Five dead in Buncrana accident

Menas

MadJack2016 wrote: »

Everyone should know that.
For instance if you are in a building where there is a fire you should calmly walk toward the nearest exit and get out. In tragedies people panic and run for the main exit where everyone else is going and get jammed in a corridor which fills with smoke and kills them even though an easier exit was nearby.
As I said in a previous post since we live in a maritime country and we also have many lakes and rivers and we regularly get floods getting trapped in a sinking car could happen to anyone of us and its worth finding out what to do.
You have seconds to act in situations like this so it's worth thinking about scenarios like fire, sinking, heart attacks, etc etc before they happen and put yourself in a cool detached mindset as much as you possibly can.

TBH it sounds like you are just trolling for the sake of an argument now.

jack presley

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Yes but honestly most instinctively won't. Preaching it from your keyboard won't make a difference now.

I think he's watched too many James Bond films.

seamus

Hrududu wrote: »

I saw an episode of Top Gear (possibly not Top Gear but it was definitely Richard Hammond) once where they were investigating if this was true. Apparently you're not supposed to do this. As soon as the car hits the water you're supposed to immediately open the door before the water rises too far.

Yep. Somewhere along the way came an urban legend which said that you should wait for the car to fill with water before trying to get out. Maybe it was relevant with older cars that weren't so well sealed.
But anyway, the overriding advice now is to unbuckle everyone, open the front windows (doors can slam closed again) and get out as soon as humanly possible, don't be waiting around for anything to fill with anything.

listermint

If the windows have failed (electrics)

Take off headrest, Jam it as far down into the corner of the window (where your inside door lock pull would be) then pull the headrest backwards.


The strongest part of a window is the middle, hitting it will do nothing. Pressing the metal of the headrest against the weakest part of the window and having the pressure of the door frame too should shatter the entire pane in one go.


Headrest obviously as all cars should have them.

http://survivial-training.wonderhowto.com/how-to/headrest-your-vehicle-can-potentially-save-your-life-one-day-0150468/

If it saves 1 life at all, the information is worthwhile to be out there.

The_Kew_Tour

RIP

Absolutely devasting to hear this.

Sometimes they're no justice in world.

retro:electro

Heard an account on the radio about the guy who swam to the car and managed to save the baby. They said he was exhausted and fit for collapse after it and he was an experienced swimmer. My thoughts are with him as well, he's a hero for saving that baby but no doubt he will feel defeated that he could not do more. The poor baby and the poor mother who has lost all of her family.

NIMAN

I think its not the time for "they should have done this", "why didn't they do that" type comments.

This isn't a reality programme for celebs. Its real life where 5 people died.

purplecow1977

listermint wrote: »

If the windows have failed (electrics)

Take off headrest, Jam it as far down into the corner of the window (where your inside door lock pull would be) then pull the headrest backwards.


The strongest part of a window is the middle, hitting it will do nothing. Pressing the metal of the headrest against the weakest part of the window and having the pressure of the door frame too should shatter the entire pane in one go.


Headrest obviously as all cars should have them.

http://survivial-training.wonderhowto.com/how-to/headrest-your-vehicle-can-potentially-save-your-life-one-day-0150468/

If it saves 1 life at all, the information is worthwhile to be out there.

I've tried to move my headrest up/down before. It's not that easy. Add in several passengers in the car who are panicking, along with water filling up the car & it gets pretty darn difficult.

listermint

NIMAN wrote: »

I think its not the time for "they should have done this", "why didn't they do that" type comments.

This isn't a reality programme for celebs. Its real life where 5 people died.

I dont think thats really what people are looking to do.

This is a tradegy, but if anything comes from this it should be wider knowledge of how to help yourself or others in it.


Again this is an absolute tragedy and may never have been avoided at all. All involved in it will never forget it.

purplecow1977

NIMAN wrote: »

I think its not the time for "they should have done this", "why didn't they do that" type comments.

This isn't a reality programme for celebs. Its real life where 5 people died.

Jade Goody may have saved women's lives, or at the very least raised awareness of the importance of cervical smears, so if something small can arise from a horrific tragedy, so be it. I don't think it takes from the utter shock and sympathy we feel towards those who have lost their lives.

NIMAN

listermint wrote: »

I dont think thats really what people are looking to do.

This is a tradegy, but if anything comes from this it should be wider knowledge of how to help yourself or others in it.


Again this is an absolute tragedy and may never have been avoided at all. All involved in it will never forget it.

Sure we're even getting mixed answers on what to do, so maybe best to leave it to people who know the right answers.

listermint

NIMAN wrote: »

Sure we're even getting mixed answers on what to do, so maybe best to leave it to people who know the right answers.

Go on.

NIMAN

listermint wrote: »

Go on.

No need to be smart, I don't know the answer.
Maybe it is something that will come out of this in the coming days but the internet having folk arguing over who is right and who is wrong is not appropriate at this time, in my opinion.

murpho999

Why does he keep saying "We live in a maritime country".

Can you not just say that we live on an island?

However, truth is though, levels of swimming is very poor for an island. So many people who can't swim and often those who say they can are actually very poor swimmers.

Thoie

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Yes but honestly most instinctively won't. Preaching it from your keyboard won't make a difference now.

wardides wrote: »

I honestly don't see what you're adding to this thread. You're talking hypothetical nonsense, in relation to situations where you have absolutely no experience of being in. There is a huge difference between thinking and planning to be in a "cool detached" mindset when in a horrible situation like this, and actually fulfilling that plan. I'm not even sure why the Mods haven't got rid yet as you're talking crap.

