Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Five dead in Buncrana accident

1234689

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,654 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    I'm glad it's not just me.

    I noticed it a few years ago (and sorry, this is not meant to be a flippant comparison in any way) when they started insisting on interviewing the loser in, say, the Wimbledon final about 30 seconds after the last point had been played. Forcing him/her to give a somehow coherent interview when I'm quite sure all they want to do is curl up in a ball and recover. Is it really necessary, what does it bring to the table by forcing such an interview??? It's just completely gratuitous.

    That's sport, and relatively trivial in the greater scheme of things.

    But yesterday's news coverage of this tragedy brings it to a whole new level. I'm a great fan of "if you don't like it, switch the channel" but in this case I still know it's happening.

    I find it utterly, utterly depressing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Apparently the media think we need this wall to wall coverage. Why that is, I don't have a clue.

    To try and lighten things up, telling us the news standing up is now the norm.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,609 ✭✭✭irishgirl19


    I can't stop thinking about it. Read this morning how Davitt said the little baby was looking at him as he swam. Its all so sad. Puts things into perspective.
    Its just heartbreaking


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 828 ✭✭✭wokingvoter


    K-9 wrote: »
    Apparently the media think we need this wall to wall coverage. Why that is, I don't have a clue.

    To try and lighten things up, telling us the news standing up is now the norm.

    I'm afraid a large section of news viewers and newspaper buyers demand this level of coverage. The news outlets are only giving the people what they want
    It's misery porn
    They can't get enough of it. No detail too small to report to add to the sensationalism


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,211 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    I'm afraid a large section of news viewers and newspaper buyers demand this level of coverage. The news outlets are only giving the people what they want
    It's misery porn
    They can't get enough of it. No detail too small to report to add to the sensationalism

    But do the viewers demand it, really?
    How can we tell?

    Who says the viewers are demanding it to be covered in so much depth? You can't quantify that in any way. If Sharon had been in the studio telling us the story last night, do you think we would have had calls on social media for her to be up in Buncrana? I think not.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,409 ✭✭✭✭gimli2112


    LynnGrace wrote: »
    Watching the news this evening I thought that two people, in particular, displayed huge courage and dignity. One was the brother of the man who died, and he spoke, onscreen, to the man who saved the baby's life, saying that he didn't know his name, but wanted to thank him for what he did.



    Thought the exact same thing myself when I saw it on the news yesterday.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,228 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    TallGlass wrote: »
    I do hope that something is done that this type of incident never happens again not only at this location but any location that could have this issue.

    I just hope these people didn't die in vein and a real solution is too come along with maybe education for others on what is the best thing to do in these situations? Should at first signs of trouble just abandon the car/jeep or stay with it. If I was in the same situation I wouldn't have any idea, any would be going off what I seen on busters.

    Or even some type of equipment for people who use there cars near the sea that if they get into a difficult situation, they can activate something that makes the cars inflatable, maybe something similar to a rib that once pressed makes the car/jeep ready for water by filling up bags like a rib around the vehicle. I don't know, but I feel so sorry for the family that I would never like to hear something similar again.

    Or a bit of common sense and thought. Don't drive down a boat slipway. Dosent matter if you have 4wd or not, dosent matter if you have an Audi or a Micra, if there is no grip, there is no grip. Why do you think tractors are used to pull boats in and out of the water?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,654 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Well I've just sent in a (furious, slightly incoherent, ranting) complaint to RTE about their coverage.

    complaints@rte.ie, if anyone else is interested in doing the same.

    I'm quite sure they haven't breached any guidelines or rules (they have plenty lawyers to advise them on that) but I'm happy to have expressed my utter disgust at the manner of coverage, and hope that someone somewhere takes note.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,951 ✭✭✭B0jangles


    ^^^

    I thought the interview on the 6.01 news last night with Davitt Walsh was particularly disgusting; the poor man was obviously barely able to keep himself together but the interviewer thought it was appropriate to ask him how he felt about not being able to save everyone.

    Utterly utterly disgusting.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    I'm afraid a large section of news viewers and newspaper buyers demand this level of coverage. The news outlets are only giving the people what they want
    It's misery porn
    They can't get enough of it. No detail too small to report to add to the sensationalism

    I think you've a point to a certain extent.

    I'd say it is more the CNN/Sky News media generation leaving the likes of RTE/BBC feeling like they have to copy it.

    Are people demanding RTR be in Buncrana or Sky pitch out in Spain for 2 weeks covering Maddy McCann?

