sentence.

[GH85Carrera]

People die at the grand canyon on a regular basis. It is not even newsworthy.

That kid was old enough to know how to watch where was walking. He (and all others that text while moving) are willing to risk their life and mine when they drive. All for a freaking conversation! Is that conversation that important?

If you are walking or driving put up the phone and watch where you are going.

[Noney]

This whole conversation is ridiculous.

A drunk kid that's texting on his phone trips and falls over a barrier designed to warn/protect people from doing that very thing and falls to his death and we're somehow supposed to hold the parking garage accountable? Please.

But his grandma says he wasn't drunk.

[Rikao4]

we all get a bit off luck // karma to play with ..
add some common sense...
= you buy yourself a bit more time..


Rika

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

... My one close call came in Chicago where they have one way streets for cars but yet buses go the opposite direction...

Kind of funny that people look at me like I'm from Mars when I look on both side when walking across a one way street...

[lisa_spyder]

Originally Posted by Noney

This whole conversation is ridiculous.

A drunk kid that's texting on his phone trips and falls over a barrier designed to warn/protect people from doing that very thing and falls to his death and we're somehow supposed to hold the parking garage accountable? Please.

But his grandma says he wasn't drunk.

Really? You KNOW that for a fact do you???

Actually the CORONER says he wasn't drunk also. Report has already been completed. Don't make assumptions.

I do not blame the carpark and if you pay attention you will understand that the grandmother does not blame the carpark. It was an accident.

I still ascertain that this carpark needs to be brought up to spec. Of course you've ALL seen it haven't you...been and used it just like I have. That's why you can all make the assumptions you are making.

Yes we should all take responsibility for our actions or wear the consequences. Yes we should teach our kids to do exactly this. But for you all (some) to be so cut and dried about this and so harsh and condemning of this kid ....words fail me.

[Rikao4]

I'm not being harsh..
I've done more and worse..
have the suture lines and scars to remind me daily
I've been lucky..
now I try to be more 'aware'
folks have fallen from higher places without the excuse of a cell-phone..
and survived..
he had alot of things going on..
luck was not one of them..

Rika

[Noney]

Originally Posted by lisa_spyder

Really? You KNOW that for a fact do you???

Actually the CORONER says he wasn't drunk also. Report has already been completed. Don't make assumptions.

I do not blame the carpark and if you pay attention you will understand that the grandmother does not blame the carpark. It was an accident.

I still ascertain that this carpark needs to be brought up to spec. Of course you've ALL seen it haven't you...been and used it just like I have. That's why you can all make the assumptions you are making.

Yes we should all take responsibility for our actions or wear the consequences. Yes we should teach our kids to do exactly this. But for you all (some) to be so cut and dried about this and so harsh and condemning of this kid ....words fail me.

Yeah... words fail me too.

[island911]

Originally Posted by Red88Carrera

You can't idiot-proof the entire world. ...

Exactly.

Although, when it comes to building design/construction, people do have certain expectations of safety. (no big holes in a floor . . .no hallways leading off the edge of a 150' level, for example)

So, here we are... we can just split hairs over the the proper height of a barrier. What will likely happen is an over reaction, and the 'fix' will be 6' (2m) barriers. :-/

idiots (and the over-reactors) ruin all the fun . ..

[FPB111]

Originally posted by lisa_spyder

And yet you still live? How is this possible??

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

I so hoped that was a joke. I was sadly mistaken. I want to kick small children when I see such things.