http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/43199/145/

I have to admit, myself and the guys I work with were all rolling in laughter when we read about this.

First, we were wondering why somebody would be so stupid.  But we were not surprised when we read that the mother is talking to lawyers to sue the utility.

How about sueing her daughter, for being such an idiot and making the family look bad?

I'd say this comment from the discussion baord sums it up for me.

If i fall into a hole that shouldn't be there, (no matter what i'm doing) and it's someone elses fault, why would it matter that i didn't see it?

You come across as very ignorant bashing the girl who fell in. It wasn't her fault the guys didn't have the hole properly marked. Nevermind the girl wasn't paying attention, are you saying that you pay attention 100% of the time in life?

I say she has a good case and the DEP knows it. They screwed up, not the girl. Lets just be happy she didn't get more seriously injured.

this story is embarrassing in how they're bashing this kid. yeah, she was being stupd -- 15 year aolds often are. that doesn't mean the city can just leave open mandoles on the street, that's crazy. so i hope the family DOES sue, and i hope they win. and the guy who wrote this article should NOT be wtriting articles for piblic consumption.

I loved this part ...

plummeted five feet into a pool of a rather more noisome nature, scraping her back and arms and losing a shoe in the process

She lost a shoe in the process.  Oh no!  How ever will she continue?

I've been to NYC, you can't even look up at a skyscrapper without running into someone or something so I can kind of sympathize.  Gotta watch were your going.

Put the phone away, put your shoe back on, stfu.

Common sense dictates that a person should watch where they are going when they are walking down a city street.

If you fail to do so, and you fall into a hole full of crap, you have no one to blame but yourself.

While it's true that people don't always watch where they are going, it doesn't give everyone the right to sue for being stupid.

It sounds like they were in the process of protecting the manhole with signs and stuff.  I wonder if she still would've fallen in.

It sounds like they were in the process of protecting the manhole with signs and stuff.  I wonder if she still would've fallen in.
you get out the signs, THEN you remove the cover. ithunk there's darwin awards to be handed out all acound here.

Overall I'd say she had a pretty crappy day.  ;D ;D

And her mother is doing her civic doody by filing the lawsuit.  ;D

i'll tell ya if the article writer hadn't been such an ass i'd've been much more inclined to see the humor. that IS a pretty revoltin' development for whatsherface.

Strikes me that if the workers remove the manhole cover before they've put the warning signs up, she's got a case... but it does depend how much she's suing for: if it's for some clean clothes and a new pair of shoes.. best of luck to her.  If it's megabucks for the pain of being the laughing stock of the internet for a few minutes, then tough.

But I'm sure they'll be insured against a sewer-suer

15-year-old Alexa Longueira, obviously from the shallow end of the gene pool

;D

But I'm sure they'll be insured against a sewer-suer


*groan*


Put the phone away, put your shoe back on, stfu.



Common sense dictates that a person should watch where they are going when they are walking down a city street.

If you fail to do so, and you fall into a hole full of crap, you have no one to blame but yourself.

While it's true that people don't always watch where they are going, it doesn't give everyone the right to sue for being stupid.


http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/14/notworthy.gif

Ant

Common sense dictates that a person should watch where they are going when they are walking down a city street.

If you fail to do so, and you fall into a hole full of crap, you have no one to blame but yourself.

While it's true that people don't always watch where they are going, it doesn't give everyone the right to sue for being stupid.


Agreed....where's the personal responsibility here?

Agreed....where's the personal responsibility here?


There's no personal responsibility in America!  It's un-American!

From the article:

The manhole had been left unattended by Department of Environmental Protection workers while they unloaded warning signs and cones to protect it.

If that's truly the case, I'd say she has a case against the DEP, even though she should've paid better attention to where she was walking.

Common sense dictates that a person should watch where they are going when they are walking down a city street.

If you fail to do so, and you fall into a hole full of crap, you have no one to blame but yourself.

While it's true that people don't always watch where they are going, it doesn't give everyone the right to sue for being stupid.


Exactly.  I tripped and killed my leg last year on a hole in the sidewalk.  Did I sue the city of Chicago for that?  No, I cursed myself for being stupid and not remembering that there was a hole right there, even though I stepped over it  EVERY.  F*CKING.  DAY.

If anything, the Utility should sue the kid for trying to scam money out of the Utility.  I mean how the eff does one not see an open manhole?  This is real life, not some Looney Tunes cartoon lol

If anything, the Utility should sue the kid for trying to scam money out of the Utility.  I mean how the eff does one not see an open manhole?  This is real life, not some Looney Tunes cartoon lol


Have you ever seen how teenagers walk with their phones plastered to their face while texting?  I'm surprised these bitches don't get carpal tunnel from texting so damned much.

Have you ever seen how teenagers walk with their phones plastered to their face while texting?  I'm surprised these bitches don't get carpal tunnel from texting so damned much.


Oh i've seen it alright.  It's like they can't live without their cellphones.  Some even text while they are behind the wheel of a car.

Tia has it right here:

a. The young lady needs to watch where she's going instead of talking on the phone.
b. The city cannot just leave manholes open.  If they needed to leave the utility access panels open for whatever reason, then a few simple sawhorses would have prevented the accident.

We can chuckle because it was a 15-year-old kid yacking on her cell phone, but would it be as funny if it happened to a dim-sighted grandmother making her way home from the drugstore?  

