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Re:
"Mixed-up priorities," TAPS, is a nice way of putting it! Others might lean toward saying something along the lines of "heads up their asses" . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on April 5, 2013 at 1:19 PM
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Re:
Oh, absolutely, mariss! In fact, if you saw the video, those people literally saved her life! Yes, she was young, impulsive and probably felt very bad after the fact. Hopefully she learned her lesson . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 5, 2013 at 1:17 PM
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What can I say that you didn't say. The world is full of craziness and mixed up priorities.
posted by
TAPS.
on April 5, 2013 at 9:34 AM
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I would give her a break myself since she is young and no doubt, impulsive and probably only realized how stupid that was after she was rescued. I commend the people who helped her. 
posted by
mariss9
on April 5, 2013 at 8:17 AM
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Re:
They do indeed, adnohr! And you're absolutely right . . . that was action without thinking! Like I wrote, I can understand risking your life for another human being, or even an animal, but not a cell phone! Yes, she's darned lucky . . . ! 
posted by
JimmyA
on April 5, 2013 at 5:07 AM
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Re:
And I think that may be the real tragedy, lion. People get sad and upset everyday reading or hearing of such things, and yet they've become so commonplace that the surprise element is virtually gone! What's the term they use nowadays to describe that feeling? Can you say desensitized, boys and girls . . . ?
posted by
JimmyA
on April 5, 2013 at 5:05 AM
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Obviously reaction without thinking at all - she's darned lucky it turned out the way it did. As Naut comented, people do amazingly stupid things!
posted by
adnohr
on April 5, 2013 at 3:07 AM
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I am saddened but unsurprised
posted by
lionreign
on April 5, 2013 at 2:53 AM
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Re:
That might work, C C T, but from everything I've read or heard, it probably won't! People ( especially young people ) have become so accustomed to having their cell phones with them 24/7, that to them it's almost on a par with water and air! The only difference between this scenario and one that might include a driver is that the girl would probably have been the only one to lose her life! Those people who text while driving not only endanger themselves, but all those around them as well! Yes, it is crazy, and scary . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 1:51 PM
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Re:
I honestly hope not, FSI, but you're right . . . they probably will! I hate to sound overly morbid but, perhaps it might take a major tragedy ( like this one could have been ) to finally open people's eyes to the dangers of not paying attention to their surroundings while mindlessly wandering around bullshitting on their cell phones . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 1:45 PM
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Re:
Well, lustor, it's really not a bad idea to always have a cell phone with you, just in case. That's what my wife and I have always done . . . have one with us in case of an emergency. But to just wander around aimlessly while jabbering away on a phone is something else entirely. It's annoying to others, and potentially dangerous as well, as this scenario has demonstrated . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 1:29 PM
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I suppose in a way it is crazy and nearly the same kind of thing when one sees people phoning as they drive a car. However that girl should have had her phone confiscated for a couple of weeks at least, if only to show her that there is life after live chat.
posted by
C_C_T
on April 4, 2013 at 11:40 AM
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Words cannot describe how nutty she was...Like you, I think these incidents are going to start happening more and more...
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on April 4, 2013 at 10:06 AM
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I have a decent cell phone that I use very little, I dont even take it with me unless I need it for some reason, I dont think anyone needs to call me, if so they can wait until I get home.
posted by
Lanetay
on April 4, 2013 at 9:15 AM
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Re:
I don't know what it might take, sam! When I was in high school, part of our driver's ed. program was to watch movies about the dangers of drunk driving, which included very disturbing and graphic images of the aftermath of some car accidents ( on a par with the "scared straight" concept ). Did it work? Of course not! People still drink and drive! Young kids might see this particular video, simply "goof" on the girl for dropping her phone, and then continue doing the exact same thing anyway! What are we to do . . . ? 
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:33 AM
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Re: Of course, she could have waited until the train pulled out...
