[nagdu] Neighbors mourn death of blind pedestrian; his service dog will recover

Sun Aug 28 21:00:56 UTC 2011

Which does add to my curiosity about what the driver of the first car
was doing before the truck came along... The thing to do if you hit
someone or something in an intersection -- or anywhere -- is to stop
hard and straight in your line of travel, put on your hazard lights and
parking brake while you're flipping open your trunk (for the flares you
really ought to have ready to hand, just in case) while you're getting
out of the car as it stops... The reason you stop your car in its line
of travel with the flashers going, the brake light on and the trunk open
is so that any vehicle coming behind you will be more likely to swerve
around your car, thus incidentally avoiding the injured pedestrian right
behind it. Or you, while you're checking on the injuries, applying first
aid if it necessary and/or helping the person up and out of the street
if they can walk. Then your car -- and the flares you should have tossed
as far as you could on the other side of the pedestrian, are an added
barrier of protection for both of you while you continue to assist and
wait for the authorities and EMTs to arrive. Then, an only the, do you
leave the pedestrian you injured to move your car to the side of the
road where it's not in the way and won't cause another accident.

Well, I've never had to to do that myself for a pedestrian, only for r a
metal can I squashed under my car one evening at an intersection... So I
was preparing to light my flares while searching the roadway for the
crumpled body responsible for the bump bump thump thump[ when I had the
shock of my life because there was nothing there. I hadn't just killed
someone! I'd disappeared them! Adrenaline is good for stimulating the
imagination, I guess. /smile/ But I did all that before I even verified
there was anything lying the road behind me to worry about because,
well, that's just what you do. How people can get driver's licenses
without knowing that is beyond me, since it's in the manual. And in the
books you're supposed to read during driver's ed. They do not say, as
people have tried to explain to me, especially my passenger in the tin
can murder incident, that what you do is speed on before the pedestrian
can get your license plate number because then you won't get a ticket.
Don't remember who that was because they became insignificant in my life
from then on. I don't make a practice of hanging out with irresponsible
jerks.

So, whatever circumstances went into to the first meeting or car and
pedestrian in this case, what went into the truck running over the man
and his dog without hitting the first car is something we may never
learn but can only hope the police investigators will look into hard. 