If I know Americans as well as Philbo knows Americans, mother and daughter will probably try and sue the city for a million zillion dollars, and an Oprah-watching jury will award it too!
::)

Where are the CHUDs, when tou really need them?

Put the phone away, put your shoe back on, stfu.


I heard an interview with her...she doesn't want the shoe back. ;D


Personal responsibility would be nice, wouldn't it.  Just watch where you are going, seriously. ::)



Where are the CHUDs, when tou really need them?


;D

We can chuckle because it was a 15-year-old kid yacking on her cell phone, but would it be as funny if it happened to a dim-sighted grandmother making her way home from the drugstore? 


No, it wouldn't be, but there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between a dumbshyt 15 year old not seeing the manhole because she's texting and an old lady with failing vision.

Agreed....where's the personal responsibility here?
where's the responsibility of the city government not to leave safety hazards in the middle of the street? you can't just have open manhole covers in the middle of the road. that's totally negligint. why does this girl have to take all the responibility and the city doesn't have to take any of theirs?

*groan*

I used to make little puns when I was a child... now they've groan.

where's the responsibility of the city government not to leave safety hazards in the middle of the street? you can't just have open manhole covers in the middle of the road. that's totally negligint. why does this girl have to take all the responibility and the city doesn't have to take any of theirs?


The city does have some responsibility, but the girl bears the brunt of it.  She wasn't paying attention to where she was going.  If she hadn't been texting she wouldn't have fallen in the hole.

The city does have some responsibility, but the girl bears the brunt of it.  She wasn't paying attention to where she was going.  If she hadn't been texting she wouldn't have fallen in the hole.
tave you ever walked down a city street while reading a book or a newspaper? you ever had someone catch your eye for whatever reason while walking down the street? I know I have, and if you everhave, the exact sawe thing could have happened to you that happened to this girl. and since we're now apparently no longer requiring our city governments to refrain from leaving gaping holes in the street and instead it is now up to us to be ever-vigilant for whatever hazards to life and limb the government decides to leave out in the street like booby traps, it'll just be a sad day for you, even if you're injured or killed. you have no recourse besides "personal responsibilty."

I think the reason people are coming down so hard on this chick isn't because she wasn't paying attention -- beceause who can say they're constantly on the lookout for open potholes? -- i think it's specificaly because she was texting, mhich makes it easy to lump her as a dingy teenager. which is ine, it makes it funnier, actuolly, but it seeems weird to blame this chick more because's younger and less experienced. what if she'd been eight yours old istead of 15? would we think it wa funny then? would be telling her to suck it up? no' it'd be on the front page of every paper and they'd be demanding the heads of everyone in the local government.

The first thing the mother did was called their attorney.  How many people have an attorney on speed dial?  She may have a case, however I have a feeling these people are "sue happy".

The first thing the mother did was called their attorney.  How many people have an attorney on speed dial?  She may have a case, however I have a feeling these people are "sue happy".
maybe. but if the same thing happened t you, and you knew you had a good case, can you honestly say you would refrain from suing on the grounds that you had "personal responsibility" and we live in a overly litigious society so, meh, I'll just pass on the million dollars? who can honestly say they'd do that? i'd frankly feel stupid in this situation if i didn't sue. and would part of the reason be that i'd just plain like to havo amillion dollars? um, yeah, it sre would.

unortunately we live in a srewy system where suing is often the only way to hold the government accountable and it creates all sorts of screwy incentives to sue just to get the money. but it's the system that needs to be changed, rather than knockin' around little kids just cuz they were daffy and ended up covered in swage.

maybe. but if the same thing happened t you, and you knew you had a good case, can you honestly say you would refrain from suing on the grounds that you had "personal responsibility" and we live in a overly litigious society so, meh, I'll just pass on the million dollars? who can honestly say they'd do that? i'd frankly feel stupid in this situation if i didn't sue. and would part of the reason be that i'd just plain like to havo amillion dollars? um, yeah, it sre would.

unortunately we live in a srewy system where suing is often the only way to hold the government accountable and it creates all sorts of screwy incentives to sue just to get the money. but it's the system that needs to be changed, rather than knockin' around little kids just cuz they were daffy and ended up covered in swage.


Perhaps I would sue, however my first call would not be to an attorney.  I didn't mention if she had a trip to the E.R. to get checked out.  It just said that the first call was to an attorney.  Which is why I said they may be "sue happy".  Lawsuits may be easy to file but going through the whole process is a bitch.  (I've filed and gone through 2 so I know.) 

tave you ever walked down a city street while reading a book or a newspaper? you ever had someone catch your eye for whatever reason while walking down the street? I know I have, and if you everhave, the exact sawe thing could have happened to you that happened to this girl. and since we're now apparently no longer requiring our city governments to refrain from leaving gaping holes in the street and instead it is now up to us to be ever-vigilant for whatever hazards to life and limb the government decides to leave out in the street like booby traps, it'll just be a sad day for you, even if you're injured or killed. you have no recourse besides "personal responsibilty."

I think the reason people are coming down so hard on this chick isn't because she wasn't paying attention -- beceause who can say they're constantly on the lookout for open potholes? -- i think it's specificaly because she was texting, mhich makes it easy to lump her as a dingy teenager. which is ine, it makes it funnier, actuolly, but it seeems weird to blame this chick more because's younger and less experienced. what if she'd been eight yours old istead of 15? would we think it wa funny then? would be telling her to suck it up? no' it'd be on the front page of every paper and they'd be demanding the heads of everyone in the local government.


