BikePGH Message Board Archive

"Collision" replacing "accident" for NYC police traffic crash squad

This is a step in the right direction, and something which I hope is adopted across the country. Because as the article says: "...In the past, the term ‘accident’ has sometimes given the inaccurate impression or connotation that there is no fault or liability associated with a specific event...” and "...“An accident is when a meteor falls through your house and hits you in the head,”....“Collisions can be prevented.....” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/nyregion/collision-replacing-accident-for-nyc-police-traffic-crash-squad.html?_r=0

bikeygirl

2013-03-11 09:20:06

It's an excellent article. I think that it doesn't address bicycling in any way, because in NYC they're just not that into it, but it's progress. This is the source document (West Palm Beach, 1996) that's the root of the movement for unbiased (ie, non-car-biased) transport communication: http://www.8-80cities.org/Articles/City%20Transportation%20Language%20Policy.pdf and you can see how the Complete Streets philosophy flows through that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complete_streets

vannever

2013-03-11 12:37:32

Wow, West Palm Beach, who knew? That document is amazing. That should be stenciled on every wall in every office at Penn Dot, and the door of every truck. I would like to know the story of the way that document came to be. I am stunned.

edmonds59

2013-03-11 13:37:49

This is an accident, per the quote in the first post. Too bad about the guy's printer. See, if it had had a helmet on, it wouldn't have been injured.

stuinmccandless

2013-03-11 15:16:13

"After watching the 2000 movie Memento, the officers decided to make the change."

sgtjonson

2013-03-11 16:07:10