Why does UPS constantly preach safety?

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I am sitting here watching the Today Show in disbelief. This guy gets off the bus, crosses behind the bus and does not look for oncoming traffic and gets plowed by an oncoming car traveling in the same direction as the bus. As tragic as that is, the part that has me baffled is the man's lawyer stated that the driver of the car that hit him, although not cited by the police for any fault in the accident, has reached a financial settlement with the pedestrian. The guy walks in to traffic in front of a car and that driver has to pay?! The lawyer did make one valid point and that is that the liability does, in part, lie with the bus driver for allowing him to get off the bus not at a bus stop.

I know that some members here have told of how they are being asked to now cross behind their pkg cars when crossing the street. This is the way that I was taught and have always done so. I can hear their arguments on how this is unsafe and that is much safer to cross in front as you have the PC to protect you. Please do not use this tragedy to stop crossing behind the PC. It is much safer than crossing in front IMO.

 

[brownmonster]

The driver of the car is liable? Give me a break. The car came from behind the bus. I learned to look both ways before I crossed the street at 3 years old. Why does my car insurance cost so much when I never use it?

 

[705red]

That car was behind the bus and switched lanes to go around teh bus, that must be the reason that the driver settled. The kid must have thought he could have made it but did not expect the car to switch lanes. How about the bus driver, did he ever get out of the bus?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

That car was behind the bus and switched lanes to go around teh bus, that must be the reason that the driver settled. The kid must have thought he could have made it but did not expect the car to switch lanes. How about the bus driver, did he ever get out of the bus?

Doesn't show but I don't think so.

 

[705red]

Look at teh 1minute 3 second mark on the video, you can see that he switched lanes.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

He changed lanes well ahead of the pedestrian crossing the road. This was clearly pedestrian error.

It appears that where he was dropped off was under construction as there are orange construction barrels.

Have you listened to the audio? The driver is laughing saying that the same thing had happened the other day. One of the passengers is asking the driver why he isn't going to attend to the victim. His answer is hard to make out but sounds like he is saying that he has to alert the other buses.

Red, play the audio.

 

[705red]

Im looking at it as maybe the kid looked left and than he attempted to run across the street, Look at the car that was in the outside lane, if the car that hit him did not switch lanes he clearly would have made it. Its possible that the car was speeding, if that is a consturction zone he looked to be moving. Not sure, but he had to be doing something wrong in order for his insurance to settle.

I listened to teh video and I thik thats a passenger that said he wason the bus yesterday morning when another accident happened.

 

[Big Babooba]

I'm looking at it as maybe the kid looked left and than he attempted to run across the street, Look at the car that was in the outside lane, if the car that hit him did not switch lanes he clearly would have made it. Its possible that the car was speeding, if that is a construction zone he looked to be moving. Not sure, but he had to be doing something wrong in order for his insurance to settle.

I listened to the video and I think that a passenger that said he was on the bus yesterday morning when another accident happened.

Not really. The insurance company will try to take the least expensive route. If they determine that a quick settlement will be cheaper than going to court, they'll seek a settlement. It's possible that the guy's lawyer took the case because it would be easy money with little effort.

 

[p228]

Here's the interview: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36310494/ns/today-today_people/

The lawyer said they settled with the driver's insurance and now they are going after the bus company.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

OK, but why was the driver liable? Red said that because he switched lanes and may have been speeding. I say he changed lanes as he saw the bus had stopped and that the pedestrian was clearly at fault. I also feel the bus driver was at fault for not dropping him off a bus stop.

 

[helenofcalifornia]

I don't know why the car driver settled. It looks like the pedestrian just bolted in front of the car without looking. Lawyers! Going to get their 33% somehow. And I thought the bus driver was the guy in the white shirt that was attending to the victim. I may be wrong. The victim and the lawyer just saw dollar signs with the bus company. Sometimes I wish they would contest these lawsuits instead of figuring the cheapest way out is to settle.

 

[bluehdmc]

Not really. The insurance company will try to take the least expensive route. If they determine that a quick settlement will be cheaper than going to court, they'll seek a settlement. It's possible that the guy's lawyer took the case because it would be easy money with little effort.

Insurance is a business, if it's cheaper to settle for $10K then spend $12K to defend a lawsuit they settle. Don't forget the insurance company has to pay their own lawyers fees above and beyond whatever a settlement is.
It was explained to me once that's why the difference between the premiums for minimum insurance coverage and maximum is not proportional to the coverage.

As far as the bus not stopping at a stop, around here a bus will drop you off or pick you up just about anyplace on the route, just wave your arm. They may pass you if your only 100ft from a regular stop though.

 

[SWORDFISH]

Judges need to start being held accountable for thier decisions on lawsuits. Canada doesnt allow all these lawsuits that we allow in the US. Im not necesarily talking about this case cause we dont know all the facts yet but this could be one such case.

 

[allentown brown]

He changed lanes well ahead of the pedestrian crossing the road. This was clearly pedestrian error.

It appears that where he was dropped off was under construction as there are orange construction barrels.

Have you listened to the audio? The driver is laughing saying that the same thing had happened the other day. One of the passengers is asking the driver why he isn't going to attend to the victim. His answer is hard to make out but sounds like he is saying that he has to alert the other buses.

Red, play the audio.

I agree...at 1:46 right after he laughs, it sounds like he says "I guess i'm jinxing the buses."

 

[soberups]

It looks to me like the pedestrian was staring down at his cellphone or ipod and wasnt paying attention when he ran right into the path of the car.

As far as my routine for crossing the street goes, it depends upon circumstances.

If the road is straight or curving towards the driver side...I cross in front of the package car so as to use the car as a shield and avoid getting trapped between the package car and an oncoming vehicle.

If the road is curving towards the passenger side, I cross behind the package car since there will be a blind spot from the front. Also, a speeding or out-of-control vehicle tends to move towards the outside of the curve that it is in, which will take it away from the back of the pkg car and towards the opposite side of the street.

 

[browned out]

The driver is at fault is questionable at best. I bet he did not lose his job as the UPS driver would have for not expecting the unexpected.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The driver is at fault is questionable at best. I bet he did not lose his job as the UPS driver would have for not expecting the unexpected.

Using your scenario, had there been a UPS pkg car in the same lane behind the bus and the bus came to a stop, the safe thing to do would have been to stop with at least one car length between the PC and the bus. It did appear as though the driver anticipated the bus stopping and, rather than get stuck behind it, sped up and changed lanes to go around the bus. I still think the onus here is on the pedestrian. I would think the financial settlement was made without fault.

 

[SWORDFISH]

Using your scenario, had there been a UPS pkg car in the same lane behind the bus and the bus came to a stop, the safe thing to do would have been to stop with at least one car length between the PC and the bus. It did appear as though the driver anticipated the bus stopping and, rather than get stuck behind it, sped up and changed lanes to go around the bus. I still think the onus here is on the pedestrian. I would think the financial settlement was made without fault.

Come on Dave you know people dont take responsiblility for their actions anymore. It was the governments fault for not have a stop light w/ cross walk there.