    I'd say it is some knob in creative thinking this is ground breaking, while most of us think, what's the point of this?

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Midnight Sundance


    B0jangles wrote: »
    ^^^

    I thought the interview on the 6.01 news last night with Davitt Walsh was particularly disgusting; the poor man was obviously barely able to keep himself together but the interviewer thought it was appropriate to ask him how he felt about not being able to save everyone.

    Utterly utterly disgusting.

    I thought the same. And no doubt, I'm sure the families of all involved are suffering enough without hearing a blow by blow account of how their loved ones were screaming for help or the little baby looked at him when he was making his way to shore.
    I can't get these poor people out of my head but I don't think it's my business to hear about their last few minutes on this earth.
    God love all those connected to this. Such tragedy .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    TallGlass wrote: »
    Thinking about it more, an even simpler solution would be say to install some type of locking device. Maybe a small wall or a raised ramp even having to attach your car to a wire and once it goes over a certain distance it automatically locks stopping it going to far down the ramp.
    Simplest solution of all don't park on boat slip ways.


  • Posts: 15,661 [Deleted User]


    RTé/Irish media seem to have checklist when covering tragedies like this. Priority is given to finding a priest and politician who don't even know the people who die to go on camera and talk about how awful it is and what lovely people they were. If they want to help they should go and be with the families and help them in their grief.

    Interviewing family and the man who saved the baby was particularly disgusting last night :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,654 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    RTé/Irish media seem to have checklist when covering tragedies like this. Priority is given to finding a priest and politician who don't even know the people who die to go on camera and talk about how awful it is and what lovely people they were. If they want to help they should go and be with the families and help them in their grief.

    Interviewing family and the man who saved the baby was particularly disgusting last night :mad:
    While I wouldn't be a fan of the politicians/priests, at least they're not directly involved - so if the media have to fill the airwaves/columns with something well then that's not quite so bad.

    I wish people would express their anger (and I sense a lot of it simmering) directly to RTE or other media exploiting this and other tragedies - I'm not sure it would change much, but it might give someone pause for thought.

    ETA - I don't mean to bash RTE in particular - that just happens to be the station where I've got most of my news for the last two days. I won't even bring myself to look at/click on any Indo reporting - if RTE are as bad as they are, I can only imagine what the Indo are up to.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 828 ✭✭✭wokingvoter


    NIMAN wrote: »
    But do the viewers demand it, really?
    How can we tell?

    Who says the viewers are demanding it to be covered in so much depth? You can't quantify that in any way. If Sharon had been in the studio telling us the story last night, do you think we would have had calls on social media for her to be up in Buncrana? I think not.

    On the other hand, if there were enough complaints to RTE and a general hue and cry about the exploitation of witnesses and other extended family members, and the completely over the top treatment of these "human interest" stories, then RTE would have to review their "approach"
    There must be no actual complaints, or not enough, to warrant a change of attitude
    By default then you can say that THIS is what the people
    Likewise, I haven't seen the Indo but I'm sure it's cover to cover, and every possible angle covered
    If Indo readers didn't like it they only have to stop buying it
    But they don't


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,654 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    On the other hand, if there were enough complaints to RTE and a general hue and cry about the exploitation of witnesses and other extended family members, and the completely over the top treatment of these "human interest" stories, then RTE would have to review their "approach"
    There must be no actual complaints, or not enough, to warrant a change of attitude
    By default then you can say that THIS is what the people
    Likewise, I haven't seen the Indo but I'm sure it's cover to cover, and every possible angle covered
    If Indo readers didn't like it they only have to stop buying it
    But they don't

    This.

    Five minutes (if even that) to send an email, that's all it takes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,211 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    I just think its incorrect for people to say that media now report in a certain way because thats what the people want.

    This has never been measured.

    We get what the media give us, and they in turn tell us that they are covering it this way cos its what their viewers want.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    RTé/Irish media seem to have checklist when covering tragedies like this. Priority is given to finding a priest and politician who don't even know the people who die to go on camera and talk about how awful it is and what lovely people they were. If they want to help they should go and be with the families and help them in their grief.

    Interviewing family and the man who saved the baby was particularly disgusting last night :mad:

    Just thinking probably a lot of that comes back to the troubles. Such a small country, statelet or community affected by so many deaths, interviewing the local priest/minister and then the councillor becomes the norm.

    The extension is the the TD/councillor at the funeral so of course they'll be at a tragedy.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 828 ✭✭✭wokingvoter


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I just think its incorrect for people to say that media now report in a certain way because thats what the people want.

