TIME: 11yo struck, killed by Amtrak train; Conductor observed girl looking down at cellphone

Minor was walking home (alone?) from restaurant to her home and apparently was observed by human conductor looking down as she crossed tracks oblivious to the fast approaching train which proceeded to mow her down; no indication of anyone attempting to get her attention and/or out of harms way yet

This comes just months after NY 13yo girl was struck while trying to retrieve her dropped phone down in the tracks...



I believe the children are our future.

Natural selection doesn't have a conscience and is not ruled by emotion. Do something stupid that gets you killed off, your genes are no longer in the gene pool.

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

I do wonder at what age the children were given their cellphones and if there was any mobile education or just like here go to school now, or McDs

originally posted by: Krakatoa
Natural selection doesn't have a conscience and is not ruled by emotion. Do something stupid that gets you killed off, your genes are no longer in the gene pool.

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

I'm not sure you understand the psychological impact that these devices have on people. Especially those coming of age now that knew no such world before the existence of these devices.

And on a side note. I hope your post gets removed for being stupid.

originally posted by: Planette
I do wonder at what age the children were given their cellphones and if there was any mobile education or just like here go to school now, or McDs

I'm not sure you remember a time when your children were out wandering the streets with no way to contact them till your heart burst when the door opens and they are finally home. I can't profess to know for sure but giving a child a cell phone is quite possibly out of love and fear of their well being, not the opposite.

Hmm yea good point, my afterthoughts are why does an 11yo have to go to McDs alone(?); shouldn't parents have some level of supervision also as to what potential poisons the kids is buying with their allowance?

originally posted by: MALBOSIA

originally posted by: Planette
I do wonder at what age the children were given their cellphones and if there was any mobile education or just like here go to school now, or McDs

I'm not sure you remember a time when your children were out wandering the streets with no way to contact them till your heart burst when the door opens and they are finally home. I can't profess to know for sure but giving a child a cell phone is quite possibly out of love and fear of their well being, not the opposite.

I do not remember a time when my children were out wandering as my eldest is not yet 4.
I do remember being out wandering and calling from friends houses to check in with my parents.

My wife and I talked about phones after our first was born.
Out of love and fear, they will get a cell phone, probably to be shared with their siblings (depending on age). Not a smart phone.

Everyone does something stupid at some point in their life. Usually, more than once, most of the time they just get a scare or small injury but sometimes it costs a life. Sad, but things like that will happen,

Little kids are snatched up regularly. Is 11 old enough to walk through town alone? The train engineer must be having nightmares.

originally posted by: MALBOSIA

originally posted by: Krakatoa
Natural selection doesn't have a conscience and is not ruled by emotion. Do something stupid that gets you killed off, your genes are no longer in the gene pool.

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

I'm not sure you understand the psychological impact that these devices have on people. Especially those coming of age now that knew no such world before the existence of these devices.

And on a side note. I hope your post gets removed for being stupid.

Oh, I understand. But because you disagree with my position, I'm stupid? How judgemental of you to project your irrationality upon me with a personal attack.

See, I don't agree with giving a technological device that has this type of effect on a young mind (as you have implied yourself) without any supervision or parental controls in place. In addition, an 11 year old should be smart enough to know to watch where they are going when around any type of traffic. Those that do not have that inherent situational awareness, are candidates for natural selection.

In the distant past, if the hominid stood up to look above the grass too long, and was noticed by a predator, they would likely be eaten. Their genes that gave them that unsuccessful behavior would not propagate to the future generations. That is fact....since as I said, natural selection does not have a conscience.

That is my point.

originally posted by: carewemust
Little kids are snatched up regularly. Is 11 old enough to walk through town alone? The train engineer must be having nightmares.

11 or 12 is when me and friends would play roller hockey without parental supervision, and would pool money (given from parents for this reason) to go to pizza after.
So I vote yes, old enough to walk through town alone.
If we assume children start grade 1 at 5, 11 means they are in 7th grade (Jr. high school). High time to walk alone through town in day time hours.

a reply to: Krakatoa

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

11 years old.

a reply to: Krakatoa

You can still believe in natural selection without being a douchbag, I firmly believe in it(natural selection), I also believe we interfere with it, and yet I can empathise.

originally posted by: carewemust
The train engineer must be having nightmares.

We do. Frequently.

We have a peer to peer trauma counseling group as well.

It helps.

a reply to: Krakatoa

I don't think there's anything so outrageously stupid as your post.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

I was a kid at at a time when there was no pc's and no internet,in my country there was not even tv broadcast till i was 10yo.I don't recall our parents being very concerned about us,we were taught common sense from a Very early age.And in my country in those days,you were given a time to be home,at least back in your own yard,or else you got a paddling.But us kids knew about common sense basic safety measures.I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks,and i would actually play in the big railway shunting yard.Sometimes alone,sometimes with friends.WE KNEW TO KEEP OUR EYES ON OUR SURROUNDINGS because we were all raised sensibly back in the day.

a reply to: projectvxn

I have an 11 yo son and he would not be walking around train tracks with his eyes on his cell,he would not be crossing a road looking at his cell,etc etc etc.Because he was taught that that type of thing gets you killed,robbed,grievously injured etc.I feel bitterly sorry for these kids who were killed,OF COURSE I DO,Jeezus..but i feel ANGER at their parents who dropped the ball in teaching them safe sensible ways to navigate the world!!!! So in a way it Is natural selection.

If you do not teach your kids to be sensible,they may most likely not survive.Your descendants and your bloodline dies if you cannot be arsed to be vigilant and teach them the dangers of life and the planet they live on!

originally posted by: Krakatoa
Natural selection doesn't have a conscience and is not ruled by emotion. Do something stupid that gets you killed off, your genes are no longer in the gene pool.

This might be a callous statement, but then, I lack empathy for the outrageously stupid.

I think this statement is sad more than anything because IMO, its born in an environment of a lack of experience at the business of living life.

Life is much more complicated than simplistic platitudes and hackneyed sayings that for the most part have their origins in ignorance.

As one gets older one learns that life is a complicated business and that there is a lot more to life than what meets the eye.

This observation made from 60 + years of living has caused me to conclude that "Of all human qualities, ignorance is the most ubiquitous."

a reply to: Raxoxane

Empathy isn't about ignoring reality in order to mourn a loss.

Empathy is being able to understand and internalize the reality being faced by another. In this case, a devastated family.

a reply to: Azureblue

I know you are not addressing me in your reply but i wish to just say: I cannot speak for Krakatoa but for ME a statement like that reflects a lived,and lived hard and longtime. Life often is just as simple as this- Do something seriously stupid and it could well mean your death.It really is That simple.We older ones have Seen this happen,not just read about it on the webz.We have Witnessed stupidity causing a person's death or grievous injuries and people maimed for life.