Backing over 6 year old on bike - Driver Discussion

[browntroll]

its a tragedy i cant even begin to imagine what the driver is going through right now. it reminds me of similar incident that happened while i was
in my apt building a few years back. i was watching my neighbor leave the driveway which has blocked view by 2 cement walls so u can see adults
walking by but not kids, neighbor was leaving and i just see a father and his son on a bike last second the kid decides to go fast through driveway
im trying to yell at my neighbor to stop which he did in time, neighbor honks and the kids dad gets mad at my neighbor for honking but hes the one
that couldnt control his his kid and decides its ok not to teach him to look before crossing a driveway.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

This tragedy brings up the question of whether automatic backup alarms would be better or worse than the driver beeping the horn every 2-3 seconds during that back. Our world is so noisy today that backup alarms are either drowned out or simply become background noise. Drivers also tend to rely more on the backup alarms and may be less vigilant during the back.

 

[TooTechie]

In NY if you are 14 or under you are required to wear a helmet while riding your bicycle, skateboard, roller blades, scooter, etc.

It's 15 or under here, but there is no penalty. Law only states the child or parent may receive a verbal warning.

 

[soberups]

You said it yourself----a walk around could have prevented this tragedy.

Impossible to say for certain without knowing the exact details.

Our driver very well could have done everything correctly. He could have cleared the area and backed first, but in the split-second that his eyes moved from one mirror to the monitor to the other mirror, the kid on the bike could have come in from the side he wasn't looking at.

Walk-arounds are a good idea but they aren't 100% fool proof. At some point you still have to enter the package car, and when you do someone or something can approach the car on your blind side.

I am not going to second-guess the driver's actions from 1000 miles away when I don't have all the information.

 

[Grey]

Will he keep his job? Will he WANT to keep his job?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Impossible to say for certain without knowing the exact details.

Our driver very well could have done everything correctly. He could have cleared the area and backed first, but in the split-second that his eyes moved from one mirror to the monitor to the other mirror, the kid on the bike could have come in from the side he wasn't looking at.

Walk-arounds are a good idea but they aren't 100% fool proof. At some point you still have to enter the package car, and when you do someone or something can approach the car on your blind side.

I am not going to second-guess the driver's actions from 1000 miles away when I don't have all the information.

Hence the could. I knew better than to use the word would.

 

[JackStraw]

Terrible tragedy. I wonder if it was a necessary back or an a Orion back.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Terrible tragedy. I wonder if it was a necessary back or an a Orion back.

He was delivering to an apartment complex and was backing in to a parking space.

 

[soberups]

He was delivering to an apartment complex and was backing in to a parking space.

Did the apartment complex have multiple entrances onto different streets? Was the driver backing, rather than going forward to a different exit, in order to follow ORION and generate the demanded compliance metric? Bear in mind that ORION's only goal is the elimination of miles, even at the cost of additional and unsafe backs. I would be interested to know whether or not our driver's decision making was affected by ORION.

 

[box_beeyotch]

Did the apartment complex have multiple entrances onto different streets? Was the driver backing, rather than going forward to a different exit, in order to follow ORION and generate the demanded compliance metric? Bear in mind that ORION's only goal is the elimination of miles, even at the cost of additional and unsafe backs. I would be interested to know whether or not our driver's decision making was affected by ORION.

My center manager told us at a PCM when we first got Orion that he didn't care what Orion wants. We are to follow it as best we can but that making unsafe backs just to stay perfectly on trace was unacceptable. Sometimes in an apartment complex though the safest thing to do is back in a parking space leaving the intersection open for traffic and then deliver a few of the surrounding buildings all at once.

 

[PT Car Washer]

My center manager told us at a PCM when we first got Orion that he didn't care what Orion wants. We are to follow it as best we can but that making unsafe backs just to stay perfectly on trace was unacceptable. Sometimes in an apartment complex though the safest thing to do is back in a parking space leaving the intersection open for traffic and then deliver a few of the surrounding buildings all at once.

Anymore large Apt complexes will have limited drive through routes to slow down drivers. Most are like codasaks(spl) where you have to back up just to get turned around.

 

[box_beeyotch]

Anymore large Apt complexes will have limited drive through routes to slow down drivers. Most are like codasaks(spl) where you have to back up just to get turned around.

Basically that's a pretty accurate statement. I have one on a route I cover that's a housing project for low income and its a nightmare to get in and out of and there are always unsupervised children riding bikes, playing ball, etc. so I understand how these types of things can happen easily.

 

[soberups]

My center manager told us at a PCM when we first got Orion that he didn't care what Orion wants. We are to follow it as best we can but that making unsafe backs just to stay perfectly on trace was unacceptable....

Good for your center manager, but one of these days he is going to get his anal cavity torn apart on a conference call by some empty suit in an office 400 miles away who will demand to see 85% ORION compliance on the next days report, even if it means backing up 50 times in every apartment complex in the centers area in order to make it happen. When that day comes, your center manager will care what ORION wants and he is going to make sure you care too.

 

[rod]

Same here with the helmets. Cops write tickets to the parents if kids don't have them on.

Its amazing any of us who grew up in the 60's and 70's lived to tell about it. No seatbelts-no helmets-no warning labels on everything.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Its amazing any of us who grew up in the 60's and 70's lived to tell about it. No seatbelts-no helmets-no warning labels on everything.

Minimal supervision too...

 

[rod]

Minimal supervision too...

VERY minimal---you knew to be home for supper and that was about it. When I was growing up my Mother also worked as a telephone operator so us 3 boys would be on our own from when school got out until either my Dad or Mom got home from work--usually about 5:30 to 6:00. During the summer we were home all day by ourselves---but Dad always made sure we had a list of chores to do that took about half the day.

 

[platinum9898]

Yes. A quick walk around the vehicle may have prevented this tragedy.

The back up camera should have shown the boy...

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The back up camera should have shown the boy...

It should have had the boy been standing there but it sounds like he tried to "beat the truck" by riding his bike behind while our guy was backing up.

 

[Operational needs]

Minimal supervision too...

There is a couple Maryland whose children, 10 & 8 were taken away over the weekend for practicing "free range parenting". Their children were spotted at a local park unsupervised. Who knew there was a name for it? Lol.

 

[oldngray]

There is a couple Maryland whose children, 10 & 8 were taken away over the weekend for practicing "free range parenting". Their children were spotted at a local park unsupervised. Who knew there was a name for it? Lol.

I have heard of some parents who even let their kids play outside.