# Staten Island ferry gold-digging fucks **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 2, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533 "2003-12-02T17:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/1 "2003-12-02T17:50:11Z")
[http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/12363.htm](http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/12363.htm) 2 Godamned billion? Did I read that correctly? Firehouses are being shut down, budgets are being slashed, and you are suing for 2 billion fucking dollars? ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/2 "2003-12-02T20:03:03Z")
I’m not a monstrous fan of giant lawsuits, but it seems a bit off to me to suggest that the city’s budgetary problems should be the concern of the plaintiffs who were killed or maimed but what may have been negligence on the part of public employees. (They are public, right?) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/3 "2003-12-02T20:25:18Z")
These events always generate a certain amount of greed, starting with the flock of attorneys who ignored bar association guidelines and started trolling for clients before the blood had dried. A goodly portion of outrage should be saved for the boat captain, ostensible supervisor of the assistant who supposedly passed out at the controls, and who has refused to talk to authorities (citing post-traumatic stress, I believe). Wonder if we’ll ever know if the additional personnel who were supposed to be on the bridge were actually shooting craps down in the engine room. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/4 "2003-12-02T20:44:15Z")
What should a life be worth? I know it’s a stupid question but apparently we need to figure this out. There is no way in hell that someone should be given $100 million under _any_ circumstances of this case. As far as the budgetary problems of the city go, 2 billion is about as big a fucking drain as you can put on it. Man this shit burns me to no end. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/5 "2003-12-02T21:52:27Z")
I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m completely in disagreement with you, **World Eater**. The amounts do seem to be excessive (roughly $22,000,000 each if 91 people sue)- I just thought that if I were one of the people maimed or if my family member had been killed in the accident, I wouldn’t give a nanosecond’s thought to the financial state of the state. But you’re right- I would assume that the attorneys are the ones throwing out those huge numbers, and that they will be **significantly** whittled down before settlement. Also, I agree totally with **Jackmannii** - that boat captain needs to submit to an interview by the correct authorities. I’m amazed that he’s been allowed to dodge this for so long already. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/6 "2003-12-02T21:56:12Z")
I also think that maybe the city or the Post is throwing out the huge number to make people pissed off at people who may sue. There are probably 100s of suits against the city RIGHT NOW. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/staten-island-ferry-gold-digging-fucks/216533/7 "2003-12-02T22:12:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smoke \* > **I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m completely in disagreement with you, World Eater. The amounts do seem to be excessive (roughly $22,000,000 each if 91 people sue)- I just thought that if I were one of the people maimed or if my family member had been killed in the accident, I wouldn’t give a nanosecond’s thought to the financial state of the state.** I see what you are saying and I agree. I’m just frustrated that all these ludicrously excessive lawsuits will impact millions of lives. \*\* > [@](#): > > But you’re right- I would assume that the attorneys are the ones throwing out those huge numbers, and that they will be **significantly** whittled down before settlement.\*\* Sure, but people always get the large amount stuck in their heads, never what the actually get as a settlement. Next time someone sues the city, it will be for a trillion bucks. \*\* > [@](#): > > Also, I agree totally with **Jackmannii** - that boat captain needs to submit to an interview by the correct authorities. I’m amazed that he’s been allowed to dodge this for so long already. \*\* Same here.