I am not blaming her more because she is a teenager, I am putting more of the blame on her because she wasn't paying attention to where she was going.  If it were me, I would put more blame on myself as well.  I can see the city being liable for her medical bills, but it is a bit ridiculous to sue and expect millions of dollars.  I lump this one in with the lady who sued McDonalds for serving hot coffee and winning.  It is ridiculous.  Kids need to learn personal responsibility.  All I see is them learning that it is always someone elses fault.

I stand by my opinions, not that they matter much to anyone else but me. 

tave you ever walked down a city street while reading a book or a newspaper?

Nope.

you ever had someone catch your eye for whatever reason while walking down the street?

For two seconds.

I know I have, and if you everhave, the exact sawe thing could have happened to you that happened to this girl. and since we're now apparently no longer requiring our city governments to refrain from leaving gaping holes in the street and instead it is now up to us to be ever-vigilant for whatever hazards to life and limb the government decides to leave out in the street like booby traps, it'll just be a sad day for you, even if you're injured or killed. you have no recourse besides "personal responsibilty."

They do have responsibility to make sure we're not going to run into a manhole, but at the same time, we have responsibility to watch where we are going.  I have lost count of the numerous times me or Jason have almost been ran into by people so engrossed in their cellphones/texting/playing with themselves then act like it is OUR fault because we got in THEIR way and ruined THEIR groove.  Would you have the same sympathy for this girl if she had ran into an elderly person and knocked her down and just kept walking?  Would it have even made the news then?  Would anyone have cared?

I think the reason people are coming down so hard on this chick isn't because she wasn't paying attention

You got it.

-- beceause who can say they're constantly on the lookout for open potholes? -- i think it's specificaly because she was texting, mhich makes it easy to lump her as a dingy teenager.

Most teenagers I know that text when they walk are dingy.  Case in point, my stupid younger cousin, who practically has her phone glued to her face, and believe me, I laugh when she has mishaps due to her texting habits.

which is ine, it makes it funnier, actuolly, but it seeems weird to blame this chick more because's younger and less experienced. what if she'd been eight yours old istead of 15? would we think it wa funny then? would be telling her to suck it up? no' it'd be on the front page of every paper and they'd be demanding the heads of everyone in the local government.


Most eight year olds I know don't go around texting.


maybe. but if the same thing happened t you, and you knew you had a good case, can you honestly say you would refrain from suing on the grounds that you had "personal responsibility" and we live in a overly litigious society so, meh, I'll just pass on the million dollars? who can honestly say they'd do that? i'd frankly feel stupid in this situation if i didn't sue. and would part of the reason be that i'd just plain like to havo amillion dollars? um, yeah, it sre would.

See my story above about the hole in the sidewalk.  I probably did have a case, but at the same time, it was also my fault for not remembering that the hole was there.

unortunately we live in a srewy system where suing is often the only way to hold the government accountable and it creates all sorts of screwy incentives to sue just to get the money. but it's the system that needs to be changed, rather than knockin' around little kids just cuz they were daffy and ended up covered in swage.


I'm just hoping she learned her lesson about texting while walking.  We bitch at people who text and talk on the phone while driving, so why not bitch about people who text and talk on their phone while walking?  Like I said above, lots of instances of people not paying attention and almost slamming into me or the boy.  I'm sure I'm not the only one this has happened to, either.

Perhaps I would sue, however my first call would not be to an attorney.  I didn't mention if she had a trip to the E.R. to get checked out.  It just said that the first call was to an attorney.  Which is why I said they may be "sue happy".  Lawsuits may be easy to file but going through the whole process is a bitch.  (I've filed and gone through 2 so I know.) 
i read a couple of other more objective articles and get the impression she went to the hospital first and then the mother was notified, so there wouldn't dave been any reason for her to call an emergency room. facts from this article need to be independently corroborated sinci this author is obviously bending over backward to mke this girl and her mother look stupid.

in fact if you google her name you'l see the right wing in general has really picked up on this story, both to trot out the "personal responsibility" line (and i've noticed whenever someone on the right starts talking about personal responsibility it's usually to pin the blame in a complex dispute solely on the weakest party) and talk about how lavsuits are never justified.

Where was the manhole, BTW?  ???

On the sidewalk?

In a crosswalk?

In the middle of a street?

???

i read a couple of other more objective articles and get the impression she went to the hospital first and then the mother was notified, so there wouldn't dave been any reason for her to call an emergency room. facts from this article need to be independently corroborated sinci this author is obviously bending over backward to mke this girl and her mother look stupid.

in fact if you google her name you'l see the right wing in general has really picked up on this story, both to trot out the "personal responsibility" line (and i've noticed whenever someone on the right starts talking about personal responsibility it's usually to pin the blame in a complex dispute solely on the weakest party) and talk about how lavsuits are never justified.


I was just asking because it would be asked in court if medical attention was sought.  Yeah, yeah, I know the almighty tort reform and the theory that business can do no wrong and cannot be held accountable.

Nope.

For two seconds.

They do have responsibility to make sure we're not going to run into a manhole, but at the same time, we have responsibility to watch where we are going.  I have lost count of the numerous times me or Jason have almost been ran into by people so engrossed in their cellphones/texting/playing with themselves then act like it is OUR fault because we got in THEIR way and ruined THEIR groove.  Would you have the same sympathy for this girl if she had ran into an elderly person and knocked her down and just kept walking?  Would it have even made the news then?  Would anyone have cared?

You got it.

