Ok first, I don’t like the recent tones this board has been taking towards drivers.
(Gee, it wouldn’t be because all you hippies read that she had an SUV and instantly baished her to hell, would it?) People make mistakes, and just because you’re in a car doesn’t suddenly make you Mr Super Omnipotent Jesus H Christ or someone. You’ll still make mistakes. People will still do stupid things that you cant aviod. Ironically that’s why we have things like “accidents” instead of “Manslaughter”.
But i digress, my real comment was…
A light tap would be hard to notice in a car. Until YOU’ve descended into the pits of hell on a third world, union labor, Michigan road, don’t be surprised how much bumpiness you take for granted. A fetus? 'Ell, I could take down a third grader and only think “at least that was a smaller pothole”
No, and you are the first person to bring up SUV’s since the OP.
True, but people do not seem to be aware that a car (Note: I am not singling out SUV’s, don’t be so sensitive) can be a dangerous weapon. I see daily, while driving, women putting on make-up, people eating, drinking, talking on the phone, singing and swaying with music, reading newspapers and otherwise not paying attention to what they are doing. Now RG may not have been doing any of these things, but for the people who do and then get into an “accident” they should be held criminally liable for their negligence. With people so concerned with speed, power etc. they often forget that their cars (Note: I am not singling out SUV’s, don’t be so sensitive) can cause a lot of damage.
That is why people need to be extra cautious while driving, especially where pedestrians, bicyclists, children etc. are likely to be encountered.
Wrong. I mentioned them several times in my first post in this thread. Look, this is the Straight Dope. People can reasonably expect a certain level of care to be taken with posts here, ok? Please take the time to read the posts in a thread before declaring something as truth.
It makes you look like you don’t care enough about the thread to read through, but that you only want to attack back at someone without reading first.
I happen to agree with blasphemer. I’ve run over squirrels a few times when they darted out in front of my vehicle suddenly. It’s not much of a thump- not as much as many potholes found in NYC, that is for darned sure. While this is kind of a sickening way to talk about the woman who was struck and badly hurt, the truth is that in ANY vehicle - right down to a V.W. Beetle- you are surrounded by more mass by a huge factor than a foot or squirrel. Or possum. Sad but true, and it’s snarkily pointless to decide that someone was out hunting humans with their big bad American SUV when the real truth- according to the police who are in a position to prosecute Ms. Givens- is that it was an accident.
You’re right, I was not 100% accurate, but I don’t read through every post everytime I look at a thread, so sue me. I should have been more precise and said that so far no-one has blamed SUV’s for the accident, as if it would not this would not have happened if she drove a Metro. I’m just saying drivers have the duty to be very careful and aware because the pedestrian will always get the worse of it. Again I want to emphasize we don’t know the specifics of this case, but many people are not as caustious behind the wheel as the should be.