Derrick Coleman Arrested - Vehicular Assault

[RiverDog]

It would be funny if it wasn't so sad. I kind of wish people in general would be more aware of how well deaf people are able to function in daily life. One of my close friends has been deaf since birth. He can't hear anything. As a young man he worked hard and became an architect. He's very successful. Not only is he able to drive just as good as me, but he is also a pilot. I remember when I first went up for a ride after he got his license, I was even a bit apprehensive thinking that a deaf person might have difficulty taking off and landing at airports. Flying without hearing has never been an issue for him.

He uses his cell phone for texting, obviously not while driving. He is able to speak pretty well. He reads lips and is able to function well in the world of hearing people. About the only thing I ever noticed is that occasionally he has a hard time reading the lips of certain people when he first meets them. Heck, I even have that problem with some people that mumble.

I would have no problem granting an exception to a deaf person that can show that his handicap is not a safety issue, and it sounds like your friend might be one of those that has learned how to compensate for his handicap.

But the onus must be on the individual to prove that he is not a safety hazard before a license is issued. Driving is not a right, it is a privilege.

I'm not even sure what the law is regarding the hearing impaired or if there are laws about playing car stereos so loud that you can't hear a warning device. We might be arguing a moot point.

 

[dbmack]

I would have no problem granting an exception to a deaf person that can show that his handicap is not a safety issue, and it sounds like your friend might be one of those that has learned how to compensate for his handicap.

But the onus must be on the individual to prove that he is not a safety hazard before a license is issued. Driving is not a right, it is a privilege.

I'm not even sure what the law is regarding the hearing impaired or if there are laws about playing car stereos so loud that you can't hear a warning device. We might be arguing a moot point.

Washington state has no restrictions for hearing impaired drivers.

 

[OkieHawk]

As far as Coleman's actions go, they were deplorable. He not only left the scene of an accident, he left a seriously injured human being behind as well. He has a moral as well as a legal obligation to render assistance. And I'm not buying the Teddy Kennedy excuse that he was in a daze or that he didn't realize the consequences of his accident. Even if he was in a daze, it is not an acceptable explanation and he must be held accountable.

The police felt that there was enough evidence to call in a drug/alcohol expert and take a blood test. We'll have to wait until the toxicology reports come in, but if they are positive and he was under the influence, Coleman can not only expect to be out of football, he'll be eating off a tin plate. Even if he wasn't under the influence, it's pretty obvious that he was responsible for the accident and would be subject to a liability claim should the victim decide to sue. IMO we have seen the last of Derrick Coleman as a Seahawk.

Innocent until proven guilty. :roll:

The first paragraph shows an ignorance of the situation. We simply do not know what happened. Furthermore, to deny the fact that brutal accidents don't put people into shock, which makes them act in a daze, is naive. Waiting until the facts come out seems to hard for some people though I guess.

 

[Ruminator]

I appreciate hearing from a deaf person on this subject. My instincts tell me that a completely deaf person should not be allowed to have an operator's license, but on the other hand, I see people all the time with car stereos blaring so loud that they wouldn't hear a car horn or a police siren if it was sitting right next to them. I see no difference between distracted driving and driving without some use of the sense of sound, but if technology exists to replace or enhance that sense to what should be a minimum amount of hearing, then of course, I'm all for it.

Some of you may remember driver's ed textbooks containing a section on hearing-impaired drivers that said compared to the average driver, hearing-impaired drivers statistically have safer driving records with fewer incidents. This is supported by the fact hearing-impaired drivers are much more vision-dependent and tend to be acutely aware, visually, of what is going on around them. (Conversely, I often see people with normal hearing under-utilize their vision, relying on their hearing a bit more than they ought for certain situations.)

You would be surprised how many deaf drivers there are out there. Don't worry. They, and I, are watching you. (I estimate that I've driven about a half-million miles since getting my learner's permit in the 80s. Zero at-fault accidents.)

 

[dbmack]

I appreciate hearing from a deaf person on this subject. My instincts tell me that a completely deaf person should not be allowed to have an operator's license, but on the other hand, I see people all the time with car stereos blaring so loud that they wouldn't hear a car horn or a police siren if it was sitting right next to them. I see no difference between distracted driving and driving without some use of the sense of sound, but if technology exists to replace or enhance that sense to what should be a minimum amount of hearing, then of course, I'm all for it.

Some of you may remember driver's ed textbooks containing a section on hearing-impaired drivers that said compared to the average driver, hearing-impaired drivers statistically have safer driving records with fewer incidents. This is supported by the fact hearing-impaired drivers are much more vision-dependent and tend to be acutely aware, visually, of what is going on around them. (Conversely, I often see people with normal hearing under-utilize their vision, relying on their hearing a bit more than they ought for certain situations.)

You would be surprised how many deaf drivers there are out there. Don't worry. They, and I, are watching you. (I estimate that I've driven about a half-million miles since getting my learner's permit in the 80s. Zero at-fault accidents.)

Yep. As for me, I got my license in 1969. I have never gotten a traffic ticket and have had one accident where I got rear ended on a bridge. The guy who hit me admitted he wasn't paying attention. I was stopped due to traffic on the bridge and saw him coming in my rear view mirror and knew he wasn't going to be able to stop in time.

 

[chris98251]

I would be more concerned with those that are issued a license that can't read street signs, English and know the rules of the road.