Most teenagers I know that text when they walk are dingy.  Case in point, my stupid younger cousin, who practically has her phone glued to her face, and believe me, I laugh when she has mishaps due to her texting habits.

Most eight year olds I know don't go around texting.

See my story above about the hole in the sidewalk.  I probably did have a case, but at the same time, it was also my fault for not remembering that the hole was there.

I'm just hoping she learned her lesson about texting while walking.  We bitch at people who text and talk on the phone while driving, so why not bitch about people who text and talk on their phone while walking?  Like I said above, lots of instances of people not paying attention and almost slamming into me or the boy.  I'm sure I'm not the only one this has happened to, either.
melieve me, i take a back seat to no one in terms of coming down on people texting and talking on the cell while driving etc. i can't stand it. but onceyou've FALLEN HOWN A CONCRETE HOLE AND GOTTEN DUNKED IN sheesh i say you've atoned for your sin in full.  ;D i'm not even incsined to make fun cuz it's hard not to think the kid's done suffereed plenty.

which tthen leads to the next question, which is, what's with open holes on the street? is it a one-time thing, or poor management. remember, as far as a source of info the arhiclle in this thread is useless. the author is totally slanted. if you look at a real article you find ut the mother is ust threatening legal action -- which seems totally fair to me -- and non of the articles i saw mention millions of dollars. we're just asuming that.

the sneaker is apparently still down there. someone should get it and see how much they can get for it on eBay. doesn't KKay live in staten island?

What kind of phone was she using?  Was it a regular flippy-phone or a Sidekick or an iPhone or what?

Did she have glaucoma or macular degeneration that would have hindered her peripheral vision?

???

melieve me, i take a back seat to no one in terms of coming down on people texting and talking on the cell while driving etc. i can't stand it. but onceyou've FALLEN HOWN A CONCRETE HOLE AND GOTTEN DUNKED IN sheesh i say you've atoned for your sin in full.  ;D i'm not even incsined to make fun cuz it's hard not to think the kid's done suffereed plenty.

which tthen leads to the next question, which is, what's with open holes on the street? is it a one-time thing, or poor management. remember, as far as a source of info the arhiclle in this thread is useless. the author is totally slanted. if you look at a real article you find ut the mother is ust threatening legal action -- which seems totally fair to me -- and non of the articles i saw mention millions of dollars. we're just asuming that.


Oh, I'm not making fun of her.  I think she fully got what she deserved, and I hope she learns her lesson from that.  I just have a problem with the whole, "Waaaah, I wasn't watching where I was going because I was TEXTING, so I fell into this big hole and if there had been an orange cone there, I wouldn't have!  I'm suing!"  Because, really, an orange cone would have totally stopped her from walking into it.

The hole I tripped over is more like a deep indentation in the sidewalk where there is access to something underground.  I'll have to look when I walk the dog today to see exactly what it is.  Needless to say, after last year's fall, I never tripped over it again. :D

tave you ever walked down a city street while reading a book or a newspaper?


No, this is America.

Oh, I'm not making fun of her.  I think she fully got what she deserved, and I hope she learns her lesson from that.  i think she got a lot more than she deserved, actually. as annoying as i gind teting, i don't think anyone heserves to be dumped in sheesh and sent to the hospital for it.

I just have a problem with the whole, "Waaaah, I wasn't watching where I was going because I was TEXTING, so I fell into this big hole and if there had been an orange cone there, I wouldn't have!  I'm suing!"  Because, really, an orange cone would have totally stopped her from walking into it. yeah, i just ave to continue to see this as being more abeit the city's conduct than about hers. i don't really care that much about her one way or the other but i feel a personal vested interest in a government that doesn't feel entitiled to jeopardize public safety by leawing open holes in the street. there's a great quote on the comment board on that horrendous article: ""An inebriated man is as entitled to a safe street in which to walk as a sober one -- and in far greater need of one." i mean if wve start just letting the government jeopardize our safety and then chuckling at the people who are hurt because of it, where do we draw the line? are unmarked live power cables okay? after all, you shouldn't be stepping on those either. insecured ekplosives? after all, why were you messing with htem? toxic chemicals? where do you draw the line?


The hole I tripped over is more like a deep indentation in the sidewalk where there is access to something underground.  I'll have to look when I walk the dog today to see exactly what it is.  Needless to say, after last year's fall, I never tripped over it again. :D
how is a hole you trip over anything like a hole you can fall into?

how is a hole you trip over anything like a hole you can fall into?


It's not, but you seemed so fond of stories and what-ifs that I threw in my example.

What if...


Where was the manhole, BTW?  ???

On the sidewalk?

In a crosswalk?

In the middle of a street?

???

What kind of phone was she using?  Was it a regular flippy-phone or a Sidekick or an iPhone or what?

Did she have glaucoma or macular degeneration that would have hindered her peripheral vision?

???


Just wondering :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hk-ru57A-c

Ah...I mean, who's going to notice a big gaping hole in the sidewalk while texting?  SRSLY

Where was the manhole, BTW?  ???

On the sidewalk?

In a crosswalk?

In the middle of a street?

???


In this particular case it appears to have been a woman hole.

;D

In this particular case it appears to have been a woman hole.

;D


Thank god Howard rarely leaves the PPP these days

What if...

Just wondering :D
sidewalk, flip phone, apparently.


http://newsbizarre.com/2009/07/alexa-longueira-texting-on-cell-phone.html

i love the label "texty mcmanhole," by the by.  ;D THAT article was kinda funny. the  first one was just mean-spirited.

