Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Fascinated by Blood and Gore

Back from vacation but that will have to wait.

Yesterday tragedy struck in D.C. I was fortunate not to be involved. Thus far it appears none of my family or friends were involved. The morning commute has been crippled as fire, police, city and Metro officials try to sort out the disaster and try to figure out what caused the worst accident in Metro's 33 year history.

So much we take for granted. I used to ride that red line every day. Once the kids started driving to school, I stopped taking metro and instead let them practice driving to school then continued on my way with the car to work. I had decided that in the fall, I would go back to metro, having the kids drop me off as they pass on their way to school. Metro is fast, less expensive than driving and parking at work, "green," and normally, predictable. Yesterday changed all that.

But what irks me the most? People. Blood thirsty, gore-fascinated people. Rubberneckers. Gawkers. I almost ran a few over last night in my annoyance.

Last night I left work a little early to get to my summer soccer game. I am managing the team this summer and so have to pay refs and get people organized. I figured it would be good to arrive at least 5 minutes early rather than the quick slide into the game we usually do.

As I approached an overpass, I noticed helicopters circling overhead. 3 or 4 firetrucks had zoomed past. Police cars were coming from all directions. Clearly something bad was happening up ahead.

Then came the media trucks, zooming around everyone like they were entitled to. I noticed the Crowd, the Commoners, and pedestrians all abandoning their cars on the overpass and the surrounding areas so that they could rush to the side of the bridge with their cell phone cameras to have a look and get a photo. WTF.

I still didn't know what had happened. I had the news on but nothing had come over yet. Then an alert came in on the blackberry about a Metro train crash. And it dawned on me that the majority of the people creating a traffic jam on the overpass, impeding the progress of the myriad of rescue vehicles who might actually be able to help the people trapped below, were simply rubberneckers trying to get a view of the gore.

I was and obviously still am appalled. If I thought I could help, I would have stopped to help. But I realized my car would only add to the mess, keeping more fire trucks and rescue vehicles from getting to the scene of the accident. Instead I tried to keep an eye out for approaching rescue trucks to let them pass while trying to vacate the area and reduce congestion.

Now I understand why police directing traffic around an accident get so annoyed.

The latest count is 7 dead (down from the 9 originally thought) and 2 in critical condition, 72 taken to the hospital. I prayed for the families involved, for the people injured and for those who experienced the trauma of the accident. And I prayed for wisdom for the stupid people who didn't know enough to stop gawking and get out of the way.

10 comments:

Busy Bee Suz said...

I never understand this either, people can be so ignorant sometimes not realizing that they are only making things worse.
I am glad to hear from you today, you were in my thoughts when I saw this on the news.
Sending prayers and HOPE to those involved.

ChiTown Girl said...

WTF indeed!!!!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

This is tragic indeed. I was listening to the news last night and people on the train were saying it took forever for EMS to get to them. If gawkers are the reason for that . . . wow. How sad.

Stephanie said...

I'm with you! I will never understand the people who crane their necks for a better look at the disaster....and don't get me started on the people who don't move their arses for the Ambulances.
Sending prayers from Canada.

dkuroiwa said...

Seriously thought of you when I saw this on the news...was wondering where you were and if you and yorus were safe.
Glad to know that you are okay...and the idiots of the world? They will always be around..will pray for them,too.

3 Peas in a Pod said...

I thought about you. So glad you weren't involved.

Rubberneckers get my goat too. Seeing people in an awful situation doesn't make me feel good. It makes me feel sad especially if there isn't anything I can do. Why do people feel the need to look?!

Much love from NJ,
Sue
xoxo

zelzee said...

Their morbid curiosity amazes me! First, I couldn't handle seeing an accident like that and also, I would realize I had to get out of the way!

Glad you and your kids are okay, though.

Feisty Irish Wench said...

I've seen an ambulance almost get hit by a moron who wasn't paying attention to the lights and sirens. Sometimes I wish the big firetrucks would just clobber the idiot drivers and keep going, reporting back to dispatch that there is stupidity needing cleanup on aisle 3.
Rubberneckers cause more accidents and those accidents are often worse than the first one because they weren't paying an ounce of f'ing attention!
Move the heck over drive past with as little gawking as humanly possible and get the fk out of the way!!!
Maybe municipalities should have some pvc and bedsheet screens set up to shield the victim from the humiliation of the accident and keep rubberneckers from causing more damage by their gawking.
Darwin needs to open the back door so all the idiots can exit.

Hula Girl at Heart said...

I'm glad to hear you're okay. I had wondered you.

Sometimes I look around at people and swear half the world is going to hell in a hand basket. When did we get so voyeuristic with all of the rubbernecking and reality TV?

shrink on the couch said...

Thanks for being smart enough to keep driving. Was very sorry to hear about this Metro wreck. I've ridden on that very train a couple times. I hope the losses in your life, referred to in a later post, weren't on this train.