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Aneirin -> RE: Rachael Corrie development (7/11/2011 2:51:39 PM)
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Now I have operated various construction site and quarry machinery and I find it very difficult to believe a machine operator was not aware of what there was in front of them and further to that it is the normal course of action for a machine operator that cannot see what they are doing to stop, dismount from the driving position and view the terrain on foot prior to driving over what could be unknown hazards to both machine and operator.
Now I do understand from experience there is a triangle of terrain obscurred from a dozer's operating position roughly if the blade is down, extending from the end of the motor hood to a point on the ground some distance in front of the machine that angle and unseen distance dependant on the height of view of the machine operator, but if the blade is up then the operator can see the back of the blade and that is it, I question how anyone can drive blindly like this unaided by external observers to direct the machine operator where thay cannot see.
Now given the restricted view from such a machine, anyone that walks in front of the moving machine in that unseen triangle of terrain, runs the risk of being run over, not the operators fault, because they can't see, but if a person was outside of that unseen angle of terrain, the question has to be asked why the machine operator did not stop, as who would willingly drive a machine at a human being, none but the insane I would hope.
But it is also in my experience, that of construction sites and quarries that when a dozer is in close proximity to obstacles, there is always observers there to advise the operator and keep anyone who may be around clear of the machine if it is to do it's work effectively and in good time.
If such a thing happened in most parts of the West, a dozer running over a person, a complete and thorough investigation would be conducted and balls roasted where they are ripe to roast, as it is with accidents on construction sites, there is always someone at error, always human error somewhere that lead to the incident.
But the Rachel Corrie incident, her as an activist standing up for what she believed in, an American, if the dozer crew had known this, would they have exercised more care, and the incident, an American being killed whist trying to aid Israel's enemy, I bet that is an embarrassment to the US authorities. Perhaps the question could be asked, what is more important, the health and welfare of a country's citizen or the special ties with the country the American citizen is protesting about ?
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