    This has never been measured.

    We get what the media give us, and they in turn tell us that they are covering it this way cos its what their viewers want.

    But is is measured, to a certain extent
    In the case of the state broadcaster for example, the licence fee payer (the viewer) has the power to control, to a certain extent, what we will accept from programs
    A lot of people sat down to watch the two main evening news programs yesterday
    How many felt strongly enough to complain?
    Not enough, I'll gauruntee. If viewers went as far as to complain to their TD etc then RTE could be wrapped on the knuckles by the Minister
    But while people don't seem unhappy then you can presume that they are satisfied with the service RTE provide


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Can I ask what you mean by this? I've generally only heard 'strong/experienced swimmer' in relation to tragedies like this and it seems to be a bit of a media phrase. I assume it's not all down to strength and maybe more so ability to deal with the water as whole. Different story at sea, mind you.
    As someone else has mentioned, being confident in the water and being a strong swimmer are two entirely different things. Having learned to swim early I would have always considered myself an able swimmer who could get myself out of any trouble. Then a couple of years back I decided to swim regularly, with a view to maybe doing a triathlon. First off I had a couple of weeks realising that my technique was all over the place. I could swim alright, but not at any great pace.

    Then once I started being able to do full lengths of a 25m pool, the effort required to do multiple lengths became very apparent. 200m is not a long distance. If you found yourself this far out at sea and fighting against a tide, anyone who in fact doesn't do much swimming will likely completely exhaust themselves trying to get back in, regardless of how confident they are in the water or fit and able bodied they are.

    Then throw in the challenge of being fully clothed and/or attempting to rescue someone else. It is even simple things like that. If this man hadn't taken ten seconds to remove his clothes or had spent five more seconds trying to rescue one of the other kids, we'd be talking about seven drowned people today rather than five. It's probably scant consolation for him, but he did absolutely everything he could, he gave his all.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Liamario


    seamus wrote: »
    As someone else has mentioned, being confident in the water and being a strong swimmer are two entirely different things. Having learned to swim early I would have always considered myself an able swimmer who could get myself out of any trouble. Then a couple of years back I decided to swim regularly, with a view to maybe doing a triathlon. First off I had a couple of weeks realising that my technique was all over the place. I could swim alright, but not at any great pace.

    Then once I started being able to do full lengths of a 25m pool, the effort required to do multiple lengths became very apparent. 200m is not a long distance. If you found yourself this far out at sea and fighting against a tide, anyone who in fact doesn't do much swimming will likely completely exhaust themselves trying to get back in, regardless of how confident they are in the water or fit and able bodied they are.

    Then throw in the challenge of being fully clothed and/or attempting to rescue someone else. It is even simple things like that. If this man hadn't taken ten seconds to remove his clothes or had spent five more seconds trying to rescue one of the other kids, we'd be talking about seven drowned people today rather than five. It's probably scant consolation for him, but he did absolutely everything he could, he gave his all.

    I fear that man will be running the events over and over. Not only the horror of it all, but also questioning himself and whether he could have done more. It's just absolutely horrific.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    HeidiHeidi wrote: »
    Well I've just sent in a (furious, slightly incoherent, ranting) complaint to RTE about their coverage.

    complaints@rte.ie, if anyone else is interested in doing the same.

    I'm quite sure they haven't breached any guidelines or rules (they have plenty lawyers to advise them on that) but I'm happy to have expressed my utter disgust at the manner of coverage, and hope that someone somewhere takes note.

    Fr anyone who's annoyed with the RTE (or other broadcasters') coverage, there is a procedure for making complaints against a broadcaster. The BAI is the broadcasting authority, and they lay down codes of conduct for RTE and the other TV and radio stations. One of the points in the code of conduct is that they should adequately respect an individual's privacy.

    If you feel they have breached the code of conduct, you should make a complaint. The first step is to complain to the broadcaster directly (as you've mentioned above). If you aren't satisfied with their response, you can then take it to the next level - make a complaint directly to the BAI. They will then conduct a complaints procedure (that involves a number of steps, and may eventually result in a reprimand, apology and fine for the broadcaster). BAI complaints are taken seriously.

    You can get full details of the complaints procedure on the BAI website.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,654 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Liamario wrote: »
    I fear that man will be running the events over and over. Not only the horror of it all, but also questioning himself and whether he could have done more. It's just absolutely horrific.