Can't believe I'm defending him, but I kind of see where he's coming from. I live in an apartment building. In case of fire my only escape is to get out of my apartment door, through another 2 doors, then walk down a precise number of flights of stairs (without going too far which would trap me in the basement) and out another door. If there's a fire, second worst case scenario is I'd need to be able to do that in pitch darkness.

When my neighbours aren't looking, I sometimes do the route with my eyes closed, counting the steps and turns as I go. There's no guarantee that it would help in a real emergency, but it certainly won't do any harm.

Menas

Thoie wrote: »

When my neighbours aren't looking, I sometimes do the route with my eyes closed, counting the steps and turns as I go. There's no guarantee that it would help in a real emergency, but it certainly won't do any harm.

But that is not really relevant in this case as you cant practice driving in to cold water to see how would would escape.

Peregrine

MadJack2016 banned from the thread. Please don't reply to his posts.

Thoie

Menas wrote: »

But that is not really relevant in this case as you cant practice driving in to cold water to see how would would escape.

No, but I have on more than one occasion gone into the deep end of a swimming pool, fully clothed and booted, and tried to get undressed. For the record, I can remove laced boots and a jacket and t-shirt, but am completely incapable of removing jeans, even in the calm, non-panic situation of a pool. Similarly, as I posted further up, I keep a little tool for breaking car windows and cutting seatbelts within reach of the driver's seat of my car.

None of these are any guarantee that I won't panic and completely forget everything in a real emergency, but maybe they'll do some good, and they don't negatively impact my life. If I spent 50 hours a week in "unlikely disaster preparation", that would be a psychological problem.

For people wondering why people are concentrating on the graphic details of this tragedy, and discussing "what could have been done", it's not heartlessness. Some people, when faced with such a random tragedy, cope by trying to get some "control" over the situation, even though the odds of the exact same scenario happening to them is minuscule. Some people cry, some people have nightmares, some hug their families that little bit closer, and some (pointlessly) try to analyse every little detail out of a desire for control.

Kerrydude1981

Bit of an update here about this awful tragedy


http://www.thejournal.ie/buncrana-shock-2671402-Mar2016/

RIP

Lia_lia

I can't stop thinking about this all day. It's so sad.

With regards escaping the car I wouldn't have a clue what to do. Even though I am a trained lifeguard and very strong swimmer I don't think I would survive that. Imagine the panic. Especially with the kids in the back.

Sugar Free

It may have been mentioned already but does it irk anyone else that the reports describe the man who saved the baby as a bystander? By the sounds of it he risked his own safety - possibly even his own life - by swimming out to help. Certainly not idly standing there.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and I doubt the man himself cares but still.

RIP to the others.

Shenshen

Menas wrote: »

But that is not really relevant in this case as you cant practice driving in to cold water to see how would would escape.

You certainly can't. But there are courses that teach you to drive more safely, and what to do in emergency road situations in your car. You don't always have to crash your car first to learn how to behave when it does happen.

I'm shocked by this tragedy, but I'm also wondering how and why it could have happened. And I think if measures are now taken to try and prevent something similar from happening again - be it classes being offered on how to behave in emergencies, or that pier being blocked off for public traffic outside of certain hours, or even something as small as more swimming lessons being made available - I don't think it would sully the memory of those poor people. On the contrary.

KERSPLAT!

Sugar Free wrote: »

It may have been mentioned already but does it irk anyone else that the reports describe the man who saved the baby as a bystander? By the sounds of it he risked his own safety - possibly even his own life - by swimming out to help. Certainly not idly standing there.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and I doubt the man himself cares but still.

RIP to the others.

I assume they mean he was a bystander and not a trained lifeguard/emergency services.

A hero, that's what he is.

Maximus Alexander

This is just unbelievably tragic. Trying to keep tears from welling up in my eyes at work thinking about it. My heart goes out to everyone affected.

Easca Peasca

It reminds me of the accident in Cork before Christmas in which the mother and daughter were killed in similar circumstances. There are some truly tragic twists of fate.

Digs

Lia_lia wrote: »

I can't stop thinking about this all day. It's so sad.

With regards escaping the car I wouldn't have a clue what to do. Even though I am a trained lifeguard and very strong swimmer I don't think I would survive that. Imagine the panic. Especially with the kids in the back.

I have to agree. I was reared around boats, water safety drilled into us, I'm a strong swimmer and I haven't a clue what I'd do in the same situation, especially if my children were in the back of the car. It's amazing the baby was rescued.

Sick to my stomach at the thought of it.

Sugar Free

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

I assume they mean he was a bystander and not a trained lifeguard/emergency services.

A hero, that's what he is.

Fully agree on the bold, just a personal dislike for the the use of bystander in this case.

ongarboy

My hearts go out to the loved ones left behind. This tragedy has really affected me more than most due to the particularly horrific circumstances. I wonder how over the course of the 10 minutes why it simply was not possible to open the doors. Does it become impossible to push against the weight of the water?

I've always had a phobia about driving on piers. I think it comes from remembering my dad driving our family in our 2 door estate car on a pier once back in the 80s and when he reversed to do a 3 point turn around, it seemed like we were right at the edge and it freaked me as I felt we'd have been trapped due to the lack of back seat doors should anything have happened.

lilsparkle69

My heart goes out to the family and others that have been affected, so tragic and heartbreaking. I couldn't imagine the fear and panic going under water like that... I wouldn't know what to do. Fair play to the man who rescued the baby.

RIP

Ken Masters

Lia_lia wrote: »

I can't stop thinking about this all day. It's so sad.

With regards escaping the car I wouldn't have a clue what to do. Even though I am a trained lifeguard and very strong swimmer I don't think I would survive that. Imagine the panic. Especially with the kids in the back.

This is an horrific thought