To All Vendors & Future Vendors

[cmzaha]

Please be careful when entering and leaving your venues and markets. Friday at a little Farmer's Market in my town a 74 yr old pedestrian was killed when a vendor was backing out of her space behind her booth. He was knocked over and hit his head on the curb resulting in fatal extreme injury to his brain. So please everyone pay attention. Apparently the market manager/owner was not present and there is no traffic control at this small market. It is interesting that this owner acquired a new night market our manager tried to get here and he cannot properly run a small one. Our market manager is going to send an email and see if our city is ready to change their mind about him. Plus the fact he will probably lose his business or at least will have one *ell of a lawsuit. Hopefully the vendor has a lot of insurance she is going to be in trouble too. Our market is not opened to cars until security is in place for traffic control and my hubby unblocks the street with out truck. Check and double check who is around your booth and in close proximity.

This makes me cringe after an awful fall my step-dad (90) experienced Easter Sunday. He lost his balance and fell against my cousin's house wall. We had him in the hospital 3 days and my husband still can't believe he survived he fall. He did end up with a small cervical fracture.

Please everyone keep safe and keep our visitors safe when attending the markets

 

[IrishLass]

Oh, how absolutely awful! I pray for his family (and the vendor). :cry:

Speaking of family, I hope your step-dad mends completely (he sounds like a tough cookie!).

Safety first! Be very aware of your surroundings!


IrishLass

 

[cmzaha]

I also feel very sorry for the vendor, you know she will be sued. Even accidents seem to not just be accidents today

 

[IrishLass]

I feel for the vendor, too. My sis's hubby was accidentally struck and killed by a young gal (18 yrs. old) on her way to work 10 years ago. She had bent over to reach for something that had fallen to the floor of her vehicle, and although her eyes were probably off the road for only a mere second or 2, it was just the right amount of time for her vehicle to veer to the right just enough to strike and kill my BIL who was on the side of the road.

We learned that the poor girl was so distraught and beside herself with grief, remorse and heartbreak that she cancelled her college plans and shut herself up in her bedroom and just wouldn't come out for anybody.

The gal's family happened to be friends of a family that my sis knew, so that's how we heard about her shutting herself up in her room and not coming out. As heartbroken as my sis was about her hubby's death, when my sis found out about the girl giving up on life, she (my sis) became so heartbroken for the gal that she made arrangements with the family and went over to their house to talk to her.

My sis must've spent about 2 hours or so talking with her alone in her room, a good part of which was my sis forgiving the gal and telling her how important it was for her to move on with her life and go to college, etc..

Thankfully, she eventually did resume her life and go to college, which made us all very happy for her. Although my sis could have sued, and was even encouraged to do so by her lawyer, she refuse to do so, and I'm happy about that. It would've been awful if one tragedy had turned into 2.

It's scary how 1 or 2 seconds of inattention can drastically alter lives.


IrishLass

 

[TeresaT]

How utterly awful for all concerned. The family of the victim must be devastated. The vendor has got to be absolutely horrified by this. I cannot imagine how any of them are coping with the situation. It sounds as though there can possibly be charges filed since she broke the rules. But at the very least, that definitely sounds like a wrongful death civil suit, not that any law suit will ever replace their lost loved one. What a horrible tragedy for everyone concerned. Situations like this is one of the reasons I am terrified of backing out of spaces. I am short and have mobility issues making it hard for me to physically turn to look behind me. I rely mostly on my mirrors. I am so terrified of not seeing someone, especially a child, because of that. This just brings home the perils of everyday life, how precious it is and that we shouldn't take a single day for granted.

 

[penelopejane]

I feel for the vendor, too.
Thankfully, she eventually did resume her life and go to college, which made us all very happy for her. Although my sis could have sued, and was even encouraged to do so by her lawyer, she refuse to do so, and I'm happy about that. It would've been awful if one tragedy had turned into 2.

It's scary how 1 or 2 seconds of inattention can drastically alter lives.


IrishLass

This is such a wonderful story Irish Lass. Grief can also turn one tragedy into two. Such a terrible loss for your sister but such an important life saving gift she gave the girl. [emoji2]

 

[snappyllama]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about this tragedy. In the blink of an eye, so many lives were forever changed.

It reminds me of the importance of rear view cameras/warning systems on vehicles. If you're planning on a new car purchase, spend the extra money (which was pretty insignificant to the overall purchase price the last time I bought a car). It can save lives. I drive a truck and would have backed over a three year old in a grocery store parking lot. He ran out behind my truck while his mother was putting groceries away a few spots down. There would have been absolutely no way I could have seen him using my regular mirrors or watching behind me without the camera... When we got our other car, I insisted it have a camera even though the visibility was much better.

 

[maya]

God, that is so awful. The family of the child must be devastated, the vendor, the witness, everyone must just feel terrible.

 

[SplendorSoaps]

Wow, what a tragedy for all involved! Thanks for the reminder to use an abundance of caution in these situations.

PS - Sending healing thoughts your way for your stepdad's quick recovery.

 

[KristaY]

Oh my gosh. I'm just heartbroken for all involved.