    Well RTE (and God knows what other media outlets) questioning him up and down and sideways about it, and how he feels about not having been able to save more, certainly won't help him :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    B0jangles wrote: »
    ^^^

    I thought the interview on the 6.01 news last night with Davitt Walsh was particularly disgusting; the poor man was obviously barely able to keep himself together but the interviewer thought it was appropriate to ask him how he felt about not being able to save everyone.

    Utterly utterly disgusting.

    That question was out of order but I don't have a problem with him being interviewed. When you experience a trauma part of the process of accepting it is talking about it. Now I know there are other places to talk about it besides national tv but he'd had counselling that day so I'd imagine a part of that counselling involved discussing media attention. It might have been important for him to tell his story in his own words, get it over with so he can now focus on recovering. Poor guy, I'm haunted by his experience just hearing it second hand. It must have been dreadful for him.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Part of counselling is time to think about advice, whether it is right for the individual.

    It's just too quick. Maybe 24 hours later when you've had a chance to sleep on it.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 21,670 Mod ✭✭✭✭helimachoptor


    B0jangles wrote: »
    ^^^

    I thought the interview on the 6.01 news last night with Davitt Walsh was particularly disgusting; the poor man was obviously barely able to keep himself together but the interviewer thought it was appropriate to ask him how he felt about not being able to save everyone.

    Utterly utterly disgusting.

    agree, i mean the guy has watched 2 very young kids, a teenager, and 2 adults die with the dad making a decision to go back to a car that was sinking to try and get them out when there was a very high chance he would die himself.

    The guy has the sheer joy of saving a baby while the horrendous feeling of "could i have done more, could i have saved the two kids" along with a possible chance to try and save the dad


    I dont see why RTE sent a whole set up to Donegal, very american tbh but a sign of the times.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 600 ✭✭✭Ice Maiden


    B0jangles wrote: »
    ^^^

    I thought the interview on the 6.01 news last night with Davitt Walsh was particularly disgusting; the poor man was obviously barely able to keep himself together but the interviewer thought it was appropriate to ask him how he felt about not being able to save everyone.

    Utterly utterly disgusting.
    Media utterly milking it. It is an horrific tragedy - we all know that, there is nothing more to say to the people grieving. The running it into the ground is just tacksville.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,124 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    K-9 wrote: »
    Part of counselling is time to think about advice, whether it is right for the individual.

    It's just too quick. Maybe 24 hours later when you've had a chance to sleep on it.

    I think you have to process things yourself for a period before beginning counselling. It won't do him any benefit just now.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Gael23 wrote: »
    I think you have to process things yourself for a period before beginning counselling. It won't do him any benefit just now.

    Indeed, I'd be amazed if a counsellor told him to deal with it by going on the 6 O'clock news!

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Registered Users Posts: 561 ✭✭✭HiGlo


    K-9 wrote: »
    Apparently the media think we need this wall to wall coverage. Why that is, I don't have a clue.

    To try and lighten things up, telling us the news standing up is now the norm.

    I believe people have become information addicts. There is constant access to ever changing news and people are hungry for it….
    With the accessibility to news now due to the internet and how quickly things move/change, online newspapers or news sites are being regularly updated and also regularly checked…. There’s also soooo many sites now.
    I know I, for one, am guilty of checking thejournal.ie or breakingnews.ie or dailymail.co.uk (or whatever) repeatedly throughout the day to see what’s going on in the world.
    Gone are the days of printed morning papers and your 6pm & 9pm news bulletins… People could look for new news or information every 2 mins if they wanted….

    I think for news outlets, this insatiable thirst for information/news has led them to push further and probe more. They equate people checking back frequently for more news to be that people want more detail, more graphic.

    I’ve thought for quite a while now that news reports (or maybe just certain news outlets reports) have gotten way too graphic and overly detailed. It’s like the human side of stories has gone and it’s just a movie plot or something. I particularly felt this with that plane the pilot crashed into the Swiss Alps. The photos the Daily Mail published were just waaaaaay too much. Bad enough printing up close images of the crash site but there was photo published of one of the bodies being autopsied….! There are things that people don’t need to see unless their living the experience.
    Same even today with the bomb in Brussels, they’ve printed photos of bodies in the airport and in the metro too. This is completely unnecessary to show in my opinion.

    It’s too much and too far. Leave these poor people to grieve. Get out of their faces. I certainly got the impression initially that the guy who dived into the water didn’t want to be named but I would suspect he got hounded by media constantly.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Ah I'm a news addict as well, my rss/news reader is the most used app on my phone, news, sport etc. But that doesn't mean I want up close interviews or every last detail in tragedies like this.

