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Concerns of wearing headphones raised after helicopter death of B.C. student (Heads Up!)
The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton, NB) ^ | May 19, 2008 | Lorrayne Anthony

Posted on 05/19/2008 11:22:59 AM PDT by buccaneer81

Concerns of wearing headphones raised after helicopter death of B.C. student

TORONTO - The death of a 23-year-old student who was killed when a helicopter crash-landed on him in the middle of the street is raising questions about how aware people are of their surroundings when outside listening to portable audio devices - such as Ipods and MP3 players.

Isaiah Otieno, from Kenya, was crossing a street in a quiet Cranbrook, B.C. neighbourhood last week when a helicopter struggling to stay airborne suddenly dropped on top of him.

At the time, there were reports that Otiena was wearing ear or headphones and may not have heard the downward spiralling chopper.

While there is no evidence to back up that theory, the speculation is hard to avoid considering the millions of people each day who walk, run, cycle and in-line skate with the ubiquitous ear buds.

When Kevin Guest, a staff sergeant with the Toronto Police, gives streetproofing tips to students, he reminds them to stay alert while wearing earphones.

"If you are going to wear an IPod or headphones or something like that, you keep the level low enough so you can still hear ambient noise," Guest said.

It's a warning Stephne FitzGerald heeds. The 38-year-old works in the music industry and, two years ago, traded in his daily newspaper to listen to tunes on his IPod during his half-hour commute to work in Toronto.

But he says his surroundings are always on his radar.

"If I am walking outside, I don't have it that loud -- you know traffic," he said. "I'm not that comfortable not hearing any outside noises."

The helicopter accident in British Columbia is the latest tragedy to illustrate how people wearing ear or headphones outdoors can put themselves at increased risk.

In 2007, a student in Grimsby, Ont. was killed while walking along train tracks. He failed to respond to the train's repeated whistles and was wearing his MP3 player earphones.

Also last year, a student in-line skating while wearing headphones in Windsor, Ont. slid under a tractor-trailer he failed to notice until the last minute.

In Australia, police have placed ads that show a teen lying on the ground - MP3 player splayed beside him - with a chalk outline around his body. The ads followed a campaign by a woman whose 16-year-old daughter was struck by a tram in 2004. The teen was wearing headphones.

Last year, New York Senator Carl Kruger's bill to ban the use of IPods, cellphones or other electronic devices while crossing the street was defeated. It was motivated by the death of a 21-year-old Brooklyn man who was listening to an IPod when he stepped in front of a bus.

While there are no laws in Canada dealing with the use of headphones while walking, it's illegal to wear them while riding a bicycle in both British Columbia and Quebec.


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: helicopter; ipod; splat
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To: buccaneer81

Oh great, get ready for another new law


21 posted on 05/19/2008 11:34:49 AM PDT by Retired Greyhound
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To: buccaneer81
True story. I was driving south on State Street on the University of Michigan campus one Halloween afternnoon, and some wearing a full-on Grim Reaper costume (scythe, the whole enchilada) just crossed in the middle of the block right in front of. There is NO WAY, with the hood over head and all, that he could see the traffic, which was heavy.

The person just expected us to stop for him, and we did (both directions). No one wanted to kill Death in a traffic accident. I watched as he walked away, and "the seas were parting for him," if you know what I mean.

It took some balls, but man, it was hilarious.

22 posted on 05/19/2008 11:35:47 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Ramius

I hadn’t considered auto-rotation. I’m not sure what the noise levels would be from the wind.


23 posted on 05/19/2008 11:36:00 AM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: chainsaw

And inquiring minds want to know if the helicopter pilot was wearing headphones and how did that contribute to the crash?


24 posted on 05/19/2008 11:36:05 AM PDT by woollyone (entropy extirpates evolution and conservation confirms the Creator blessed forever.)
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To: buccaneer81

What is the reaction time to dive out from under a falling helicopter?


25 posted on 05/19/2008 11:36:19 AM PDT by weegee (We cant keep our homes on 72 at all times & just expect that other countries are going to say OK -BO)
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some=someone


26 posted on 05/19/2008 11:36:31 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: GulfBreeze
As I also noted on another thread, compared to the Gangsta Culture, very few Barbershop Quartet Singers get capped outside of the Disco in gunfights over their Hoes.


27 posted on 05/19/2008 11:36:41 AM PDT by 50sDad (OBAMA: In your heart you know he's Wright.)
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To: woollyone

It was not a helicopter but rather a Chopper.


