Posted on 05/12/2013 11:04:36 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
Maryland man struck by train was wearing earbuds, didn’t hear its horn: police
Kevin Scott Street, 37, was killed by a CSX freight train in Joppa, Md., on Thursday. Authorities said he turned at the last minute, but it was too late.
A 37-year-old man who was killed by a train in Joppa, Md., didn’t hear it barreling down the tracks because he was tuned in to his earbuds rather than his surroundings, police said.
Kevin Scott Street, of Aberdeen, Md., was hit by a 20-car freight train around 12:11 p.m. on Thursday.
The train sounded its horn as it approached, but Street, who was walking on the tracks, did not appear to hear it because he was wearing headphones, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said in a press release. He reportedly turned around at the last minute, but he did not have enough time to get away.
The CSX train was on its way from North Bergen, N.J., to Jacksonville, Fla., according to the Baltimore Sun.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
You have to wonder what the thought process was here: “Let’s see, I’ll put in my ear buds and listen to some music as I walk down the railroad tracks. What could go wrong?”
Not being snarky, but how about the guy sneaking up behind you? I cringe when I see women blithely walking/trotting along with earphones on. Wife wanted to do that and got mad when I said "No". Changed her mind after watching a few episodes of "Forensic Files".
RR should sue the A-hole’s estate (if he has one ) for the costs of shutting down the progress of the Company.
This still makes me sad whenever I think of it....
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11846992/ns/us_news-life/t/deaf-beauty-queen-killed-train-was-texting/
Why naturally, of course!
Ever think he was trying to take his own life—Death By train?
This happened a few months ago in Hallstead PA...Earbuds too. I cringe every time I see someone walking the tracks. Really idiotic.
Ok, what’s the bad news—the gene pool intelligence level was just increased a small bit.
Stupid is as stupid... Every time I cross railroad tracks, whether on foot or driving a vehicle, I proceed cautiously. But I see a lot of idiots who don’t. Like the big truck that proceeds with no space to clear the tracks, sits on the tracks. Then the crossing bells sound and the gates come down. So naturally, the truck backs up, taking out the barrier behind him and several cars behind the gates. I see lots of incidents like this at crossings. Lots of people walking on tracks with earbuds get hit and killed, one just a few days ago near where I am. Stupid people deserve to die.
Family filing law suit against the earbud company in 3...2...1....
Maybe I’m getting cynical but if he did it on purpose will the family sue for wrongful death?
Most trains don’t go very fast in congested areas and I was taught as as child to look both ways.
Trains typically don’t hit you unless you are on the track as opposed to walking on the siding. It’s not like they can switch lanes to avoid an accident. And depending on the inertia it might take more that a 1/2 mile to stop.
Drugs,booze or deliberate. I doubt the engineer woke up that morning and said I hope I run over someone today.
I spoke to a retired commercial airline pilot friend last night and in the course of the conversation he said there were only two things I am good at. Milking cows (has a farm) and flying planes. I replied that there are three things you are good at, milking cows, takeoffs and landings. The last two is where it typically counts the most.
Using ear buds or similar ear listening devices while driving or riding a bicycle has been illegal in California for many years. The reason being because neither a driver or bike rider would be able to hear any warning sounds such as emergency vehicle sirens or the warning horns of other vehicles. It is simply not a smart thing to do if you value your well-being and that of others.
How many people who walk the tracks do you imagine have estates? About none?
Not snarky at all.
I don’t wear them in areas I am unfamiliar with if I am on foot. If I am walking in my neighborhood and someone comes up behind me, they are going to do something whether I wear them or not.
I don’t watch television, so I have never seen an episode of “Forensic Files”, but I can easily imagine...
I disagree wholeheartedly.
I view wearing of earphones and listening to audiobooks as a personal responsibility, and conduct myself as such. I listen at a level where I can hear ambient sounds, and conduct myself while driving as if I cannot, much the way someone riding a loud motorcycle or even a bicycle SHOULD do. In other words, I drive defensively and am aware of my surroundings.
It is a function of constantly being aware on the road of where you are, where you are going, the conditions around you, the roadway layout, and the other vehicles and pedestrians in your vicinity. I scan my rearview mirror and both side mirrors constantly, probably once every five to fifteen seconds depending on what is going on around me.
Furthermore, it is not illegal to listen to loud music on the car stereo while driving, though I am sure there are limitations on how much sound your vehicle can emit in certain areas.
Bottom line: If you drive safely whether you are listening to an audiobook or not, you are going to drive safely. If your car is dead silent and you drive unsafely or un-defensively, it probably won’t make any difference what you have in or out of your ears.
Note that I do NOT talk on the phone while driving. If I have to take or make a phone call, I pull off the road to do so. Talking on the phone is 100% different than simply listening in the way your brain is engaged. I do believe that cell phones should be disabled while in cars since it is manifestly far more dangerous than nearly any other activity one can do while driving.
By the way, I just put 3500 miles on my car in the last week, got home on Friday afternoon. This was a vacation for me, just went on a road trip...Massachusetts, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska and back home again. Just to see the country.
I drive a lot, and I feel that I am safer than 95% of the people I see out there, because I drive as if each and every one of them might do something to ME.
I drive defensively.
While I think that cell phone use while driving is extremely dangerous, texting while driving is a death wish. I passed a minivan in Virginia last week heading south, and the whole family in the vehicle had their heads down, texting.
Including the father. The wife, two kids, and the father. It was appalling. I was doing 77 MPH, and they passed me. All texting.
Disagree about the phone. I see little difference between talking on the phone while driving and talking with a passenger.
Now, texting...
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