    I was guilty of that a bit when I started reading news online and twitter but it wore off.

    I don't know, I think it is more the media thinking they have to provide minute by minute updates or trying to compete with Twitter and Facebook, when really they should let them do what they do best and leave quality news reporting for traditional media.

    So you've papers conpeting with Twitter and new media and RTE taking ideas from Sky.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,341 ✭✭✭SAMTALK


    The most horrific accident to happen.
    God love all involved from the families to the people who witnessed this accident, to the emergency crew and to the man who saved the baby.

    The media should be ashamed of their treatment of all involved.
    Have a bit of dignity and leave this people to deal with all this in their own way and their own time.

    We do not need all the gory details.:mad:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,634 ✭✭✭ThinkProgress


    This kind of behavior from the media would drive ya off the deep end... it really would. Disgraceful coverage!

    The young man who saved that little baby - he should be proud of himself. Not depressed... People die everyday. That's life.

    He tried his best. Okay perhaps a different person might have saved more of them... but that different person wasn't there. So the family got him. At least he saved one of them!

    I'm sure somewhere else in the world, as I type this, there will be some other people drowning in a lake or the sea etc... and they might not have anyone even trying to help them. They will have zero hope of rescue! They will be dying right now knowing that there is zero hope for them!

    They're probably already dead now before I've finished typing this up this post!

    At least that family had hope. They had hope because of that man.... He gave them some hope for a short period. He should remember that and be proud of himself. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭refusetolose


    This kind of behavior from the media would drive ya off the deep end... it really would. Disgraceful coverage!

    The young man who saved that little baby - he should be proud of himself. Not depressed... People die everyday. That's life.

    He tried his best. Okay perhaps a different person might have saved more of them... but that different person wasn't there. So the family got him. At least he saved one of them!

    I'm sure somewhere else in the world, as I type this, there will be some other people drowning in a lake or the sea etc... and they might not have anyone even trying to help them. They will have zero hope of rescue! They will be dying right now knowing that there is zero hope for them!

    They're probably already dead now before I've finished typing this up this post!

    At least that family had hope. They had hope because of that man.... He gave them some hope for a short period. He should remember that and be proud of himself. :)

    unfortunate choice of words there don't ya think?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,445 ✭✭✭embraer170


    I've read a good bit of coverage on this tragic incident and I'm wondering one thing: if one is in a car slipping down a pier, what should one do? Then if the car hits the water and one is still inside, again what should one do?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,432 ✭✭✭fergiesfolly


    Whatever about the media's treatment of the tragedy, Davitt Walsh has spoken to a few news outlets and nobody is forcing him to. He may find it cathartic to go over it. I certainly hope so.
    It was an act of incredible bravery and not only did he do all he could, but he did as much as anyone could. The effort involved in reaching the car and returning with that baby would've been beyond most people. Whatever guilt he may be feeling will hopefully be assuaged by the huge public support he's receiving and the gratitude of the baby's mother.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭FalconGirl


    embraer170 wrote: »
    I've read a good bit of coverage on this tragic incident and I'm wondering one thing: if one is in a car slipping down a pier, what should one do? Then if the car hits the water and one is still inside, again what should one do?

    I never thought about it until this incident but I'm inclined to think get out as fast as possible and while the doors/windows can still open. Really important skill to be able to swim aswell.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭Noo


    embraer170 wrote: »
    I've read a good bit of coverage on this tragic incident and I'm wondering one thing: if one is in a car slipping down a pier, what should one do? Then if the car hits the water and one is still inside, again what should one do?


    First dont panic, million times easier said then done obviously, try opening door or window or break window as soon as possible to get out before the water pressure makes opening them impossible. If that can't be done then you go against all your instincts and calmly hold your breath and wait for the car to fill with water, once the pressure equalises then you can simply open the door and swim to the surface. But try putting all that into practice with a car full of kids though :(


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,552 ✭✭✭bigpink


    Did the car go off a pier or drove down a slipway?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭refusetolose


    bigpink wrote: »
    Did the car go off a pier or drove down a slipway?

    down a slipway


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,401 ✭✭✭topmanamillion


    Noo wrote: »
    First dont panic, million times easier said then done obviously, try opening door or window or break window as soon as possible to get out before the water pressure makes opening them impossible. If that can't be done then you go against all your instincts and calmly hold your breath and wait for the car to fill with water, once the pressure equalises then you can simply open the door and swim to the surface. But try putting all that into practice with a car full of kids though :(

    Read recently that the protocol for a car going into water has changed. The accepted wisdom used to be to wait for the pressure to equalize as you said. Now it's try as hard as you can to get out for as long as you can.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,552 ✭✭✭bigpink


    What was the driver thinking going that close so sad


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,850 ✭✭✭Cianos


    embraer170 wrote: »
    I've read a good bit of coverage on this tragic incident and I'm wondering one thing: if one is in a car slipping down a pier, what should one do? Then if the car hits the water and one is still inside, again what should one do?

