Texting Teen Falls Into Sewer (but the parents are sueing!)

[catycatcat4]

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/07/13/2009-07-13_teen_tumbles_into_sewer_while_texting.html

I saw this on failblog.

The teen was texting and not looking where she was going and apparently its not the teens fault.

 

[dmccarty]

There was a story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about texting. One of the interesting stats they mentioned is that 17% of texters admit to walking into something or someone while texting.

I would think falling into a sewer would apply to the 17%.



I do not text. Refuse too. But according to the research I am almost alone in my textlessness.

Later,
Dan

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Oh boy, I could totally see myself falling into a manhole while texting

 

[brendaziz]

2 years ago I auditioned for american idol and didn't make it thru and I was leaving the arena i was texting a friend to tell her I didn't make it and fell on a curb and sprained my ankle REALLY bad. It hurt immensely but mostly I just felt like a moron and swore to myself that I would never look at my phone while walking ever again

 

[phorsenuf]

While I don't agree with the suing aspect the workers were definitely in violation of OSHA and will probably be fined heavily.
Taking the texting part out of the equation, what if it was a person that had poor eyesight, or a child running down the street.
Point is, the manhole cover should not have been removed prior to cones or barricades being put up. If anything the family should be entitled to having their medical costs covered.

 

[FireDancer]

Sounds like natural selection at work to me. Sometimes I think we go way too far to protect the stupid. In the rest of the animal kingdom the dumb gazelle that wondered too close to the lion while not paying attention (whether it be texting or daydreaming or whatever a gazelle would do) would be corrected (think The Shinning). There would not be a big warning sign and rope to save the gazelle from their own incompetence at surviving.

 

[disneygirl 17]

I text once in awhile. But I always use my brain and don't do it with driving, walking or when I should be paying attention to something else...like my child for example.

 

[LoriABil]

Sounds like natural selection at work to me. Sometimes I think we go way too far to protect the stupid. In the animal kingdom the dumb gazelle that wondered too close to the lion while not paying attention (whether it be texting or daydreaming or whatever a gazelle would do) would be corrected (think The Shinning). There would not be a big warning sign and rope to save the gazelle from their own incompetence at surviving.

But in today's world, the gazelle sues because the lion should really have some sort of warning, like Danger! Lion! Then a celeb lawyer takes the case, and the gazelle does the talk show circuit.

I blame the schools. They are so busy "teaching to the test" that they forget to teach kids that it's dangerous to walk in traffic while not looking. I think what will need to happen is a warning scrolling across the text box like Google had to add for their walking directions. "Traffic Patterns vary and you should ACTUALLY WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING! " (End sarcasm.)

 

[catycatcat4]

Sounds like natural selection at work to me. Sometimes I think we go way too far to protect the stupid. In the animal kingdom the dumb gazelle that wondered too close to the lion while not paying attention (whether it be texting or daydreaming or whatever a gazelle would do) would be corrected (think The Shinning). There would not be a big warning sign and rope to save the gazelle from their own incompetence at surviving.

I think that's a bit harsh at least in this case.
I half agree, if she was older i would agree 100%.
But in this case she is only 15 and teens (especially younger teens) tend to be kinda careless and don't fully evaluate consequences before acting.
She still has a chance to turn out to be a very intelligent adult.
If she was 40 and texting while walking it be a different story.
Her parents should take her texting away for a couple months not be suing.

 

[WaltD4Me]

There was a story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal about texting. One of the interesting stats they mentioned is that 17% of texters admit to walking into something or someone while texting.

I would think falling into a sewer would apply to the 17%.



I do not text. Refuse too. But according to the research I am almost alone in my textlessness.

Later,
Dan

You are not alone. I do not text either.

My sister just walked into a store window at the mall the other day while texting, knocked over a mannequin and everything.