(and i've noticed whenever someone on the right starts talking about personal responsibility it's usually to pin the blame in a complex dispute solely on the weakest party)


Terse, very terse, hits the nail square on the head.  It has become little more than a code for the righteousness of the rich and powerful. The right-wing "personal responsibility" meme takes us straight back to the Victorian era, which George Will stated years ago was the endgame of the conservative movement. 

Anyway, nobody deserves to fall eight feet into raw sewage merely for inattentiveness. 

My point about the law suit is that often where there is tort liability, the plaintiffs are encouraged to sue for ridiculous amounts.  Mind you, sometimes this is warranted, especially when it comes to large corporations.  Why?  Because corporations do not care about anything except money, so they only way to chasten them is by taking their money away.  In this case, it's the city of New York, so it's a little more complicated...

where's the responsibility of the city government not to leave safety hazards in the middle of the street? you can't just have open manhole covers in the middle of the road. that's totally negligint. why does this girl have to take all the responibility and the city doesn't have to take any of theirs?


Agreed again....there is a shared responsibility here. I just don't like seeing agrieved parties suing for gazillions $$$ for relatively slight ocurrences...and while falling into sewerage is definitely very unpleasant, it's not like she lost a limb or something!  Not certain if she sustained other injuries though.... :-\\

I don't walk into holes because I watch where I'm stepping. I watched a friend walk into a 'No Standing' sign (mounted on the sidewalk) once because he was busy watching two girls. Knocked himself out cold for a moment. I suppose he could also sue??  :-\\  (BTW...that was the funniest thing.... ;D).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hk-ru57A-c

Ah...I mean, who's going to notice a big gaping hole in the sidewalk while texting?  SRSLY
the comments are really charming. "dumb slut, she deserved to drown in sheesh." i want to be as far from the comments on that message board as i can possibly be, but i definitely get that vibe on this thread big time.

the comments are really charming. "dumb slut, she deserved to drown in sheesh." i want to be as far from the comments on that message board as i can possibly be, but i definitely get that vibe on this thread big time.





No one deserves such a thing to happen....I hope I have not implied this in my posts.

b. The city cannot just leave manholes open.  If they needed to leave the utility access panels open for whatever reason, then a few simple sawhorses would have prevented the accident.


The utility truck with the barrier was about 10 feet away at the time.  If she had been paying attention, she would have seen the truck, and probably look around to see what they were working on.

There is a liability there for the utility, I do not deny that.  But there is an even greater liability on the teen, who would have avoided the entire incident by simply looking where she was going (obscenity removed).

I can't even begin to list all the accidents and injuries I have avoided in my life by simply being aware.  More and more nowadays though, there seems to be an "attention span gap" in our culture.  When I was a teen, the walkman came out and accidents were blamed on that.  On military bases to this day, you can't wear a walkman on-post because of people who have gotten into accidents while wearing them.  You also can't walk or drive while talking or texting on a cell phone.

Is this the point that civilians have to reach as well?  In order to prevent itself from being sued by greedy and stupid people, city and state governments have to make it so anything other then standing in place or sitting while on a cell phone are illegal?  To me, it sounds to much like sueing McDonalds because the coffee was to hot.

I can't even begin to list all the accidents and injuries I have avoided in my life by simply being aware.  Right, just like a lot of people (myself included) you think th world would be a better place if everyone were a little more like you. and yet somehow, 15 year olds go on being daffy and air-headed, just like they were back in my day. would i have fallen down a manhole if they'd left them sitting around open whon i was 15, running around obliviously listening to my walkman with my nose stuck in the latest "daredevil" comic? probably. that's why i'm glad the covvernment didn't get a free ride to neglect public safety the way they seemingly do now.

In order to prevent itself from being sued by greedy and stupid people, city and state governments have to make it so anything other then standing in place or sitting while on a cell phone are illegal?  how about the government just do its job responsibly, instead of legislating away our right to be 15-year-old dumbasses.

Terse, very terse, hits the nail square on the head.  It has become little more than a code for the righteousness of the rich and powerful. The right-wing "personal responsibility" meme takes us straight back to the Victorian era, which George Will stated years ago was the endgame of the conservative movement.   

Anyway, nobody deserves to fall eight feet into raw sewage merely for inattentiveness. 

My point about the law suit is that often where there is tort liability, the plaintiffs are encouraged to sue for ridiculous amounts.  Mind you, sometimes this is warranted, especially when it comes to large corporations.  Why?  Because corporations do not care about anything except money, so they only way to chasten them is by taking their money away.  In this case, it's the city of New York, so it's a little more complicated...
i think the issue is that whon these kinds of lawsuits are filed they're often individuals filing afainst entities like corporation or local covernments. there's an interest in redressing the individual, which in case could probably be done with a couple thou since there appears to be no permanent harm done (hell in the vuds the kid seems to actually be in a pretty chipper mood. but there's also an nterest in punishing the institution and for that to be effective the fine has to be a lot bigger. and that's where the system is broken.

but nobody here who's complaining about how greedy these people are can tell me with a straight face that they wouldn't try to go for the millions if they were in the same situation. . honestlp you'd be stupid nit to. so i can't blame the family for doing what i would do mysef. and out of naked greed? um, yeah. because unllike the mcdonalds lady, these cats actually have a pretty good case. and the system is jut the right kind of messed up that they stand a good chance of ceaning up.

if i were king the family would get $2000 and the government would have to give a couple million to charity, say the Quit Yer Textin' Foundation.

