Comments on: Engineer Sent A Text Just Before LA Crash

Commuter Train Operator Sent Text Message 22 Seconds Before Train Collision; Cell Phones Now Banned

[flreason]

How sad that the apparent distraction of one person could cause so much pain and suffering for the families of the injured and dead. I''m sure that the family of the engineer will carry the burden of his actions for the rest of their lives, as well.

It''s good that texting will be banned by train operators, but I wonder how enforceable the ban is. At least for a time, the consequences of this one incident will undoubtedly be a deterrent to on-the-job texting by others whose jobs may be boring, but who hold the lives of others in their hands.

[upto1947]

All any failsafe technology would do is cost RR more.

CBS deleted my post. How Socialist is that? They do that alot. Anything they don''t really like or agree with. That is the CBS is. CBS is as DUMB as it gets. I am on here just to see how dumb people are.

[credibility2]

Although technology exists that could''ve stopped the train, this would merely override the moral and ethical obligation an individual has to do the job for which they were hired and refrain from doing anything that distracts them from that responsibility. Perhaps individuals in jobs like this should be frisked and patted down to make sure they aren''t carrying cell phone, blackberry or any other type of device that is a temptation for the spineless, selfish and immoral. Of course, there will be those who think that what this moron did was within his rights.

[jamesetling4]

25 dead from one self indulgent moron playing with himself.

[cbsblogger]

Why was not failsafe technology in place that would have shut down the train when it went through that signal? The question about texting is pertinent but the real problem is why there weren''t secondary controls that would recognize this failure. What if the engineer had a heart attack or seizure?

There used to be "firemen" in the engines just as there are co-pilots on airplanes but the railroads cut costs. These firemen served as backup eyes and ears. They should have been required to have failsafe technology when they eliminated human backup.

[jmpnghosafat]

These idiots don''t even deserve enough tears to dampen a tiny corner of a kleenex. They deserve exactly what they get just for putting others in danger in order to feed their "I''m so important" egos. That THEY die because they are imbeciles doesn''t bother me. What bothers me are the VICTIMS who are unfortunate to be in their vicinity or trusting them to get them from point A to point B safely. Screw the engineer. My prayers are for the innocent passengers.

[rational_1]

I''''m actually surprised this doesn''''t happen more often. I''''ve nearly been smashed three times by texting drivers.
Posted by sylvie2344 at 05:55 PM : Oct 01, 2008

Maybe it''s too bad that Hummers are going the way of the dodo. I''d love to see the panicked look on a distracted texter''s face a second before I plowed into him driving a big-a$$ Hummer. There are a lot of seriously brain dead drivers out there. A couple of months ago I saw this idiot woman driver yakking away on her cell phone take out a deer at 60 mph. I was two cars back and could clearly see the deer approaching the road and yet she never even hit her brakes.

[txgrouch2006]

I would like to find out who his parents are so I can tell them what a *** I N G moron they raised.
Posted by jeff607 at 07:27 PM : Oct 01, 2008

Why not conference in the families of a few of the victims who were killed.

How much you wanna bet, the parents will just say "Shut up" and hang up on you.

The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree.

[grizzster]

Railfan: Hey, man lk out 4 that frate!
Sanchez: *** u talkin about? Wht fr( C R U N C H )

Cellphones, cellphone cameras, and text messaging are a scourage upon mankind. Yes, they have really, really, really improved our civilization.

(If you believe that, I have a bridge you might like, for sale, cheap...such a deal!)

Grizzster

[nothappyatall]

Text messaging,emailing, anything while driving should be against the law.

This is getting insane!
Posted by StopSocialis

A LAW wont do a *** thing, because he was ALONE in his cab, what needs to happen is when the employee clocks in for work and has a personal cell phone with him- the supervisor takes the employees CELL PHONE away until after the shift is over.

The moron was texting 20+ times on company time instead of DRIVING the train, time to take the phone toys away while on the clock.