Being unaware of their surroundings is stupid, plain and simple. Think of it this way. Doing anything that can get you killed, and not paying attention to what you're doing. Is that stupid?Originally posted by Guillermo
you guys, these were accidents. everyday i walk through the hallways at the U of C, where half of the people are texting on their phones etc. instead of paying attention to where they are walking.
Sure, I'll glance at my phone. But I'll stop walking first. I don't want to be that guy that falls down the escalator. Or the lady that walks into the bush. Or the guy that falls into the fountain.. (all things I've witnessed personally)Originally posted by Guillermo
it is not uncommon for people who are walking in crowds to not be paying attention to what is happening around them - and in fact, i bet many of the critics here are guilty of this themselves.
Yes, it does. The anteleope on the savanah that doesn't pay attention ends up dinner. The driver that closes his eyes on the highway ends up in the morgue. Doing anything with paying attention to what you're doing is just plain stupid.Originally posted by Guillermo
so I am not surprised that there are people crossing the tracks who are looking at their phone... maybe this isn't what we would consider a "safe" practice, but certainly it doesn't make the few who get hit by trains stupid.
In context, you'd have to close your eyes, put your head down and skate into the boards headfirst full tilt. The extra step would be to go onto the ice without a helmet.Originally posted by Guillermo
if you die from a concussion playing hockey, does that make you stupid?
In context, you're fail to secure your belay clips because you're too busy reading email? Damn right it's stupid.Originally posted by Guillermo
what about if you fall to your death rock climbing - are you stupid then?
When you failed to notice the ice because you're too busy reading your email on your crackberry, then yes, it's stupid.Originally posted by Guillermo
what if you're walking to work and slip on the ice, falling into traffic and getting crushed to death. are you stupid?
Accidents are defined by circumstance that are beyond our control. This is why you don't rarely hear "there was a accident on 17th ave".. you hear "There was a collision.." because they're usually NOT accidents.Originally posted by Guillermo
these were accidents, have a bit of respect for the friends and families and stop insulting these people.
Now, all that being said, I still think it's tragic. It's a tragic loss to the families of these people that are killed. It's also a tragic waste that our council is floating the idea of a bylaw that says "No electronics near trains." I also think it's tragic that people feel we need these laws to protect us from ourselves. Like the hemlet laws skiing. It's sad that people need someone to tell them to wear a helmet. You would think that we as a race are smart enough. Unfortunately, we keep trying to dumb down the world with rules designed to protect the functionally stupid, when in reality we should simply let them fend for themselves. As a species, we'd benefit from it. Also, I'm not without compassion. We should still protect those who simply cannot fend for themselves. But everyday normals, they're on their own.