Tami

On Fri, 2011-08-26 at 10:14 -0400, Brenda wrote: 
> Marion
> I like your comments but would have wanted to tell the man that hit you 
> he should be the one staying in his house if he can't properly drive a 
> lethal weapon such as a car.
> 
> I'm not a lawyer either but wonder if a wrongful death lawsuit in civil 
> court might be appropriate here.  Maybe if the second driver had hit the 
> first driver who stopped to "help" then the first driver would have done 
> that.  The family of the blind person may have the same mentality that 
> many others have and would not think of doing such a thing.
> Brenda
> 
> 
> 
> On 8/26/2011 10:05 AM, Peggy wrote:
> > How true these statements are and how sad!!  Blind people shouldn't be 
> > let out of their houses alone, oh wow!!  I was hit by a car a couple 
> > years ago, and that wasn't my fault either, but I wonder how many 
> > people would have thought it was??  The lady sped out of nowhere and 
> > hit us, luckily she slammed on her breaks at the last minute and 
> > except for a little bruising I was fine and my dog at the time wasn't 
> > hit at all.  But you are so right, any little thing happens while 
> > we're out whether we are responsible for it or not we are the ones 
> > blamed because we are blind.
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message----- From: Marion Gwizdala
> > Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 8:56 AM
> > To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] Neighbors mourn death of blind pedestrian; his 
> > service dog will recover
> >
> >    It is often assumed that, when a blind person is involved in an
> > accident, it must have been the blind person's fault. I was at a 
> > restaurant
> > once with my ex-wife, who is sighted. She spilled her water and the 
> > server
> > came to the table and said, "don't worry about it, sir, I'll take care of
> > it!" My ex-wife looked at her and said, "He didn't spill the f-ing 
> > water, I
> > did!"
> >    Another time, I was crossing a driveway at a busy grocery store when a
> > driver, looking left for traffic didn't even see me and pulled out 
> > right in
> > front of me. My dog stopped abruptly and blocked me as we were walking 
> > at a
> > very fast clip. I tripped over him and fell against the vehicle. I had a
> > couple of choice words for him, as well. You know what he said? "Blind
> > people shouldn't be let out of their homes alone!" My reply? "Neither 
> > should
> > a**holes!"
> >    My point is that neither of these accidents were my fault, but were
> > blamed on me. Why? Because I'm blind! I admit I have spilled a water 
> > or two,
> > but never a beer! That would be alcohol abuse!
> >
> > Fraternally yours,
> > Marion Gwizdala
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
> > To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> > <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 8:53 AM
> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] Neighbors mourn death of blind pedestrian; his 
> > service
> > dog will recover
> >
> >
> >> Cheryl,
> >>
> >> Do you think no one would have been charged with anything if it had 
> >> been let's say the mayor's 8 year old daughter or maybe the owner of 
> >> the bank who has donated thousands of dollars to the local homeless 
> >> shelter?  I kind of think people would have been in a froth to place 
> >> the blame on someone.  People would want to know that justice had 
> >> been served or maybe it should be called revenge, but either way 
> >> someone would have been paying dearly for their mistake.  However it 
> >> was a blind man, who people just don't view in the same way as being 
> >> a value to the community.  Sure it was an accident, most things of 
> >> this sort are.  Still it doesn't matter.  Even in accidents where no 
> >> one gets hurt generally someone gets a ticket for failure to yield or 
> >> something.  If nothing else pedestrians have the right of way and 
> >> blind pedestrians have even more protections, but not even those laws 
> >> seem to have been applied here.
> >>
> >> I can understand not charging the drivers with murder because that 
> >> isn't what happened, but what about some sort of negligence?  That 
> >> seems appropriate to me.
> >>
> >> JMHO
> >> Julie
> >>
> >>> Julie it was an accident, from reading the story, that the first car 
> >>> should
> >>> have slowed down when making a turn maybe couldn't swerve enough, the
> >>> trucker who knows.
> >>>
> >>> If it was on purpose then they would have been arrested, I am sure 
> >>> that the
> >>> 2 were questioned at the accident. I mean police had to be called in
> >>> situations like this.
> >>>
> >>> Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
> >>>
> >>> Cheryl Echevarria
> >>> http://www.echevarriatravel.com
> >>> 631-456-5394
> >>> reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> >>>
> >>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Superior Travel, 
> >>> located in
> >>> Baldwin, NY. www.superiortravel.com
> >>>
> >>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise&  
> >>> Travel, Inc.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: "Julie Phillipson"<jbrew48 at verizon.net>
> >>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> >>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> >>> Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 7:21 PM
> >>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Neighbors mourn death of blind pedestrian;his 
> >>> service
> >>> dog will recover
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> that was my first thought too.  Why are there no charges the driver 
> >>>> of the
> >>>> truck didn't see what happened right in front of him?  Give me a 
> >>>> brake!
> >>>> Julie Phillipson
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: "Tracy Carcione"<carcione at access.net>
> >>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> >>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> >>>> Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 11:28 AM
> >>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Neighbors mourn death of blind pedestrian; his
> >>>> service
> >>>> dog will recover
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> Of course neither driver has been charged.  I bet neither one ever 
> >>>>> will
> >>>>> be.  It seems like killing a blind guy is a no-fault non-crime. 
> >>>>> Too bad,
> >>>>> so sad, oh well.
> >>>>> I'm really getting sick of it.
> >>>>> Tracy
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> Neighbors mourn death of blind pedestrian; his service dog will 
> >>>>>> recover
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> August 24, 2011
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-neighbors-mourn-pedestrian-blind-man-killed-wh 
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> ile-service-dog-recovers-20110824,0,6132815.story
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> RICHMOND (WTVR)-
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Neighbors of a blind Richmond man are mourning his accidental death.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "He was one of the sweetest neighbors that you would want in your
> >>>>>> community," said neighbor Dianna Harrison.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Seventy-four year old Dudley Mines will be missed. Neighbors say you
> >>>>>> could
> >>>>>> see him and his seeing eye dog Romeo walking their streets several
> >>>>>> times
> >>>>>> a
> >>>>>> day.  He was doing just that Monday night. He was crossing the 
> >>>>>> road at
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> corner of Old Brook and Bellvue Road in North Richmond. A car 
> >>>>>> turning
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> corner grazed Mines and knocked him over. Moments later a truck 
> >>>>>> would
> >>>>>> make
> >>>>>> the turn and run over Mines and his dog. Both drivers stopped to 
> >>>>>> help
> >>>>>> but
> >>>>>> it
> >>>>>> was too late. The accident killed Mines and left Romeo with serious
> >>>>>> injuries.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "We just want to thank God for the time he allowed him in our 
> >>>>>> lives,"
> >>>>>> said
> >>>>>> Harrison.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Neighbors are preparing for a vigil tomorrow night. Mines three
> >>>>>> children
> >>>>>> are
> >>>>>> also involved in the planning. Signs of sympathy lay outside his 
> >>>>>> home
> >>>>>> but
> >>>>>> there's been sympathy shown in other ways too..
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "There was really a coming together to help Romeo," said 
> >>>>>> Veterinarian
> >>>>>> Nathan
> >>>>>> Lippo.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> The six year old black lab suffered cuts, bruising and a broken leg.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "With some pain medication some fluids and antibiotics he turned 
> >>>>>> around
> >>>>>> pretty quickly became stable very quickly," said Lippo.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Wednesday the dog had surgery to secure his leg. Lippo says the
> >>>>>> relationship
> >>>>>> between a seeing eye dog and it's owner is a special one and is
> >>>>>> sometimes
> >>>>>> irreplaceable.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "These seeing eye dogs lived with owners for a long time so long 
> >>>>>> Romeo
> >>>>>> has
> >>>>>> lost a member of his family," said Lippo.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> A funeral for Dudley Mines will be held on Saturday at 2pm Watkins
> >>>>>> funeral
> >>>>>> home. Neither driver has been charged in the incident. Police say 
> >>>>>> their
> >>>>>> investigation is ongoing. Mines daughter says once he recovers she
> >>>>>> plans
> >>>>>> to
> >>>>>> adopt Romeo.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
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