Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Elderly Driver Plows Into Pedestrians, Injuring 27 (Connecticut)
NBC30.com (WVIT) ^ | UPDATED: 12:09 am EDT July 9, 2006 | WVIT Channel 30

Posted on 07/08/2006 9:33:11 PM PDT by nutmeg

Driver: Gas Pedal Got Stuck

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- More than two dozen people were injured -- two of them seriously -- when a station wagon plowed through a crowd of people in New London during the annual Sailfest Saturday afternoon.

Twenty-seven people were injured and were taken to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, officials said.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. near the Amtrak station.

Officials said the driver -- identified as Robert Laine, 89, of Wallingford -- was heading across the train tracks toward to the Fishers Island ferry when the car struck a pedestrian and lurched forward into the crowd.

Laine was not injured. There was also a female passenger in the car. She was not injured either.

Laine told witnesses the gas pedal stuck. Police said it is too premature to pinpoint a cause. They said the investigation is continuing.

Hospital spokesman Kelly Anthony said most of those hurt susffered cuts and bruises and were treated and released. The two most seriously injured, whose names have not been released, were still being evaluated Saturday night.

The waterfront city was holding its annual Sailfest, which brings thousands of visitors to the downtown area. About 200,000 are expected for the fireworks show Saturday night over the Thames River.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: connecticut; ct; newlondon
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-87 next last
To: nutmeg
Families should take on the task of keeping those elderly off the road who are showing "the signs".

One of the hardest and saddest things I ever had to do was convince my Dad it was time to hang up his keys. It would have killed him if he had ever hurt/injured someone.

41 posted on 07/08/2006 11:27:54 PM PDT by daybreakcoming
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OmahaFields
http://www.wreckedexotics.com/

Lol. Boy, there's a web site for everything isn't there.

42 posted on 07/08/2006 11:32:24 PM PDT by Musket
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: nutmeg
Well, get to the point !

What religion was this guy ?


43 posted on 07/08/2006 11:43:27 PM PDT by RS ("I took the drugs because I liked them and I found excuses to take them, so I'm not weaseling.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Musket
Obviously a little ol' lady coming home from church.


44 posted on 07/08/2006 11:46:15 PM PDT by OmahaFields ("What have been its fruits? ... superstition, bigotry and persecution.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Musket
Here is the other half.


45 posted on 07/08/2006 11:48:57 PM PDT by OmahaFields ("What have been its fruits? ... superstition, bigotry and persecution.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: The South Texan; stephenjohnbanker

I don't agree with an age limit for driving. If you want to test people, that's fine, but if they pass it, let them drive. Just because someone is older doesn't automatically make them bad drivers. I have run into really dangerous young drivers. In my view, it simply depends upon the individual.


46 posted on 07/09/2006 12:27:11 AM PDT by KittyKares
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: nutmeg

47 posted on 07/09/2006 2:15:11 AM PDT by sully777 (wWBBD: What would Brian Boitano do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The South Texan

" . . . I don't think people over 85 should be driving on the roads nowadays."

They don't. They drive on sidewalks, apparently.

Seriously, I agree with those who recommend testing after a certain age, and in some cases, an 'as need' basis.


48 posted on 07/09/2006 2:28:11 AM PDT by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

"coot"

Easy, I'm sure you hope to be a . . well, a coot, someday.


49 posted on 07/09/2006 2:31:06 AM PDT by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: The South Texan

You won't get a slam from me, but my grandmother, who turns 79 this November, is still the safest driver I know, including myself. But as for soccer moms in SUV's yakking away on cell phones, I see it everytime I drive to work. Those are the ones that need to have some remedial drivers ed...


50 posted on 07/09/2006 2:39:07 AM PDT by ABG(anybody but Gore) ("By the time I'm finished with you, you're gonna wish you felt this good again" - Jack Bauer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker
I would peg it at 80. The odds of a fatal seisure alone at that age is very high.

Nevermind the fatal seizures, the reaction time of most humans slows down as they get older.

51 posted on 07/09/2006 2:42:39 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (There is no alternative to the GOP except varying degrees of insanity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Buddy B
Do they still make station wagons?

He's had his a while. Here he is at the beach last week.


52 posted on 07/09/2006 2:46:34 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: daybreakcoming; nutmeg
One of the hardest and saddest things I ever had to do was convince my Dad it was time to hang up his keys. It would have killed him if he had ever hurt/injured someone.

Hardest day of my life was having to tell my grandmother that it was unsafe for her to be behind the wheel of the car. She nearly collided with a 3/4 ton pickup truck on the open road, and ran into two people in town. Was reported by three individuals. Highway Patrolman came out and helped me explain to her what might've happend.

She simply refused. The patrolman ended up taking away her drivers license, and I've had to hide her keys.