 

[seahawkfreak]

I would be more concerned with those that are issued a license that can't read street signs, English and know the rules of the road.

Yeah and the stupid. I swear every time I pass a female in their early twenties they are looking down, my guess texting. I've been a passenger with a family member's girlfriend who does this crap all the time. Freaks me out.

 

[Tech Worlds]

I would be more concerned with those that are issued a license that can't read street signs, English and know the rules of the road.

Yeah and the stupid. I swear every time I pass a female in their early twenties they are looking down, my guess texting. I've been a passenger with a family member's girlfriend who does this crap all the time. Freaks me out.

Godspeed young female drivers! Godspeed!

 

[falcongoggles]

I would be more concerned with those that are issued a license that can't read street signs, English and know the rules of the road.

Yeah and the stupid. I swear every time I pass a female in their early twenties they are looking down, my guess texting. I've been a passenger with a family member's girlfriend who does this crap all the time. Freaks me out.

Copy you guys don't like immigrants and women. This is some really enlightened conversation.

I love in South Korea right now. I have no idea what the street signs mean, I still have no problems being a safe driver. Oh, and a good bulk of the drivers here are women. The accident rate is almost non-existent and my car insurance costs $6/month.

Terrible posts

 

[seahawkfreak]

I would be more concerned with those that are issued a license that can't read street signs, English and know the rules of the road.

Yeah and the stupid. I swear every time I pass a female in their early twenties they are looking down, my guess texting. I've been a passenger with a family member's girlfriend who does this crap all the time. Freaks me out.

Copy you guys don't like immigrants and women. This is some really enlightened conversation.

I love in South Korea right now. I have no idea what the street signs mean, I still have no problems being a safe driver. Oh, and a good bulk of the drivers here are women. The accident rate is almost non-existent and my car insurance costs $6/month.

Terrible posts

Only the stupid ones my friend. Thanks for your superior enlightenment.

 

[chris98251]

We are not in South Korea............................

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Walking away indicates one of two things in my OPINION

1) He was under the influence

2) He hit his head / or similiar

People FREQUENTLY act very strange after a car accident. I have seen a person just randomly walking around the highway that we pulled off before he walked into traffic. He was about 50 yards from an accident that he was in. I read about it afterwards and it is not that uncommon

Or the car was undriveable

:lol: :lol: :lol: :stirthepot:

 

[pmedic920]

I can't believe some of these comments about DC being able to drive.
He plays football at the NFL level and does it fairly well.
Why would anybody think he couldn't drive a car/truck?
Maybe I'm missing something,IDK.

 

[dbmack]

I can't believe some of these comments about DC being able to drive.
He plays football at the NFL level and does it fairly well.
Why would anybody think he couldn't drive a car/truck?
Maybe I'm missing something,IDK.

Some people think deaf people shouldn't be allowed to drive or that there is a law against it already. It has nothing to do with having the ability to do it.

 

[seahawkfreak]

I can't believe some of these comments about DC being able to drive.
He plays football at the NFL level and does it fairly well.
Why would anybody think he couldn't drive a car/truck?
Maybe I'm missing something,IDK.

Some people think deaf people shouldn't be allowed to drive or that there is a law against it already. It has nothing to do with having the ability to do it.

Not that I think that hearing impaired shouldn't drive but there are states that do not allow you to wear headphones. At least when I was in high school the state didn't. A portable CD player was a lot cheaper than a car CD player.

With that said it seems like an inconsistent law because I've never lived in a state were the DOV gives you a hearing test. Army did but DOV no.

 

[SeaToTheHawks]

I can't believe some of these comments about DC being able to drive.
He plays football at the NFL level and does it fairly well.
Why would anybody think he couldn't drive a car/truck?
Maybe I'm missing something,IDK.

Some people think deaf people shouldn't be allowed to drive or that there is a law against it already. It has nothing to do with having the ability to do it.

What I'm appalled at were the posts questioning if he had a cell phone and how on earth he could use one...WTF, are you serious?

 

[dbmack]

Not that I think that hearing impaired shouldn't drive but there are states that do not allow you to wear headphones. At least when I was in high school the state didn't. A portable CD player was a lot cheaper than a car CD player.

With that said it seems like an inconsistent law because I've never lived in a state were the DOV gives you a hearing test. Army did but DOV no.

I don't know anything about the headphones law. As for the DOV not giving you a hearing test, why would they? There are no restrictions for hearing impaired people being able to drive. Not in Washington anyway.

 

[chris98251]

So people with Handicaps should not be able to drive, elderly should not be able to drive, people without perfect vision should not be able to drive, young kids without experience should not be able to drive, using the analogy some have made.

Yeah that works.

 

[dbmack]

So people with Handicaps should not be able to drive, elderly should not be able to drive, people without perfect vision should not be able to drive, young kids without experience should not be able to drive, using the analogy some have made.

Yeah that works.

Actually, Washington may not have restrictions on hearing impaired drivers but they do for the elderly. There is a section about it on the DOL website.

 

[Tech Worlds]

So people with Handicaps should not be able to drive, elderly should not be able to drive, people without perfect vision should not be able to drive, young kids without experience should not be able to drive, using the analogy some have made.

Yeah that works.

In some cases yes. We've all seen that elderly person we probably know some, who have no business driving a car. I don't think it's unreasonable for a person to have a minimal amount of visual and auditory acuity to be granted a license to drive.