IL, your story sounds like something that happened to a friend of ours many years ago but in reverse. It was the pedestrian that had a moment of inattentiveness, stepped into the street and right in front of our friend. I don't know how people get past a tragedy like that. Life changing for all.

My prayers go out to the poor man that lost his life, the person behind the wheel, the event coordinator, all witness and all family and friends of those involved. The ripple effect goes on and on.

 

[TBandCW]

I feel for the vendor, too. My sis's hubby was accidentally struck and killed by a young gal (18 yrs. old) on her way to work 10 years ago. She had bent over to reach for something that had fallen to the floor of her vehicle, and although her eyes were probably off the road for only a mere second or 2, it was just the right amount of time for her vehicle to veer to the right just enough to strike and kill my BIL who was on the side of the road.

We learned that the poor girl was so distraught and beside herself with grief, remorse and heartbreak that she cancelled her college plans and shut herself up in her bedroom and just wouldn't come out for anybody.

The gal's family happened to be friends of a family that my sis knew, so that's how we heard about her shutting herself up in her room and not coming out. As heartbroken as my sis was about her hubby's death, when my sis found out about the girl giving up on life, she (my sis) became so heartbroken for the gal that she made arrangements with the family and went over to their house to talk to her.

My sis must've spent about 2 hours or so talking with her alone in her room, a good part of which was my sis forgiving the gal and telling her how important it was for her to move on with her life and go to college, etc..

Thankfully, she eventually did resume her life and go to college, which made us all very happy for her. Although my sis could have sued, and was even encouraged to do so by her lawyer, she refuse to do so, and I'm happy about that. It would've been awful if one tragedy had turned into 2.

It's scary how 1 or 2 seconds of inattention can drastically alter lives.


IrishLass

Your sister is a gem, we need more people like her in this world.

 

[soaring1]

This is so sad. We always have to be aware of our surroundings even in store parking lots.

 

[cmzaha]

Your sister is a gem, we need more people like her in this world.

Yes she does and yes we do. A cousin of mine in her 70's had a horrific accident which a young man riding a crotch rocket. Unfortunately he did not make it and my poor cousin is being sued every way they can figure out to sue her. Like the girl IL mentioned my cousins health has gone down because of grief and worry, although during the 3rd lawsuit her new attorney found a video showing he blew through the intersection from a blocked view, plus drugs were in his system. After 2 yrs they lost the civil suit but now are trying another lawsuit. The guy was riding carelessly and she is paying. These young people on fast crotch rockets are the epithemy of bad riders.

To clarify her blew through the intersection by passing a oncoming truck, it was proven she had plenty of time to execute her turn, by passing a box truck on his right blocking his view from her. He actually hit her not the other way around. Tragic accidents are not longer just tragic accidents. The family is trying to prove my cousin should not be driving at her age. BS. It is okay for someone high to ride a bike and blast through an intersection. At least she now rest knowing that she did not hit him

 

[IrishLass]

That is so maddening, Carolyn. I can understand the emotions of heartbreak and anger one feels when a loved one dies in a horrible accident, but the key word is 'accident', and it just really gets my dander up when folks stew in their anger to such a point that it blinds all reason, and they try to make someone pay for something that was simply nothing more than a tragic accident and can never be 'paid' for.

I pray your cousin is 100% totally vindicated, and that that family will be able to ley go and cease trying to exact 'payment' from her.


IrishLass

 

[cerelife]

Thank you for posting this.
Our little weekly market is held in an urban park and has no traffic control. Even after the market closes for the evening there is still a lot of foot traffic in the parking lot. The park is beautiful and has tennis courts, jogging paths, a gorgeous fountain, etc. Not to mention that there is a university nearby!
I always try to be careful, but this really brings home the fact that all it takes is a second of distraction for a tragedy to occur.
I'll be printing this out to share with our market manager and all of my fellow vendors. The other soapmaker at the market and I have become good friends and we help each other pack up every week anyway, so I think it would be a good idea to 'spot' each other while backing out of our parking spaces. It's well worth a couple of extra minutes to keep our market safe!
Thanks again.

 

[cmzaha]

Thank you for posting this.
Our little weekly market is held in an urban park and has no traffic control. Even after the market closes for the evening there is still a lot of foot traffic in the parking lot. The park is beautiful and has tennis courts, jogging paths, a gorgeous fountain, etc. Not to mention that there is a university nearby!
I always try to be careful, but this really brings home the fact that all it takes is a second of distraction for a tragedy to occur.
I'll be printing this out to share with our market manager and all of my fellow vendors. The other soapmaker at the market and I have become good friends and we help each other pack up every week anyway, so I think it would be a good idea to 'spot' each other while backing out of our parking spaces. It's well worth a couple of extra minutes to keep our market safe!
Thanks again.

That is a very good plan. Maybe your market manager should know about this also. The City is being sued along with the vendor and market owner. It is going to get real ugly

 

[Relle]

It's amazing how many people you see, walk behind cars as they are backing and don't even think twice about it. They all think that they have the right of way, but it's too late after you end up under the wheels, when you don't get seen.