    The first priority is undo your seatbelt and open the windows. Disregard the doors because you won't be able to open them.

    The instinct is to preserve the air inside the car by keeping the windows closed and keep yourself safe inside the air bubble, but the water is going to get in and you need to get out.

    You need to open the windows while the electrics are still operational. If you can't lower the windows you need to break them. Use anything hard - a phone, or the prongs of a head rest, or position yourself to get good leverage for kicking them.

    Don't sit and wait to be rescued, there just isn't enough time. You need to get out of the car asap.

    There's a Canadian researcher who has done the most research on this area of car safety and can be found via Google (can't recall his name).

    Source: Interview with a spokesperson for the AA on Newstalk yesterday morning


  • Registered Users Posts: 596 ✭✭✭crusier


    stimpson wrote:
    It will always be the Abbey Mall to me

    Noo wrote:
    First dont panic, million times easier said then done obviously, try opening door or window or break window as soon as possible to get out before the water pressure makes opening them impossible. If that can't be done then you go against all your instincts and calmly hold your breath and wait for the car to fill with water, once the pressure equalises then you can simply open the door and swim to the surface. But try putting all that into practice with a car full of kids though

    The waiting for the water to fill and equalisation does not work, I don't know how to add the link but if you look at you tube there are videos on what to do and not to do.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,175 ✭✭✭screamer


    Im no scientist or anything but my first thought would be get out feeling a 4 x 4 slipping would be enough to let me know that. I definately don't subscribe to the equal pressure theory, bust the windows and get out.

    Having said that that pier could have been like ice and it could just have happened so quickly that there was no time to think. Poor family its so tragic.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,211 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Whatever about the media's treatment of the tragedy, Davitt Walsh has spoken to a few news outlets and nobody is forcing him to. He may find it cathartic to go over it. I certainly hope so.
    It was an act of incredible bravery and not only did he do all he could, but he did as much as anyone could. The effort involved in reaching the car and returning with that baby would've been beyond most people. Whatever guilt he may be feeling will hopefully be assuaged by the huge public support he's receiving and the gratitude of the baby's mother.

    I think originally he had asked all media to withhold his name as he didn't want to talk about it or give interviews, however the other man on the scene accidently revealed his name in an interview so he had to change his mind.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,420 ✭✭✭Lollipops23


    bigpink wrote: »
    What was the driver thinking going that close so sad

    I think he was trying to turn the car and it got caught in the algae and slid down into the water. It's like hitting black ice- you lose control entirely.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,211 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Don't think he was turning, although there are a lot of conflicting stories.

    I think he had driven down the slipway to near the water, then when he tried to reverse up he couldn't get any grip and the car started to slide forwards into the water.

    In hindsight of course we can say it seemed a silly thing to do, but I am sure he didn't think there would be any problem reversing back, plus it was a large SUV probably with 4x4 so thought its was fine.

    As for people saying, "why didn't they get out straight away", again this is a question no-one can answer as we don't know the exact timescale and chain of events, or what they were thinking. Perhaps the car slipped a little bit and stopped? If so, perhaps we would also think that it wasn't going any further? Many of us might not want to adandon their car if they thought it had stopped moving? Perhaps they felt safer in the car than getting out and into several feet of water? No-one will know I suppose what was going through their heads, or how long they actually had to make a decision. Sometimes its very hard for eye witnesses to accurately estimate the time scale of things like this. When the pensioner said it was several minutes, perhaps it seemed like several minutes and was actually 1 min? Who knows?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,175 ✭✭✭screamer


    That poor guy who rescued the baby seemed like a broken man when he was speaking. I hope he is OK he is a hero for saving the baby. he did all that was humanly possible but he just seemed so heartbroken he couldn't do more. I hope he knows saving that baby was a miracle.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 7,056 ✭✭✭darced


    This post has been deleted.


This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement