Key bridge in Baltimore collapses after cargo ship crashes into it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people marking themselves safe from the bridge collapse on FB?

The media quickly quantified the limited number of victims.

It’s the worst kind of attention seeking.

To be fair, it’s probably easier than answering countless texts from friends/family who know little beyond “key bridge in Baltimore collapses.”

It happened in the middle of the night during the work week (not weekend), and the people I see doing it are older white women who don’t live anywhere near the bridge and wouldn’t be out that late at night. It’s so weird.

It’s a gross joke. The “marked safe from X” has been a joke on FB for years. Anyone doing that after this tragedy would be unfriended and cut from my life.

I don’t know anyone doing this, and I have a number of family and friends who live in the Baltimore area. Maybe you run in an attention-seeking circle?

There are some people, like PP, for whom Facebook has caused them to see the worst in others. You can usually tell them because they bring up crap from their Facebook feed in a conversation about real life events- they take it that seriously. She should really delete her account and stop using it - she’d find her opinion of others to rebound and she’d no longer find herself consumed with negative thoughts about other people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Question: Does anyone know what happens when a boat this big loses power? I would have assumed that there would be some sort of backup generator, and an emergency backup to the backup for at least a short time in an emergency. Yes, I’m asking this question in total ignorance— but I’m still interested in knowing more about what the standards would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Question: Does anyone know what happens when a boat this big loses power? I would have assumed that there would be some sort of backup generator, and an emergency backup to the backup for at least a short time in an emergency. Yes, I’m asking this question in total ignorance— but I’m still interested in knowing more about what the standards would be.

Backup to the backup? No. There might be batteries and emergency lighting but that's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

I’m not sure why you’re surprised. Most people don’t live near bodies of water, and most Americans have never been on a boat. Of those that have, it’s often occasional trips on ferry boats or sightseeing boats vs ongoing experience that include training in water safety. Perhaps you’re expecting more from the DCUM crowd?

This may add to your distress. I lived and worked in Baltimore for many years, and actually lived in a building with a marina. I was startled by how much open access there was to water, especially in the downtown neighborhoods— and how few of the people I met who grew up in Baltimore knew how to swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Question: Does anyone know what happens when a boat this big loses power? I would have assumed that there would be some sort of backup generator, and an emergency backup to the backup for at least a short time in an emergency. Yes, I’m asking this question in total ignorance— but I’m still interested in knowing more about what the standards would be.

Backup to the backup? No. There might be batteries and emergency lighting but that's it.

Thanks for answering!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does police get there so quickly to stop traffic? They just happened to be near?

There always police stationed at the entrances to the bridge and tunnel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

I’m not sure why you’re surprised. Most people don’t live near bodies of water, and most Americans have never been on a boat. Of those that have, it’s often occasional trips on ferry boats or sightseeing boats vs ongoing experience that include training in water safety. Perhaps you’re expecting more from the DCUM crowd?

This may add to your distress. I lived and worked in Baltimore for many years, and actually lived in a building with a marina. I was startled by how much open access there was to water, especially in the downtown neighborhoods— and how few of the people I met who grew up in Baltimore knew how to swim.

How far can you swim in 45F water? A mile? Knowing how to swim isn't exactly going to help in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

It’s a huge leap from “is unfamiliar with how container ships work” to “will drown if they ever go to a beach.” Those things are not similar. I had no idea it takes over 20 minutes for a container ship to drop anchor but that doesn’t mean I’m going to die on a beach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

I’m not sure why you’re surprised. Most people don’t live near bodies of water, and most Americans have never been on a boat. Of those that have, it’s often occasional trips on ferry boats or sightseeing boats vs ongoing experience that include training in water safety. Perhaps you’re expecting more from the DCUM crowd?

This may add to your distress. I lived and worked in Baltimore for many years, and actually lived in a building with a marina. I was startled by how much open access there was to water, especially in the downtown neighborhoods— and how few of the people I met who grew up in Baltimore knew how to swim.

How far can you swim in 45F water? A mile? Knowing how to swim isn't exactly going to help in this situation.