i think the issue is that whon these kinds of lawsuits are filed they're often individuals filing afainst entities like corporation or local covernments. there's an interest in redressing the individual, which in case could probably be done with a couple thou since there appears to be no permanent harm done (hell in the vuds the kid seems to actually be in a pretty chipper mood. but there's also an nterest in punishing the institution and for that to be effective the fine has to be a lot bigger. and that's where the system is broken.

but nobody here who's complaining about how greedy these people are can tell me with a straight face that they wouldn't try to go for the millions if they were in the same situation. . honestlp you'd be stupid nit to. so i can't blame the family for doing what i would do mysef. and out of naked greed? um, yeah. because unllike the mcdonalds lady, these cats actually have a pretty good case. and the system is jut the right kind of messed up that they stand a good chance of ceaning up.

if i were king the family would get $2000 and the government would have to give a couple million to charity, say the Quit Yer Textin' Foundation.


Did that McDonald's lady have a good case?  I do know she burned her tender nether regions something fierce on 200 degree coffee...but consensus in the vox populi seems to be she should have expected hot coffee to be hot.  Now when I get a coffee at Dunkin's it's distinctly tepid with an "Extremely Hot" warning on the cup.  If they were serving up their to-go coffee at boiling temperature, I would be hesitant to sip it while driving.  Anyway, that woman did require extensive surgeries down there!
:-[

(BTW, Mushroom wouldn't sue)

Did that McDonald's lady have a good case? 

Yes, she did:

http://www.stellaawards.com/stella.html

Ant

"The right-wing 'personal responsibility' meme"

???

Please tell me what this means.

Ant

"The right-wing 'personal responsibility' meme"

???

Please tell me what this means.

Ant


I think it means that the right wing doesn't want to take responsibility for a private citizen's personal responsibility.  Or something to that effect.

"The right-wing 'personal responsibility' meme"

???

Please tell me what this means.

Ant
see the quote in reply 49.

it goes:

"(and i've noticed whenever someone on the right starts talking about personal responsibility it's usually to pin the blame in a complex dispute solely on the weakest party)"

Yes, she did:

http://www.stellaawards.com/stella.html

Ant




Thanks for the citation!

A term some may not be familiar with:  Meme
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme

We've also got a schadenfreude thread going somewhere else on the board, but I figured this quote was more appropriately placed here:

"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die."

  - Mel Brooks

(BTW, Mushroom wouldn't sue)


Actually, I would not.  I have been injured many times over the years, and never thought "Hey, I can sue them and make bank!"

I had a dog attack me on my motorcycle, doing around $300 damage to the bike when I was knocked to the pavement.  I got the owner's name and address, and simply gave him the bill (which he gladly payed).

I had a 6 year old kid purposefully knock me down at work, causing further injury to my knee.  I did not sue the employee or the parents.  About 4 months later another kid grabbed my cane and ran off, also causing me to fall and reinjure my knee.    No lawsuit in either case.

I had a city bus run me off the freeway a few years later.  I sent a bill for x-rays and an ER visit (mild concussion from striking my head on the roof of the car), no damage to the car.  I only asked for payment of the medical bills and the 2 days I took off work.  They payed, no questions asked.

I had an employer flat out tell me if she knew I had a bad knee, she would never have hired me.  Talk about an instant winner of an ADA lawsuit!  But I simply quit the job.  At another job, a manager assaulted me.  I simply walked away from tht job too (but the owner hired me back, with an increase in pay and a demotion for the manager).

I simply do not believe in sueing for little things.  I simply moved on with my life, figuring as long as things were made equal to how I started I was happy.  And if it was my son or daughter that fell in the manhole, I would cuff him or her in the back of the head, and tell them "watch where in the hell you are walking next time!"

Of course, then they would probably sue me for child abuse.  ;D

I'll Sue You!  by Weird Al

I sued Taco Bell
'Cause I ate half a million Chalupas
And I got fat!

I sued Panasonic
They never said I shouldn't use their microwave
To dry off my cat

Huh, I sued Earthlink
'Cause I called them up
N' they had the nerve to put me on hold

I sued Starbucks
'Cause I spilled a Frappucino in my lap
And brrr, it was cold!

I sued Toys'R'Us
'Cause I swallowed a Nerf ball
And nearly choked to death

Ugh, I sued PetCo
'Cause I ate a bag of kitty litter
And now I got bad breath!

I sued Coca-Cola, yo
'Cause I put my finger down in a bottle
And it got stuck!

I sued Delta Airlines
'Cause they sold me a ticket to New Jersey
I went there, and it sucked!

Yeah!!!

If you stand me up on a date
If you deliver my pizza 30 seconds late

I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah I might even sue you!

Ugh!!

I sued Duracell
They never told me not to shove that double-A
Right up my nose

I sued Home Depot
'Cause they sold me a hammer
Which they knew I might drop on my toes

I sued Dell Computers
'Cause I took a bath with my laptop
Now it doesn't work

I sued Fruit of the Loom
'Cause when I wear their tightie-whities on my head
I look like a jerk

I sued Verizon
'Cause I get all depressed
Any time my cell phone is roaming

I sued Colorado
'Cause you know, I think it looks a little bit too much
Like Wyoming

I sued Neiman Marcus
'Cause they put up their Christmas decorations
Way out of season

I sued Ben Affleck
...
Aw, do I even need a reason?

Ugh!

