The day I accidentally killed a little boy • Hacker News Board

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#21

Post by Pigo » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:39 PM UTC

bryanlarsen wrote: post #14

Pigo wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're talking about a country that is the size of a large state. I really wish there were state initiatives to work on infrastructure that makes sense for their territory and people.

Once you adjust per capita (which I did when I said the rate of fatalities), most of the usual excuses fall away. Sweden has areas with similar population densities to NYC and to Alaska, a more diverse population than you'd expect, similar per capita income, etc.

The US is 22 times the size of Sweden. And you're not going to convince me that it's any where near as diverse, even with the new immigrants. I'm agreeing with you that I would love such an initiative, just that it only makes sense to carry it out at the state level. But I will say it's pretty arrogant to claim it's our situation is criminal.

http://www.mylifeelsewhere.com/country-size-comparison/unite...

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#22

Post by tedchs » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:39 PM UTC

francisofascii wrote: post #13

oneeyedpigeon wrote: post #3

You have to feel terribly sad for everyone involved here. The only place the blame can rest is humanity's desire to mix very fast, solid vehicles with very slow, squishy pedestrians in the same spaces. We're way too far down that rabbit-hole to address it, but hopefully self-driving cars (and less polluting cars, too) will start to reverse the damage done by the automobile, in the not-too distant future.

Right. It is interesting to read the early history of the automobile in the U.S. Many of the pedestrian deaths in the early days were children. Speed governor laws were proposed but ultimately rejected. Motordom won the day. Now it is built into our society that people have to be super vigilant whenever we walk outside. Kids have to always be careful and limited to where they can play. It is sad how much of our freed…

Well, people had to be careful before the automobile too, you know. People could by killed by horses or wagons. The introduction of the automobile didn't make it suddenly unsafe to be in the street.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#23

Post by ashelmire » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:42 PM UTC

bryanlarsen wrote: post #14

Pigo wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're talking about a country that is the size of a large state. I really wish there were state initiatives to work on infrastructure that makes sense for their territory and people.

Once you adjust per capita (which I did when I said the rate of fatalities), most of the usual excuses fall away. Sweden has areas with similar population densities to NYC and to Alaska, a more diverse population than you'd expect, similar per capita income, etc.

Sweden has about as many people as singular metro areas in the US (smaller than some). Talking about reducing road fatalities in Chicago would be a similar scale.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#24

Post by bryanlarsen » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:42 PM UTC

bitexploder wrote: post #12

bryanlarsen wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"We're way too far down that rabbit-hole to address it" That's BS. Sweden has essentially zero pedestrian fatalities annually, and its overall traffic fatality rate is well under a quarter that of the US. There are two main components: reducing speed limits and spending money on infrastructure. Both of these are anathema in the US, but the refusal to do so is borderline criminal, IMO. http://www.visionzeroinitiative.…

This is just back of the envelope math here, but I think it will cost the US a significant amount more dollars per fatality reduction. We have a huge number more cars and a very different culture and driving mindset. One relative small country with a pretty singular culture and a much, much smaller amount of roads is just going to have an easier time addressing the issue. It is still worth pursuing, but the scale of…

If the US has more cars per capita and more fatalities per capita, that increases the denominator, meaning that these policies would be cheaper per fatality and per car than they are in Sweden.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#25

Post by dudul » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:42 PM UTC

"The lead officer came and told me that they were not arresting me - there was no indication that I was negligent or distracted or impaired in any way - but he gave me a little lecture saying, "This child died, that's a terrible thing, you need to make sure that you never do this again.""

Was I the only one shocked by this? I mean, a little kid died and she's not arrested at least to conduct an investigation? How did they know she wasn't going to fast?

"never do this again"? What kind of BS closure is that?

I'm not saying she deserved to be convicted or something based on her side of the story, but taking the time for a basic investigation would have been nice.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#26

Post by Broken_Hippo » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:44 PM UTC

bitexploder wrote: post #12

bryanlarsen wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"We're way too far down that rabbit-hole to address it" That's BS. Sweden has essentially zero pedestrian fatalities annually, and its overall traffic fatality rate is well under a quarter that of the US. There are two main components: reducing speed limits and spending money on infrastructure. Both of these are anathema in the US, but the refusal to do so is borderline criminal, IMO. http://www.visionzeroinitiative.…

This is just back of the envelope math here, but I think it will cost the US a significant amount more dollars per fatality reduction. We have a huge number more cars and a very different culture and driving mindset. One relative small country with a pretty singular culture and a much, much smaller amount of roads is just going to have an easier time addressing the issue. It is still worth pursuing, but the scale of…

Save for the interstate highway infrastructure, most roads are done at the state or county level anyway. If you simply start doing this stuff a roads are upgraded (some can be done now and might bring in money), you aren't really spending lots more.

You can change the driving culture and mindset, starting by designing roads that generally cause folks to drive slower, implemented at next upgrade. You can more strictly enforce driving laws, especially things like speeding or being distracted. Revamp curves that have lots of accidents. Offer larger access to public transportation.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#27

Post by dudul » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:44 PM UTC

Pigo wrote: post #7

I can barely bring myself to read stories like this now. I never really thought about it before my son was born, but there's always this dread you live with in the back of your mind. This little helpless person has your life in it's hands. The world and fate is trying to take them out, and if they succeed you'd never recover. You can learn to live with pain, but I don't believe you ever get over something like that.

Same boat. I used to not care more than that - I would tell myself it's awful and move on. but now that I have kids I can't read stories like that without feeling sick.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#28

Post by Pigo » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:45 PM UTC

ceejayoz wrote: post #15

Pigo wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're talking about a country that is the size of a large state. I really wish there were state initiatives to work on infrastructure that makes sense for their territory and people.

American road infrastructure is owned and controlled at the state/local level. The Feds don't even own the Interstate system, and the standards for it are set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

The original commenter was saying the US is criminally liable for not being as amazing as Sweden. So it sounded like they were saying the fed needs to swoop in and fix their mess. That's where I was coming from anyways.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#29

Post by JKCalhoun » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:46 PM UTC

oneeyedpigeon wrote: post #3

You have to feel terribly sad for everyone involved here. The only place the blame can rest is humanity's desire to mix very fast, solid vehicles with very slow, squishy pedestrians in the same spaces. We're way too far down that rabbit-hole to address it, but hopefully self-driving cars (and less polluting cars, too) will start to reverse the damage done by the automobile, in the not-too distant future.

> but hopefully self-driving cars

Think more boldly: public transportation.

Re: The day I accidentally killed a little boy

#30

Post by erik_landerholm » Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 2:46 PM UTC

I have 4 boys under the age of 12. I would say I think about one of them dying (accident, sickness, murder...so many ways it can happen...) multiple times a day. I know that sounds morbid, and it probably is, but my brain does it on its own...not a lot of control over it.

Nothing on earth scares me more than the idea of having to go on living without one of them. Having 4 increases my odds that I might have to. It terrifies me on a daily basis! Yay, Parenthood!

I can’t watch movies that involve kids being sick, hurt, etc. which is fine,,,,not the reason I watch movies, but I literally cannot. I will turn off the tv or leave the room. I’m a giant baby, basically!