 

[lugnut33]

In states that have banned texting while driving, the amount of accidents caused by texting has actually increased.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I think that's a bit harsh at least in this case.
I half agree, if she was older i would agree 100%.
But in this case she is only 15 and teens (especially younger teens) tend to be kinda careless and don't fully evaluate consequences before acting.
She still has a chance to turn out to be a very intelligent adult.
If she was 40 and texting while walking it be a different story.
Her parents should take her texting away for a couple months not be suing.

I agree, she still has a chance to become an intelligent adult ... and maybe the falling-into-an-open-manhole-while-texting-and-coming-out-mostly-unscathed lesson is a good one to learn

 

[DisneyKevin]

But in this case she is only 15 and teens (especially younger teens) tend to be kinda careless and don't fully evaluate consequences before acting.

This is an excellent argument for not giving teens a drivers license until they are smart enough to not fall in a well.

 

[jeanigor]

This is an excellent argument for not giving teens a drivers license until they are smart enough to not fall in a well.

 

[FireDancer]

But in this case she is only 15 and teens (especially younger teens) tend to be kinda careless and don't fully evaluate consequences before acting.

That is only the case because people accept it as an excuse. I assure you if there were real consequences to stupidity for us as there are in nature anyone who's genes were worth passing to another generation would figure out a way to survive. The lion doesn't really care if the gazelle just wondered over because it is young and dumb, it is still dinner.

 

[catycatcat4]

This is an excellent argument for not giving teens a drivers license until they are smart enough to not fall in a well.

I agree Some teens are responsible enough to drive but most are not.
I heard they are changing it to 18.
It seems like the more responsible people are not
I hate cars i don't enjoy driving i only got my perment because its something you have to do sooner or later.

BTW it be a lot harder to fall into a well those tend to have walls around the hole................. just saying.

 

[catycatcat4]

That is only the case because people accept it as an excuse. I assure you if there were real consequences to stupidity for us as there are in nature anyone who's genes were worth passing to another generation would figure out a way to survive. The lion doesn't really care if the gazelle just wondered over because it is young and dumb, it is still dinner.

But we are not animals now are we?

 

[FireDancer]

But we are not animals now are we?

That isn't what I learned in middle school biology. Perhaps something has changed in the classification of species and we were moved to a different kingdom.

Sadly we are the only animal with a legal system that shifts both consequences and blame from where it belongs onto someone else. This isn't to say that it is never someone else's fault when something happens but often times the fault lies only with the person looking back at you in the mirror (or down into their phone).

 

[dizzy203]

This is an excellent argument for not giving teens a drivers license until they are smart enough to not fall in a well.

You are so right Kevin. If at 15 she's that careless while walking how careless will she be in 1 year (or less) when she gets her license. I'm glad I don't live near her.

While on vacation this summer one night we were walking around town and it was very busy. This girl was walking towards us and had her head down texting. Everyone had to move out of her way because she wasn't looking where she was going. All of a sudden you heard this loud bang and the "No Stopping Anytime" sign started shaking...she walked right smack dab into the sign ! She was stunned for a second and everyone laughed but she kept right on walking & texting!

Jackie

 

[catycatcat4]

That isn't what I learned in middle school biology. Perhaps something has changed in the classification of species and we were moved to a different kingdom.

Sadly we are the only animal with a legal system that shifts both consequences and blame from where it belongs onto someone else. This isn't to say that it is never someone else's fault when something happens but often times the fault lies only with the person looking back at you in the mirror (or down into their phone).

Well technically we are animals, but we are a much higher level.
Even the dumbest human knows to stay away from a lion.
Animals can't create musical masterpieces
They can't invent.
Most animals don't have emotions like humans do (they have basic happy, sad, mad)
They can't write stories.
They can't pollute the planet
Can animals have civil debate like we are right now?
Sure some animals can play with paint, Use a stick to get bugs, Or create bubbles to play with. but those are very basic.
Just wondering what you think of people with mental disability should we let the lions get them too? If a small child sudently darts off from a parent (Or whoever is watching them) should we not try to stop them from Geting hit by a car because its nature?