If I sprain my ankle
While I'm robbing your place

If I hurt my knuckles
When I punch you in the face

I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, that's right I'm gonna sue you

Ugh!
Ugh!
Ugh!

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
Ha-ha ha ha-haa
I'll sue ya!
What'chall think of that?

I'll sue ya!
Ha-ha ha ha-haa
Boo ya!
I'll sue ya!

Ugh!

Actually, I would not.  I have been injured many times over the years, and never thought "Hey, I can sue them and make bank!"

I had a dog attack me on my motorcycle, doing around $300 damage to the bike when I was knocked to the pavement.  I got the owner's name and address, and simply gave him the bill (which he gladly payed).

I had a 6 year old kid purposefully knock me down at work, causing further injury to my knee.  I did not sue the employee or the parents.  About 4 months later another kid grabbed my cane and ran off, also causing me to fall and reinjure my knee.    No lawsuit in either case.

I had a city bus run me off the freeway a few years later.  I sent a bill for x-rays and an ER visit (mild concussion from striking my head on the roof of the car), no damage to the car.  I only asked for payment of the medical bills and the 2 days I took off work.  They payed, no questions asked.

I had an employer flat out tell me if she knew I had a bad knee, she would never have hired me.  Talk about an instant winner of an ADA lawsuit!  But I simply quit the job.  At another job, a manager assaulted me.  I simply walked away from tht job too (but the owner hired me back, with an increase in pay and a demotion for the manager).

I simply do not believe in sueing for little things.  I simply moved on with my life, figuring as long as things were made equal to how I started I was happy.  And if it was my son or daughter that fell in the manhole, I would cuff him or her in the back of the head, and tell them "watch where in the hell you are walking next time!"

Of course, then they would probably sue me for child abuse.   ;D

I'll Sue You!  by Weird Al

I sued Taco Bell
'Cause I ate half a million Chalupas
And I got fat!

I sued Panasonic
They never said I shouldn't use their microwave
To dry off my cat

Huh, I sued Earthlink
'Cause I called them up
N' they had the nerve to put me on hold

I sued Starbucks
'Cause I spilled a Frappucino in my lap
And brrr, it was cold!

I sued Toys'R'Us
'Cause I swallowed a Nerf ball
And nearly choked to death

Ugh, I sued PetCo
'Cause I ate a bag of kitty litter
And now I got bad breath!

I sued Coca-Cola, yo
'Cause I put my finger down in a bottle
And it got stuck!

I sued Delta Airlines
'Cause they sold me a ticket to New Jersey
I went there, and it sucked!

Yeah!!!

If you stand me up on a date
If you deliver my pizza 30 seconds late

I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah I might even sue you!

Ugh!!

I sued Duracell
They never told me not to shove that double-A
Right up my nose

I sued Home Depot
'Cause they sold me a hammer
Which they knew I might drop on my toes

I sued Dell Computers
'Cause I took a bath with my laptop
Now it doesn't work

I sued Fruit of the Loom
'Cause when I wear their tightie-whities on my head
I look like a jerk

I sued Verizon
'Cause I get all depressed
Any time my cell phone is roaming

I sued Colorado
'Cause you know, I think it looks a little bit too much
Like Wyoming

I sued Neiman Marcus
'Cause they put up their Christmas decorations
Way out of season

I sued Ben Affleck
...
Aw, do I even need a reason?

Ugh!

If I sprain my ankle
While I'm robbing your place

If I hurt my knuckles
When I punch you in the face

I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, yeah that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna sue, sue
Yes, I'm gonna sue
Sue, sue, that's right I'm gonna sue you

Ugh!
Ugh!
Ugh!

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
I'll take all of your money
I'll sue ya!
If you even look at me funny

I'll sue ya!
Ha-ha ha ha-haa
I'll sue ya!
What'chall think of that?

I'll sue ya!
Ha-ha ha ha-haa
Boo ya!
I'll sue ya!

Ugh!


you continue to be a shining example for the rest of us to follow and emulate.

you continue to be a shining example for the rest of us to follow and emulate.


I simply choose to live by my own values.  Among them are a sense of self-responsibility.  I also simply don't see the need or reason to go running to the court for every little thing that goes wrong in my life.

I have personally been involved in 4 law suits in my life.  3 of them I filed, 1 was against me.

In the first, I sued a former friend for stealing personal property and failure to repay a $2,000 loan.

In the second, it was for the motorcycle accident that messed up my right knee.

In the third, it was against a business that refused to pay after doing $4,000 of networking services.  There was a second suit there, since they refused to pay even after I got a judgement.  I handled it all myself, and only collected the money due.

In the fourth, I sold my mobile home to an individual, with a move-in date a month later.  He moved in early, confiscated my property, then tried to sue me when I refused to give him the title until he returned it to me.  In court, the judge threw out his case, and ordered him to return my property plus $800 (equivelent of 1 month rent) for moving into the property earlier then agreed in the contract.

I have long felt that the great Bard had it right.

"The first thing we must do is kill all the lawyers," William Shakespeare's Henry VI

"Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer,- you gave me nothing for't.- Can you make no use of nothing, uncle?" The Fool in King Lear

"There's another: why may not that be the skull of a lawyer? Where be his quiddits now, his quillets, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel, and will not tell him of his action of battery? Hum! This fellow might be in's time a great buyer of land, with his statutes, his recognizances, his fines, his double vouchers, his recoveries: is this the fine of his fines, and the recovery of his recoveries, to have his fine pate full of fine dirt? will his vouchers vouch him no more of his purchases, and double ones too, than the length and breadth of a pair of indentures? The very conveyances of his lands will hardly lie in this box; and must the inheritor himself have no more, ha?"  Hamlet

Or maybe we should follow the example of Oliver Cromwell.  He made a law forbidding more then 3 lawyers from congregating when outside of a court room.