I don't know how she would have handled that, Ciel! But then again, once the train passed and she did retrieve her cell phone, she could then find out when the next train was due! But waiting for the train to pass so she could retrieve her phone sounds too much like logic, which is slowly but surely fading along with common sense . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:28 AM
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Re: scary post, but i am sure as time goes on we will read more and more of
Very scary indeed, jean! It's one thing to have this technology available for emergencies and other uses, but quite another to allow them to take over our lives to the point where we might actually risk our lives for one of them! Sometimes I actually hate to speculate on what things might be like ten or twenty years from now . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:26 AM
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Re:
Yes, she's very lucky indeed, lovelylady! One of the analogies I often use to describe these current trends concerning technology is this: when cars were first produced a hundred years or so ago, their top speed was about 25 mph. Then it was 30. Then 50. Now, the speedometer on my car shows that I can go over 100 mph! Why do people sometimes drive at 80 or 90 mph today? Because someone made it so it was possible! Why do people wander around like zombies today, jabbering away on their cell phones and annoying others? Because someone made it possible! What a world . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:23 AM
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Re: Jimmy
That's very true, Naut. But one might think that, because so many of these types of incidences are being caught on video, that some people might actually try to deviate from these activities. But of course that's not the case. What's that old saying? You can't teach common sense . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:17 AM
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Re: JimmyA
I think, Sir Wiley, that we may have a new use for the term AWOL . . . Actions WithOut Logic! That surely describes this situation . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:14 AM
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Re: Jimmy A
I think sometimes, Justi, that the worst part is, if you were to say something to any of these people, trying to "correct" them or explain the "error of their ways," they would probably reply "Screw you, mind your own business!" It's usually the case that people will try to deviate from these dangerous situations after a tragedy has struck! But by then, an innocent person's life has been affected, and then of course it's too late . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:12 AM
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Re: how ridiculous is right....cell phone wins out over life....I suppose she
It is indeed sad, Kabu. Like I have written in the past, my wife and I have cell phones, but they are primarily for emergencies. Neither one of us ever feels compelled to simply wander around aimlessly while yammering away with someone else, nor do we constantly rely on these electronic devices to think for us. One day there will be a major catastrophe because of a situation like this, and then it will be too late . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:08 AM
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Re: Jimmy...
I'm already assuming, Rumor, that this is probably not an isolated incident, just one that happened to have been caught on camera and reported! Who knows what might have happened if the train had actually hit her. And our legal system wouldn't be able to handle the influx of cases if people could actually be charged for stupidity . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on April 4, 2013 at 8:04 AM
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I am with you, ridiculous! Teenagers just do not grasp that death is permanent! sam 
posted by
sam444
on April 3, 2013 at 8:37 PM
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Of course, she could have waited until the train pulled out...
and retrieved the phone then. But then she'd miss her train, OMG!
posted by
Ciel
on April 3, 2013 at 4:40 PM
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scary post, but i am sure as time goes on we will read more and more of
these types of stories. i wonder when and how it will all end, if ever. pretty soon we will have personal robots to talk to and interact with, no need for the real thing. it is so sad and scary i really dont know what to say.
posted by
jeansaw
on April 3, 2013 at 4:04 PM
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Jimmy,
As I said before, technology has turned the citizens of planet earth into a bunch of brain dead morons! I would NEVER pull such a stupid stunt. Even when we go out, I leave my mobile phone turned off. If the person calling me needs me that badly, they'll leave a message.
If they choose not to do so, that's their tough luck. Not mine.
I'm just so thankful to God that the girl is all right.
posted by
lovelyladymonk
on April 3, 2013 at 3:28 PM
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Jimmy
I agree, it's bizarre! But then, I think people have always done the most stupid things - it's just that now there are a) more opportunities, and b) because of the internet we're more aware of those cases...
posted by
Nautikos
on April 3, 2013 at 3:17 PM
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JimmyA
Her mind was missing like so many today.
posted by
WileyJohn
on April 3, 2013 at 2:54 PM
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Jimmy A
Yes it is totally rediculous. What has happened to our world? Adult people driving and texting taking their lives into their own hands and those of all others around them. 
posted by
Justi
on April 3, 2013 at 2:04 PM
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how ridiculous is right....cell phone wins out over life....I suppose she
wasn't thinking, i suppose whe can't. Some gizmo has always done the thinking for her. Yes This will spread. The towns and cities are full of no body talking windowshopping or enjoying being outside and alive. They are all zaombies with their devices. Sad.
posted by
Kabu
on April 3, 2013 at 12:58 PM
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Jimmy...
Oh, but this young fool, er, lady, would say "But I can't live without my cell phone!" And if the train had hit her, she'd have been right on!...Talk about an empty mind...and like you say, its probably happened elsewhere...and I doubt anyone gets charged for being stupid....
posted by
Rumor
on April 3, 2013 at 12:38 PM
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