TIME: 11yo struck, killed by Amtrak train; Conductor observed girl looking down at cellphone

originally posted by: MALBOSIA

originally posted by: Krakatoa
Natural selection doesn't have a conscience and is not ruled by emotion. Do something stupid that gets you killed off, your genes are no longer in the gene pool.

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

I'm not sure you understand the psychological impact that these devices have on people. Especially those coming of age now that knew no such world before the existence of these devices.

And on a side note. I hope your post gets removed for being stupid.

So you’re an apologist for those that lack common sense. So you’re saying those that use these devices are excused from being aware of their surroundings? I hope your post gets removed for being stupid.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

It would be really nice if you guys would stop leaving your sacrifice left overs laying about...

What is wrong with that girl in the video?
Looks like she already had lip injections, botox or whatever.
Your children are diseased.
They are artificial and walking in front of trains in a zombie-like state.

originally posted by: IridiumFlareMadness
What is wrong with that girl in the video?
Looks like she already had lip injections, botox or whatever.

Or she has braces.

Which she does.

Sad to see this girl lose her life I didn't know her so I can't judge her personality as a person just by one thing she done wrong, 11 years old is no age at all. However I'd like to think a story like this will wake a few people up. I work with the public 5 days a week and I often look about and notice everyone on their phones (ironically I'm typing this from my phone) and they have no awareness around them.

I find it annoying though, I've lost count the amount of time I've been walking and seen someone coming straight for me but head down on the phone. I've even moved out the way of some people and they have walked past like nothing happened. It is however beginning to piss me off, I don't move out the way any more and I let people walk into me. The shock on people faces when they bump into you .. especially when they see my face haha

a reply to: Planette

That would depend, I suppose, upon how the parents themselves were raised, and where.

From about age 10, or so, I and most of my friends, were out and about from just after sun up, to just about sun down, when we weren't in school. I can see urban parents being a bit stricter about letting them out and about. Different times, and places.

But I've seen them, too. Head down oblivious to the world around them. Busily texting LOL about something dreadfully important...rather than minding the traffic. I've panic braked God alone knows how many times to keep from killing people, not just kids, with their heads down staring at their phones...

I hate the damned things. The absolute only time I use one is when traveling cross country.

originally posted by: MALBOSIA

originally posted by: Planette
I do wonder at what age the children were given their cellphones and if there was any mobile education or just like here go to school now, or McDs

I'm not sure you remember a time when your children were out wandering the streets with no way to contact them till your heart burst when the door opens and they are finally home. I can't profess to know for sure but giving a child a cell phone is quite possibly out of love and fear of their well being, not the opposite.

I remember being a teenager coming home from college at night in a heavy rainstorm, desperately trying to find a working phone box that wasn't vandalized, jammed full of coins or had a crowd of youth around it, just to call home and to call for a taxi. Being able to carry a telephone around with me now, makes all the difference. Having online maps, directory services, even better.

a reply to: carewemust

if you don`t know enough to look both ways before crossing railroad track, then no you are not old enough to go out walking alone no matter what age you are.

I used to work on the railroad a long time ago, and there were stories floating around that detailed the efforts some engineers or brakemen made to save people from getting run over by the train. It's almost impossible for a massive train to stop quickly if some dope gets on the track, so engineers would sometimes climb out onto the very front of the train where the cow catcher used to be and reach out and either shove or kick the person off the track. This was when the train was going up to 90 miles an hour. Sometimes they knocked the person out of the way (in which case there was no news). Other times it didn't happen and the person ended up hamburger.

I personally observed a number of cars that were inches away from getting flattened by trains I was in. People just don't realize how fast, silent and unstoppable trains are.

originally posted by: projectvxn
a reply to: Krakatoa

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

11 years old.

And? Somehow that makes being stupid ok?

When I was that age, many many decades ago, we had the common sense to be aware of traffic around us. That is until one of my more dumb friends rode his bike into the street from between two cars. He was always doing dumb stuff, but this time, wack! I saw his body flying through the air and hit the pavement like a sack of potatoes. He died, and the lady driving was devastated. Even though she was found without fault, she never got over it. A few years later, she killed herself over the grief of killing a child.

So, as I said, I have no sympathy for blatantly stupid as they ruin not only their lives but all those around them.

As I see it, protecting the stupid ones endangers all of us needlessly.

That's my opinion...You may have yours. We may differ, but it does not invalidate mine regardless of childish name calling.

a reply to: Krakatoa

That's my opinion...You may have yours. We may differ, but it does not invalidate mine regardless of childish name calling.

Didn't call you any names.

Somehow your feeling matter though right?

originally posted by: projectvxn
a reply to: Krakatoa

That's my opinion...You may have yours. We may differ, but it does not invalidate mine regardless of childish name calling.

Didn't call you any names.

Somehow your feeling matter though right?

The name calling comment was not directed specifically at you, but at the general resentment here of someone that doesn't weep at the results of natural selection.

Your comment of the age was addressed at the start of my post.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus
Is the right of way not still a path that crosses the track line? So therefore would have some sort of barrier? Or a pedestrian bridge over the tracks?

originally posted by: CthulhuMythos
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus
Is the right of way not still a path that crosses the track line? So therefore would have some sort of barrier? Or a pedestrian bridge over the tracks?

The right of way is the land the tracks are laid upon plus a bit of extra leeway.. It's all the land along the tracks, not just at a crossing.

originally posted by: CthulhuMythos
Is the right of way not still a path that crosses the track line? So therefore would have some sort of barrier? Or a pedestrian bridge over the tracks?

The 'right of way' is the legal term for railroad property. You can walk on or near the tracks and not be anywhere near a street or crossing.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

True my children were grown before cell phones were common and the nights where there was bad weather and they were out were torture for me.
My youngest 21 didn't have a cell when he was a teen but he also didn't drive until he was 18 then he got his license, bought his own car and a cell phone. He's very independent. Actually I was against teenage drivers and none of them were allowed to drive until they were eighteen and could sign for themselves.
Just me. I went to a two funerals for teen drivers and it affected me.

He's not one to bury his face in his phone. When he pulls it out I know he's bored and I tell him to go home.

None of them live with us anymore.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

They actually mark the "caps ridge trail" in New Hampshire rather sparsely.

originally posted by: Cauliflower
They actually mark the "caps ridge trail" in New Hampshire rather sparsely.

I'm not following how that relates to a railroad right of way. Help me out.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I'm waiting for someone else to help.

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme

originally posted by: carewemust
Little kids are snatched up regularly. Is 11 old enough to walk through town alone? The train engineer must be having nightmares.

11 or 12 is when me and friends would play roller hockey without parental supervision, and would pool money (given from parents for this reason) to go to pizza after.
So I vote yes, old enough to walk through town alone.
If we assume children start grade 1 at 5, 11 means they are in 7th grade (Jr. high school). High time to walk alone through town in day time hours.

I will be turning 63 later this month.When I was 11 years old it was pretty safe to be out around town.
In this day and age,I say no way should any kid be out by themselves after dark. I think any parent that
buys a cellphone for their children should TRAIN their children about those phones.Rules need to be made
and followed.Why would children need earphones?
I have to blame the parents on this one.That kid should not have been going out by herself and with her
hearing plugged.This is something I have been noticing for awhile now.People being distracted with their
phones and seeming to be in another world.I have rules for my cellphone and I stick by them.
1. I am NEVER on my phone while driving.
2.I NEVER answer my phone while driving.
3.I will NEVER impede my hearing either.