Nearly killed by electric cart
Feb 28, 2007, 12:05 pm
#1
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Nearly killed by electric cart
I'm sitting here at the Prez club at IAH after a harrowing near miss. Not by an aircraft, not by a wayward car on the highway on the way to the airport, but by some bumbling electric cart driver that clipped my shoulder bag while zooming by at break-neck speed full of elderly or otherwise impaired passengers. Another few inches and it would have been curtains for Falcon20. 
All this brought up a thought. SHould I have stepped in the way of the cart to sacrifice my body for a multi-milllion dollar settlement? Probably not, although I am still tempted. Who operates these carts anyway? CO? The City? A sub-contractor? I just get dizzy thinking of the liability issues.
Anybody have any answers because if the carts are run by some struggling, local company barely able to make payroll, I'm giving a wide berth next time I hear "Excuse the cart, please!" However, if it's a huge, deep-pocketed, global corporation, you can find me on the evening news sprawled out on the concourse screaming in agony. At least until the cameras stop rolling.
All this brought up a thought. SHould I have stepped in the way of the cart to sacrifice my body for a multi-milllion dollar settlement? Probably not, although I am still tempted. Who operates these carts anyway? CO? The City? A sub-contractor? I just get dizzy thinking of the liability issues.
Anybody have any answers because if the carts are run by some struggling, local company barely able to make payroll, I'm giving a wide berth next time I hear "Excuse the cart, please!" However, if it's a huge, deep-pocketed, global corporation, you can find me on the evening news sprawled out on the concourse screaming in agony. At least until the cameras stop rolling.
Feb 28, 2007, 12:24 pm
#2
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Maybe you need to take a lesson from soccer. If it had been a soccer player who's shoulder bag had been clipped, I'm sure they could have made it look like their spleen had been ruptured. 
You might be able to try claiming emotional distress/trauma
You might be able to try claiming emotional distress/trauma
Feb 28, 2007, 12:26 pm
#3
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Aren't they operated by the airports with the drivers being paid a few bucks an hour because they rely on tips?
Feb 28, 2007, 12:29 pm
#4
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I think so -- and the tips mean that they'll pick up anyone who looks like he's got $ to give.
Feb 28, 2007, 12:34 pm
#5
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Did you report the incident to Houston Airport Police and insist they write a report and cite the driver? (No, I'm not kidding). If you were hit (thank heavens you weren't), the Houston Airports Authority would have been liable to you for sure - considering the same driver probably placed more customers than you at risk, he needs to be found and dealt with. What if he ran over a slower moving customer?
Not to mention that IAH T-C/D/E is pretty much CO territory, so passengers seeing this fool race around terminal might associate him with Continental or Continental employees. If I was CO management, I would be pushing to get that driver booted out of my terminal space - he wouldn't be doing anything to improve my airline's appearance racing around like that.
Not to mention that IAH T-C/D/E is pretty much CO territory, so passengers seeing this fool race around terminal might associate him with Continental or Continental employees. If I was CO management, I would be pushing to get that driver booted out of my terminal space - he wouldn't be doing anything to improve my airline's appearance racing around like that.
Feb 28, 2007, 1:05 pm
#6
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Feb 28, 2007, 1:24 pm
#7
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Feb 28, 2007, 1:34 pm
#8
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MIND THE CART, PLEASE!
Glad to hear you're okay Falcon
Glad to hear you're okay Falcon
Feb 28, 2007, 2:04 pm
#9
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I am sorry to hear about your story. The carts are operated by GCA Services a vendor for Continental. These employees are not employees of Continental or the airport. Very soon the contract will change to another vendor i think around April 1st. Also to answer your question as to if this company is a huge corporation. LOL, the answer is no, I have heard many of their employees complaining that their paychecks have arrived late many times before.
Feb 28, 2007, 2:11 pm
#10
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In my opinion, far too many cart drivers are reckless and cavalier. They think they own the frickin' corridors and all ambulatory passengers are obliged to scurry out of their way. Who the hell ever gave these wannabe NASCAR drivers the right of way?
There's no reason they have to go faster than the normal flow of traffic or disrupt walking traffic flows.
The carts are necessary for a minority of passengers. It's annoying when obviously physically able passengers hop a ride on these carts, since it increases this disruptive traffic.
Leave the carts to the truly disabled. Let the carts go at the same flow as everyone else so you don't disrupt everything.
