Gothamist: Jogger Hit By Bus in Boerum Hill

RicktheCabbie

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:18:08 -0500

Hey #4, you should re-read what I WROTE not how your mind interpreted it- but your comment is revealing in that it's that kind of disregard of personal responsibilty that often results in accidents. I have nothing but 'official scorers' constantly telling me I'm going too fast, wait, watch out. Funny thing is, they are almost 100% of the time STANDING/walking in the street against the light and/or crossing against it. It's proportional to the area -I find it mostly in the poorer nabes and down in the financial district, which leads me to believe it's an unconscious self-loathing. I mean I've had bad days when I'm "fuck it get out of MY way" so I know where that's coming from. But I was wrong and can admit it. If I got clipped I'd deserve it for being wrong and irresponsible, expecting a driver to swerve or brake hard and injure himself and his passengers. Bottom line is, it's a 2 way street, so try LOOKING and CARING more.

bklynd

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:22:44 -0500

Reading both accounts you really can't tell what the hell happened. The Post account tells you she was running "against traffic on Bergen" and the Daily News says she was "crossing third." Where was the bus coming from? Was it on Bergen and hit her head-on, on Bergen and turning, or on Third with the jogger crossing against the light? I suspect the information about who did what would be a hell of a lot more relevant than the fact that she was wearing an iPod.

Joe

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:23:50 -0500

"You need a serious attitude adjustment. Drive defensively." Change your meds and get out some time - there are tens of thousands of idiots walking thru intersections with phones or headphones blissfully ignoring traffic. All potential darwin award winners/donors.

S.D.

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:18:01 -0500

"The thing that bothered me was, the driver used the horn before trying the brake. That's negligence." I'll bite: How on earth is that Negligence? And how do you know he didn't hit the Horn and brake simultaneously? Just because a witness says "I heard a horn, then I heard a screech" doesn't mean the brakes weren't hit. They could have been hit and then lock up a fraction of a second later.

fellowjogger

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:42:21 -0500

Well, bottom line here is that the jogger is in critical condition with a head injury, and who knows if she'll recover. The driver is physically ok and most likely feeling bad about what happened, but frankly, that's not enough. Commenter #1 complains about people being "in their own little bubble". Drivers are guilty of the same thing, but their own little bubble is a machine capable of inflicting great physical harm on those who move about without being incased in steel. It's an outrage that the driver got off scott free, no disciplinary action given by the authorities. For shame.

Gwin

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:14:11 -0500

On one hand, I'm definitely still able to hear folks when I'm listening to my iPod on the subway. Of course, I don't have it on very loud and can sometimes hear other people's music over my own. On the other hand, I've had many people step out in front of me in the street when I'm on my bike - and they are often listening to an iPod or talking on a cell. I do believe both make one less conscious of surroundings. However, in this case it seems the fall had more to do with the accident than the iPod-wearing.

anonymass

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 16:22:37 -0500

You're assuming that she was using the white earbuds that come with the iPod. They're crap. I use an 'in-ear' model (mine are the Sennheisers) that really does drown out all external noise. Even on the train, very little ambient noise gets though - the benefit of which is that one need not crank the volume to drown out the screeching of the tracks, the crazies spouting scripture, and random inane conversations. Probably not a great idea for those who need to be aware of traffic or similar external stimuli, but perfect for the subway.

BQE

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 15:21:36 -0500

For all of the people who've never used an IPod: It's kind of a myth to say that one simply cannot hear (or that it's even impaired) due to wearing an IPod. Unless one is listening to super-loud music, the earphones on an IPod allow ambient noise to hear things. This person, though wearing the white earphones, could have been listening to mellow music and/or could have been at a moderate volume. It's perfectly reasonable and acceptable to be wearing an IPod in public -- if they're used responsibly. Whether or not they're "in a bubble" has more to do with the person themselves. 'Nuff said!

SB

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 15:12:04 -0500

Can you smell the lawsuit? Watch her take Apple to court because she couldn't hear the bus coming.

Joe

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 15:02:48 -0500

Once crossing through Astor place I was speaking on my cell phone, and about to step into the street...not noticing the bus coming in the opposite direction. The guy honked and I heard it and missed my face by about 2". Scared the shit out of me - we all need to be more conscious of everything around us. The "take off the ipod" argument is not fair to apply to a jogger. But for everyone else, please do take it off more often (even it is to hear NEW music for once).

concerned citizen

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:32:27 -0500

The thing that bothered me was, the driver used the horn before trying the brake. That's negligence. iPod or not, not everyone can hear, and when a driver only has a second or less before maybe killing someone, they need to show more caution.

robin.g

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:08:13 -0500

I think the key fact here is that she slipped on snow. She didn't blindly run out in front of a bus. It was an accident.

David

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:55:19 -0500

To the person who drives for a living (comment #2). It IS your obligation to constantly watch people, especially pedestrians, who are on or near the roads you travel. To think they don't have a concern for their lives is rediculious. You need a serious attitude adjustment. Drive defensively.

Rach

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:24:07 -0500

I really doubt she didn't hear because of her ipod. It would have had to be pretty fucking loud to not hear a bus a few feet from her. Perhaps her reaction time would have been a little slower, but if she had just fallen down that would have slowed her anyway.

RicktheCabbie

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:08:22 -0500

I drive for a living, and it can be terribly frustrating to constantly watch people who expect ME to have more concern for their lives than THEY do. Lucky for them I love people! Well, I don't hate 'em so much anymore...

e.v.s.

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 11:59:06 -0500

this is terrible of course, but i am so frustrated by folks in their own little bubble with their ipod or celphone conversations... they really do not pay ANY attention to where they are walking, who they are walking into, when they are stepping into traffic, etc. sometimes its the person's own fault they got run over.