28 posted on 05/19/2008 11:37:04 AM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
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To: buccaneer81
...was killed while walking along train tracks. He failed to respond to the train's repeated whistles and was wearing his MP3 player earphones.

...a student in-line skating while wearing headphones in Windsor, Ont. slid under a tractor-trailer he failed to notice until the last minute.

...16-year-old daughter was struck by a tram in 2004. The teen was wearing headphones.

...the death of a 21-year-old Brooklyn man who was listening to an IPod when he stepped in front of a bus.

Natural selection's a b!tch. The nanny state wants to swoop in and perpetuate the polluting of the gene pool.

29 posted on 05/19/2008 11:37:18 AM PDT by ConservaTexan (February 6, 1911)
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To: gridlock

You watch...a couple of deaths related to this, and before long NOBODY will be allowed by the NannyState to wear headphones in public.


30 posted on 05/19/2008 11:37:35 AM PDT by 50sDad (OBAMA: In your heart you know he's Wright.)
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To: Minn
Ridiculous. Even a deaf person would be fully aware something was wrong if helicopter dropping out of the sky on them, just from the wind and vibration. And imagine how loud the music would have to be to block out the sound. You can hear helicopters for miles. Let’s just pass a law that you can’t wear headphones under helicopters.

Yes, it's ridiculous. That's what the media does. They find the silliest angle on a story and make it about ~that~.

But there might not have been as much noise as it seems. Not, at least, while the chopper was far enough up there to give him enough time to react.

31 posted on 05/19/2008 11:38:01 AM PDT by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
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To: buccaneer81
Reminds me of this...


32 posted on 05/19/2008 11:38:20 AM PDT by rottndog (Globull Warming "Science" = garbage in, gospel out.)
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To: buccaneer81

My father in law flies helicopters. They are louder than hell. To be even near a helicopter you need to have ear plugs the size of corks. There isn’t an Ipod in the world that is louder than a helicopter.


33 posted on 05/19/2008 11:38:47 AM PDT by ThreeYearLurker (The NY Times: They are who we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!)
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To: buccaneer81
Did Cranbrook have Helicopter Crossing signs up??

Otherwise I'm sure this is all Bush's fault. And Global Warming is making helicopters fall out of the sky. And wearing head phones will be linked to brain cancer. And more government will solve this crisis, that's killing our young people.

34 posted on 05/19/2008 11:39:16 AM PDT by skully (Gridlock 08Â…Keep America safe from those elected to run it!!)
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To: gridlock

Cars have gotten so quiet now we can’t rely on hearing anymore, iPod or not. Hybrids in electric mode as well as electric city buses are dangerously quiet. A hybrid leaving a curb makes no warning sounds of imminent movement so it’s all up to the driver to look around. Things have gotten too quiet and we need stereo sounds of some kind added to vehicles. A low bass sound, if loud enough, can be heard by the body no matter what someone’s ears are listening to. Directional subwoofers could be added to locomotives to shake the bejesus out of people on the tracks.


35 posted on 05/19/2008 11:39:16 AM PDT by Reeses (Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)
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To: GulfBreeze

Al and Tipper Gore TRIED to warn America of the evils of rock music over 20years ago. Al Gore cares.


36 posted on 05/19/2008 11:39:18 AM PDT by weegee (We cant keep our homes on 72 at all times & just expect that other countries are going to say OK -BO)
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To: Moose4

not necessarily very loud. there are a TON of headphone options available anymore to muffle or completely deaden ambient sound.


37 posted on 05/19/2008 11:39:48 AM PDT by absolootezer0 ( Detroit: we're so bad, even our mayor is a criminal)
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To: Wiseghy

This ought to be an Apple Commercial. Our headphones are so good you can’t even hear a helicopter landing.


38 posted on 05/19/2008 11:43:06 AM PDT by Steamburg (Your wallet speaks the only language most politicians understand.)
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To: 50sDad

"I'm SING-ING in the RAIN-N-N, Just SING-ING in the RA-A-A-AIN!"

39 posted on 05/19/2008 11:43:21 AM PDT by weegee (We cant keep our homes on 72 at all times & just expect that other countries are going to say OK -BO)
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To: buccaneer81

"Ya know Jerry, when someone yells 'heads up' you don't actually look up"


40 posted on 05/19/2008 11:44:19 AM PDT by Disturbin (Liberals: buying votes with your tax dollars)
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