And for Christ's sake, watch it! Hitting and maiming able-bodied walkers will create more paraplegics, which will require even more of these infernal carts. Or maybe that's what the kamikaze drivers are trying to do ... create job security ...
There's no reason they have to go faster than the normal flow of traffic or disrupt walking traffic flows.
The carts are necessary for a minority of passengers. It's annoying when obviously physically able passengers hop a ride on these carts, since it increases this disruptive traffic.
Leave the carts to the truly disabled. Let the carts go at the same flow as everyone else so you don't disrupt everything.
And for Christ's sake, watch it! Hitting and maiming able-bodied walkers will create more paraplegics, which will require even more of these infernal carts. Or maybe that's what the kamikaze drivers are trying to do ... create job security ...
Feb 28, 2007, 2:13 pm
#11
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I was actually watching Good Morning America a few weeks ago about these types of accidents. I found a partial link to a text story on it, but on GMA it was a full video probably locatable out there.
One important note I remember taking away from it....no one is really responsible for tracking or governing these vehicles...not the FAA, TSA....NHTSB? Nope....just the companies operating the carts themselves....
The story focused allot on MSP and its efforts....71 reported accidents with carts since 2001.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2859245&page=1
One important note I remember taking away from it....no one is really responsible for tracking or governing these vehicles...not the FAA, TSA....NHTSB? Nope....just the companies operating the carts themselves....
The story focused allot on MSP and its efforts....71 reported accidents with carts since 2001.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2859245&page=1
Feb 28, 2007, 2:15 pm
#12
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Unfortunately it will likely take a serious accident to slow these idiots down.
You would think that the airports would mechanically limit the speeds - to say about the speed of walking - why do they need to go any faster then if the disabled folks were under their own power. I know, they are used for those 5 minutes between flight connection - but tough, I would rather not be the one on the news. Have the red jacket use the phone and hold the plane - a few protocols like that would be worth avoiding injury and million dollar settlements. I'm surprised how few airports even take easy step of putting a warning beep on the carts.
You would think that the airports would mechanically limit the speeds - to say about the speed of walking - why do they need to go any faster then if the disabled folks were under their own power. I know, they are used for those 5 minutes between flight connection - but tough, I would rather not be the one on the news. Have the red jacket use the phone and hold the plane - a few protocols like that would be worth avoiding injury and million dollar settlements. I'm surprised how few airports even take easy step of putting a warning beep on the carts.
Feb 28, 2007, 2:54 pm
#13
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Those cart drivers are idiots and complete losers...I have seen them take perfectly able-bodied people to their gate with no questions...certainly not what I think of when I see them. 
probably hungary for tips and only pick up the nicely-dressed pax ...plus they are completely incompetant when it comes to driving....Come to think of it...I think they work for Colgan Air
When I hear "Excuse the cart," I immediately jump to the nearest side of the walkway and look for it.....glad you're okay, Falcon20
probably hungary for tips and only pick up the nicely-dressed pax ...plus they are completely incompetant when it comes to driving....Come to think of it...I think they work for Colgan Air When I hear "Excuse the cart," I immediately jump to the nearest side of the walkway and look for it.....glad you're okay, Falcon20
Feb 28, 2007, 3:10 pm
#14
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In all seriousness, if the carts' speeds were limited to 5mph or so, then the bumpers could be fitted with sensors to detect obstacles (this would be cheap). Upon detecting an obstacle, a cart's brakes would automatically engage.
Feb 28, 2007, 3:17 pm
#15
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Did you report the incident to Houston Airport Police and insist they write a report and cite the driver? (No, I'm not kidding). If you were hit (thank heavens you weren't), the Houston Airports Authority would have been liable to you for sure - considering the same driver probably placed more customers than you at risk, he needs to be found and dealt with. What if he ran over a slower moving customer?
Not to mention that IAH T-C/D/E is pretty much CO territory, so passengers seeing this fool race around terminal might associate him with Continental or Continental employees. If I was CO management, I would be pushing to get that driver booted out of my terminal space - he wouldn't be doing anything to improve my airline's appearance racing around like that.
Not to mention that IAH T-C/D/E is pretty much CO territory, so passengers seeing this fool race around terminal might associate him with Continental or Continental employees. If I was CO management, I would be pushing to get that driver booted out of my terminal space - he wouldn't be doing anything to improve my airline's appearance racing around like that.