Actually, I would not.  I have been injured many times over the years, and never thought "Hey, I can sue them and make bank!"

I had a dog attack me on my motorcycle, doing around $300 damage to the bike when I was knocked to the pavement.  I got the owner's name and address, and simply gave him the bill (which he gladly payed).

I had a city bus run me off the freeway a few years later.  I sent a bill for x-rays and an ER visit (mild concussion from striking my head on the roof of the car), no damage to the car.  I only asked for payment of the medical bills and the 2 days I took off work.  They payed, no questions asked.


But in these cases, the other party was willing to compensate you for damages you incurred. What if they had refused to pay? Would you pursue taking legal action against them?

But in these cases, the other party was willing to compensate you for damages you incurred. What if they had refused to pay? Would you pursue taking legal action against them?


That is a different matter altogether.  But in a great many cases, a serious attempt to settle is never really made.  The first thing that goes from one to the other is a summons with a huge dollar amount.

I would and have persued legal action.  After my accident in 1990, I tried for 6 months to settle with the insurance company for my and my wife's injuries.  It was only when they refused to negotiate at all (they offered $500 for my full dress Goldwing, and $1,000 in additional damages) that I went and got a lawyer.  And this was not even a wobbler, they guy was under the influence, and turned right in front of me.

And what did I settle at for an accident that ruined my career?  Around $10,000.  It was enough to get another vehicle, and get myself set up for my future life as a civilian.  Sure, I could have taken them to court and won a lot more, but I was satisfied with the settlement.  And if they had just offered me that at the beginning, it would have saved them a lot in lawyer's fees and doctor bills.

^all bickering aside that sounds like a truly crappy experience. i'm sorry you had to go through that.

I could see suing Ben Affleck if you wanted to marry Jennifer Garner and he beat you to her, but still... ::)

What I wanna know is, if this girl fell in while texting, why didn't she just type HELP or SOS!?!?!?!?
Wouldn't that kind of made sense?

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

I could see suing Ben Affleck if you wanted to marry Jennifer Garner and he beat you to her, but still... ::)

What I wanna know is, if this girl fell in while texting, why didn't she just type HELP or SOS!?!?!?!?
Wouldn't that kind of made sense?

Your Pal,
Doc
8)


The workers who were 10 feet away saw her fall in and dug her out, to the best of my understanding.

And this was not even a wobbler, they guy was under the influence, and turned right in front of me.

Sounds in one respect rather like the only motorbike accident I've had.. except I wasn't on a Goldwing but a little 100cc Honda.  More by luck than judgment, I ended up sliding sideways into his front wing, and it crumpled nicely - the point of impact (my thigh) didn't even bruise, the bike didn't have a scratch and I probably wrote his car off.  Sometimes there's justice...

$500 for a Goldwing sounds a bit insulting to me... but I completely agree with your view of compensation levels.

One time Tucker Carlson said he would NEVER sue anyone for ANY reason.  

I guess it just went in one ear and out the other with all the other asinine stuff Tucker says, yet, I thought it was time somebody threw down the gauntlet!  Where is Larry Flynt when you need him?
8)


Actually, I would not.  I have been injured many times over the years, and never thought "Hey, I can sue them and make bank!"



I wasn't being facetious. 

I would never be facetious, shucks, you oughta know that by now!

Man, that's nothing, when I was 15 I jumped off the house roof!

God, people can't even be stupid the right way these days!  ;D

Man, that's nothing, when I was 15 I jumped off the house roof!

God, people can't even be stupid the right way these days!  ;D


And did you sue yourself for damages?

I always loved this story when I first heard about it in 1995. 

http://archive.deseretnews.com/archive/414175/INMATE-SUES-HIMSELF-FOR-5-MILLION.html

BTW, the judge threw out the lawsuit.  Thank goodness, imagine what kind of precident that would have set.

One time Tucker Carlson said he would NEVER sue anyone for ANY reason.  

I guess it just went in one ear and out the other with all the other asinine stuff Tucker says, yet, I thought it was time somebody threw down the gauntlet!  Where is Larry Flynt when you need him?
8)

I wasn't being facetious. 

I would never be facetious, shucks, you oughta know that by now!



Tucker shoulda sued his manager for allowing him to get on Dancing Wit Da Stars.

Tucker shoulda sued his manager for allowing him to get on Dancing Wit Da Stars.
im gonna sue tucker carlson for making me look at that bow tie.

And did you sue yourself for damages?



Lol ,no, all I got was a sprained ankle. I was lucky, and trust me, I never did anything like that again!

Oh i've seen it alright.  It's like they can't live without their cellphones.  Some even text while they are behind the wheel of a car.


I know I've seen that sheesh before lol! I was on I-95 going to NYC and this girl was in the fast lane and looking down and texting too! Un-fudgeing-belivable lol! 

I know I've seen that sheesh before lol! I was on I-95 going to NYC and this girl was in the fast lane and looking down and texting too! Un-fudging-belivable lol! 


Thanks for sharing that story. Nothing surprises me anymore. Congratulations on your first Karma. Cheers!

poor girl, but i couldn't help but laugh.  ;D