I’m sorry if I worded this poorly. I was pointing out a second problem — that not only do people lack the “general knowledge “ that the PP described, even people living in waterfront neighborhoods may not know how to swim. I didn’t intend to suggest that swimming skills would have necessarily helped in a tragedy like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

It’s a huge leap from “is unfamiliar with how container ships work” to “will drown if they ever go to a beach.” Those things are not similar. I had no idea it takes over 20 minutes for a container ship to drop anchor but that doesn’t mean I’m going to die on a beach.

But you know that you can't stop a moving big rig truck on solid ice or an SUV on wet roads on a dime, yet people think you can stop a 300 meter 100,000 ton ship in the water immediately. Isn't there the expression about the challenge of turning an oil tanker?

I went on a simulator at a maritime museum and had to navigate a coal barge through the pylons of a bridge. I was sweating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

It’s a huge leap from “is unfamiliar with how container ships work” to “will drown if they ever go to a beach.” Those things are not similar. I had no idea it takes over 20 minutes for a container ship to drop anchor but that doesn’t mean I’m going to die on a beach.

+1, I understood very little about how boats or bridges work before this happened and know a tiny bit more now. But I know how to swim, can do CPR, and know a bunch of basic water safety skills both to keep myself and my kid safe.

I think what this thread has actually revealed is how many people will just talk out of their a$$ about topics like bridge engineering or ship mechanics even though they have absolutely no idea and no reason to know those things. This is common but is especially common in the DMV where you have a ton of people who are well educated but are NOT experts in a whole range of technical or specialized areas of knowledge, but too arrogant to understand what they don't know. It has nothing to do with water safety, it's just about being a dilettante.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

I’m not sure why you’re surprised. Most people don’t live near bodies of water, and most Americans have never been on a boat. Of those that have, it’s often occasional trips on ferry boats or sightseeing boats vs ongoing experience that include training in water safety. Perhaps you’re expecting more from the DCUM crowd?

This may add to your distress. I lived and worked in Baltimore for many years, and actually lived in a building with a marina. I was startled by how much open access there was to water, especially in the downtown neighborhoods— and how few of the people I met who grew up in Baltimore knew how to swim.

How far can you swim in 45F water? A mile? Knowing how to swim isn't exactly going to help in this situation.

I’m sorry if I worded this poorly. I was pointing out a second problem — that not only do people lack the “general knowledge “ that the PP described, even people living in waterfront neighborhoods may not know how to swim. I didn’t intend to suggest that swimming skills would have necessarily helped in a tragedy like this.

If it has nothing to do with this tragedy, then why are you bringing it up on this thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still confused how the shipping container hit the pillars even if it did lose power…

Get on a boat. It doesn't have stop on a dime breaks. Or rudders that work powerless.

Plus it is the size of the Empire State Building. You can just put the brakes on.

This thread has been surprising, highlighting many people's lack of general knowledge about water safety, boats and bodies of water. That has scary implications for drowning risks when they head off to the beach or river. You don't need to be expert, but getting a bit of knowledge makes sense.

It’s a huge leap from “is unfamiliar with how container ships work” to “will drown if they ever go to a beach.” Those things are not similar. I had no idea it takes over 20 minutes for a container ship to drop anchor but that doesn’t mean I’m going to die on a beach.

+1, I understood very little about how boats or bridges work before this happened and know a tiny bit more now. But I know how to swim, can do CPR, and know a bunch of basic water safety skills both to keep myself and my kid safe.

I think what this thread has actually revealed is how many people will just talk out of their a$$ about topics like bridge engineering or ship mechanics even though they have absolutely no idea and no reason to know those things. This is common but is especially common in the DMV where you have a ton of people who are well educated but are NOT experts in a whole range of technical or specialized areas of knowledge, but too arrogant to understand what they don't know. It has nothing to do with water safety, it's just about being a dilettante.

Because people are saying things like "why didn't they just stop" and "at least the water isn't freezing". You don't need to be an expert to be surprised at these statements.