53 posted on 07/09/2006 2:48:22 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (There is no alternative to the GOP except varying degrees of insanity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Merry
How about the majority of people in Congress who are responsible for running ruining our country?

There, I fixed it.

54 posted on 07/09/2006 2:48:45 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Going partly violently to the thing 24-7!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: BigSkyFreeper

"the reaction time of most humans slows down as they get older."

Maybe . . . , . . . but . . . in . . . my . . . case . . . I . . . don't . . . think . . . it's . . . noticeable.


55 posted on 07/09/2006 2:56:50 AM PDT by leadpenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Merry
"Does anyone think it's scary that you think people should be tested once they reach 60

I don't know if I would use the term "scary"...RIDICULOUS would be a better word.

Whomever suggested that is obviously one of the ME-generation types who thinks they'll live forever. I'm 60 and drive in traffic everyday - no accidents and no tickets in over 35 years.

Now, having said that, I do spend a considerable amount of time dodging "30-somethings" talking on cell phone, applying makeup and even reading the paper while driving.

I found a couple of driver/age statistic websites which show the ticket/accident ration in the 60-65 age group about the same as in the 20-30 year age groups.

A lot of the anointed ones on this thread are getting a big "hee haw" out of driving the "stuck gas pedal" joke into the ground; my point is that if I get hit because of a "stuck gas pedal", it would make more sense that getting hit because of an X-Gen'r yakking on a cell phone.

The younger generation out there now is probably the rudest and most aggressive generation that has ever gotten behind the wheel.

The saving grace about all of this is, the whipper-snapper who thinks 60ish folks should be tested will, himself, be 60 before s/he knows it...let's see how they feel about driver re-testing then.

It must have been a liberal lurker, only liberals think laws should only apply to other people, and not themselves. I hope they remember that then next time they tailgate and pass an elderly driver because the "old guy ain't driving fast enough".
56 posted on 07/09/2006 3:13:26 AM PDT by FrankR (Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Musket
I've heard that what these people do is drive using both feet

Seems like a plausible explanation, but I wonder why elderly people start doing this. On the other hand, in a number of these accidents, not only does the driver step on the accelerator, but they don't realize their mistake and take their foot off. I once witnessed an accident at an intersection. The woman at fault, who was not so elderly, did not take her foot off the accelerator even after her car was stopped by the car she hit. In fact she didn't stop spinning her wheels until a passerby opened her car door and told her to take her foot off the accelerator. Some people just freeze after the first thing goes wrong and this makes the accident worse. I think this accounts for some of the cases in which multiple people are mowed down.

57 posted on 07/09/2006 3:34:19 AM PDT by wideminded
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: TaMoDee
Don't agree on an age limit. An "Ability-to-Drive" test is more appropiate. I have a neighbor who is 80. She took me to PU my car that was being serviced. I had no problem with her driving. You too will age. Remember what you posted here.

Well, we do test people when they start driving. Last year I was seriously lynched for mentioning something I saw at a Registry of Motor Vehicles office, but it does serve to illustrate a problem:

I was standing in line to renew my license. A few people ahead of me, a very old man, who was accompanied by someone I assumed to be a son, would just STOP in line and go into some kind of fugue. The son would then give him a gentle shove to wake him up, or "Jump Start" him, or whatever. This went on as the line slowly snaked its way to the rudimentary eye test, etc.

He passed and left with a license.

Now before the screaming starts at me daring to mention this event, I am over sixty, and anyone can test me anytime they want.

Somewhere in the Northeast, this guy is driving. Diminished capacity is diminished capacity, whether it is drugs, booze, DVD players,or whatever.

When I posted this story last year I was amazed at the panicky, hostile tantrums. So this time I will add the disclamer, "OK, keep driving, and since you do not care about anyone else, then think about having your estate cleaned out, instead".

58 posted on 07/09/2006 4:10:19 AM PDT by Gorzaloon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Gorzaloon; All

For the past 2 years I have driven my daughter to the local high school, and I have seen some of the most stupid examples of driving by these crazy teens with new licences. Things like reckless passing, 45-50 mph in a 25 school zone, etc.(where are the cops)
I barely missed one accident per day in the schools PARKING LOT!
Of course, the drug deals were in full view across the street from the front entrance of the school every afternoon, and the cops just observed that too.
No wonder my daughter doesnt want to drive!
I will deal with the older drivers any day over that bs.


59 posted on 07/09/2006 4:49:49 AM PDT by carmenbmw (My cats name is Mean. He earned it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
"If nothing else, drivers should be re-tested on a regular basis once they reach the age of 60."

Why 60 when elderly is 65 & over?

Besides...provide a story where someone in their 60's plowed into a crowd

60 posted on 07/09/2006 6:10:43 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-87 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson