If Someone Dies While You're Driving w/ a Cellphone...

[bainsidhe]

...you're screwed.

Last winter a city plow backed over and killed a 34 year-old woman that was walking across a parking lot. Both the woman and a witness screamed for the driver to stop, but he didn't stop in time to prevent the tragedy. This story really bothers me. Not only did it happen locally, but she's my age and it could've happened to anyone. Those plows are massive and they don't slow down just because pedestrians are present. I usually duck behind vehicles because I fear getting hit. Something about having a semi with a blade scooping two feet from my shins really unsettles me.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...y=mod|mostview

Apparently the driver's view was blocked by the salt spreader. He was also on his bluetooth, which in my opinion means he's screwed. While it's true that hand-free phones are perfectly legal, I don't like public employees using them while driving if it's a public safety issue. That includes plow drivers, city bus drivers, etc. Whatever happened to banning cell phones at work?

[blas87]

I've seen what city plows do to vehicles parked on the street out of sure apathy and "ehh whatever" attitude, but I didn't know they actually have killed people before.

[aurelemsrealm]

Being caught using your cellphone while on duty is considered a fireable offense at my workplace. Usually, you'll get a reprimand for just an occasional occurrence. Termination only happens if there is an established and consistent pattern of cellphone usage while on duty. I've never been caught using my cellphone at work, but usually hide out of sight of the cameras, away from customers, and let my manager know that I have an important personal reason for using my cellphone at work. In other words, I don't make a habit of it, and I notify my manager in advance that I'm expecting or need to make an urgent personal call. I have known of instances in which coworkers were reprimanded for excessive cell phone usage at work, so I know it does happen. Considering my manager, I know it has to be extreme before she issues a written reprimand or worse because she just doesn't like doing that sort of thing.

[Imprl59]

Strange story. Have to wonder why she couldnt get out of the way of the truck. It's not like those things go that fast in reverse. Perhaps she was distracted talking on her own cellphone. Also as cheap as back up cameras are you would think the city would have them on these trucks even if the mirror wasnt blocked.

[bainsidhe]

Strange story. Have to wonder why she couldnt get out of the way of the truck. It's not like those things go that fast in reverse.

It's possible she was distracted too. Regarding the above comment, it's not like those trucks go slow either. This isn't nice summer pavement with someone ready to sprint. This is slick, snowy pavement and the plows are huge. Even if they backed up no faster than walking pace, it'd be tough to get clear if you're directly behind the thing. And the fact both the woman and a witness had time to scream for the driver to stop tells me it didn't happen instantly. I'm not saying the driver was 100% at fault, it's just something that never ever should have happened. And now with the lawsuit, his being on a bluetooth means he's screwed.

[insertNameHere]

Um, Chances are even if he wasn't on a Bluetooth, the sound of diesel engine and I'm guessing not many people have the windows down in the winter, it should be more of a get the fuck out of the way. Or throw something at the drivers window to get his attention.

Today I got bitched at because I was up on a ladder and didn't respond to a woman that was 5 ft from my ladder saying "hello, hello, hELLO, HELLO" until I was sure she wanted me

[Andara Bledin]

It's possible she was distracted too.

It's verified that she's distracted, too. The article states that both the driver and the pedestrian were on their phones when he put the plow in reverse.

Barring further information, I put 1/3 of the blame on the pedestrian for what became a fatal lack of situational awareness, 1/3 to the driver for being distracted by anything that wasn't necessary for the performance of his duties, and 1/3 for the failure to have any form of rear-view camera on a massive piece of equipment with limited visibility from the driver's seat.

^-.-^

[telecom_goddess]

Barring further information, I put 1/3 of the blame on the pedestrian for what became a fatal lack of situational awareness, 1/3 to the driver for being distracted by anything that wasn't necessary for the performance of his duties, and 1/3 for the failure to have any form of rear-view camera on a massive piece of equipment with limited visibility from the driver's seat.

^-.-^

I have to agree with this.....all of these factors had a hand in it.

[aurelemsrealm]

I hadn't even thought of rearview cameras when I read the article yesterday, but that is a very good point. I think it should be mandatory that any large vehicle be equipped with rearview cameras. I've never driven anything larger than an extended length van, but only relying on the mirrors for a backwards view makes me nervous. I also agree that both the driver and pedestrian share blame for this incident since both of them were distracted with their cellphones.

[tabbyblack13]

I work at an open pit mine and my company is now banning all privately owned cell phones on site. This is because having a discussion on a cell phone has been proven to distract drivers. There are brain imaging scans that show that when a person is having a discussion (even using a hands free device) the location of the brain that is suppose to be in charge of making decision related to driving (a vision related decision) is hampered. If I can find the study I will post it.

I doubt that having a backup camera would have help. The snow plow driver might have looked before backing up but the victim might not have been in range of the camera. Review cameras are handy but I think I know why there wasn't one on the truck. If the truck was an older model then the review camera would have been an after market install and those do not always work the best if at all. Another issue is the cost and the fact that many people may not have thought it worth the cost when the snow plow was built for the city.

Honestly, both people are responsible. I cannot tell you how many times I have damn near hit people walking across the street and in parking lots because their conversation is more important than where they are walking. It's a major concern that one day I will hit someone because they darted out while talking on their cell phone.

[Shangri-laschild]

My first thought was that him not being on the cellphone might not have changed anything. If he couldn't hear over the vehicle (something I find very easy to believe) and couldn't properly see behind him then even if he wasn't distracted he wouldn't have seen or heard. Of course my second thought was that if he couldn't see behind him, then he shouldn't have driven in reverse.

Does anyone know if snowplows are one of the vehicles that beep when they backup? I could be spacing but I swear some of the bigger industrial like vehicles do that. If that is the case it would not only impair the driver's ability to hear even more but also make anyone around aware about the vehicle's movements. Personally I wouldn't have walked behind a big vehicle like that very close because you never know when someone's going to do something dumb, not to mention lack of good visibility. Of course, without knowing the area, maybe wide berth wasn't exactly an option.

[Librarian]

What baffles me is that she screamed at him to stop. Unless she was disabled, couldn't she have just run backwards or sidewards? Poor guy on the other end of the victim's phone call too - last thing you hear is her screaming for someone or something to stop and then a loud thud most likely.

[insertNameHere]

I guess it depends on the maker of the snowplow, but the ones around here do beep when they backup, because that is to let you know they backing up, and probably might not see you, like all the backs of many semis I have seen say "If you can't see my mirrors..... i can't see you!!!!"