Freak Helicopter Death Sparks Baffling Debate About Headphone Safety
Reports of an aircraft crash usually result in news reports expressing doubts about travel by air, investigations into the cause of the crash, and, of course, questions regarding whether the crash could have been prevented. But what do you do if you're a news outlet and everyone else has already covered those obvious angles to the point of tedium? Easy: You find some completely unrelated detail of the story and try to blow it way out of proportion. That seems to be what Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper is up to, with a report indicating that the real problem for the man killed yesterday by a falling helicopter wasn't the spinning blades that decapitated him, but rather the MP3 player he was wearing.
The story states that the 23-year-old victim who was killed on the ground by the stricken copter, Isaiah Otieno, frequently listened to his music player while he was out and about. The implication is, naturally, that if he didn't have his player on he might have heard the copter and been able to dive out of the way.
To us, the idea that we shouldn't wear music players in public for fear of helicopters falling on our blissfully ignorant heads seems a bit preposterous -- just like last year's failed attempt to ban listening to music players in New York City while crossing the street. If you live in a city and can't safely cross the road with your ears plugged, then chances are you're going to have issues surviving on the streets anyway. And, if you have a helicopter falling in your general direction, then you have bigger things to worry about than the volume of your MP3 player. [Source: Globe and Mail]
Filed under: Audio/Video, iPod
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Neil @ May 17th 2008 8:21PM
The writer ignores the fact that numerous studies have shown that the majority of wearers of IPODs, mp3 players, etc. turn the volume too high and consequently suffer hearing loss EVEN when not wearing the earphones.
Melissa @ May 17th 2008 8:37PM
The dude must have had the volume up extremely hight to not hear a helicopter. It's awful someone died, but ya need to keep your head phone at level where you can still hear what is going on around you.
Bobby @ May 17th 2008 8:42PM
I believe very strongly in "cause & effect". Applying that principle to the article it's obvious if you wear earphones with music blasting away this will greatly diminish your reaction time to ward off accidents such as this. I'm not sure if anyone in the general public has ever died in an accident such as the one mentioned in the article but there have been many more fatalities like at railroad X'ings & in general traffic accidents accredited to loud music & lack of concentration. We all make personal choices & suggesting more laws governing our every move is overkill. Give me freedom or give me death...
Lou @ May 17th 2008 8:53PM
Apparently he was playing "L.A.Woman" played by the doors.
otrpu @ May 17th 2008 9:22PM
And if he hadn't gotten out of bed that morning it probably wouldn't have happeded to him either.
khan @ May 17th 2008 9:22PM
At least the guy will have a nice story to tell in the afterlife where everyone asks how you died.
I got decapitated by a helicopter while listening to my mp3. all of a sudden i was spinning and flying through the air and then i noticed my body wasn't attached to me anymore just before everything faded to black. Didn't feel a thing :)
michelle @ May 17th 2008 11:03PM
hahahaha I like where your head's at...
christina @ May 17th 2008 9:30PM
I dont care how loud the headphones r they cannot be loud enough for
you not to hear a helicopter coming down. it would make you completly
deaf if u can have it that loud in your ear. so i cant see ppl blaming
him for wearing headphones for the reason he didnt hear the helicopter
coming down. its just not possible unless he had the headphones on and
he was near a construction site with work going on plus the noise of
the helicopter
khan @ May 17th 2008 9:35PM
i doubt the engine was running when the chopper dropped from the sky. so the sound of the whirling blades would of been his only warning.
Lidya @ May 17th 2008 10:00PM
Maybe what the newspaper is trying to tell us is that we need to be more alert when it comes to our surroundings while walking in the street with head phones on. For example, crossing the street and not paying attention to what cars are doing. Whether you look both ways, it doesnt matter! Someone could have been coming out of their driveway and hit you, someone could have been turning, even a bike or a motorcycle could come in contact with you. Being that your music is in your ears and most of the time we are so focused on a song, anything is bound to happen. Maybe the newspaper is actually right, they are making a point! Dont be so literal and expect the newspaper to say dont listen to mp3's because helicopters are flying around cutting off heads, its just that you need to be more aware of everything around you!
Casey @ May 17th 2008 10:04PM
Theres no way this guy could NOT have heard the helicopter even if his earphones on all the way. I read this and decided to complete a test. I was outside with my iPod when a helicopter flew over, so I turned it up all the way, and although it wasn't as loud, I could hear the Helicopter.
Plus, at the highest setting, if you take the head phones out of your ears, you'll notice they vibrate and you can hear the music clearly. This guy must have been doing something other than just listening to his MP3. Don't blame the headphones, Blame the guy who was wearing them. I know it's unfortunate he died, but one can not believe his death was caused by the MP3 nor the headphones.
~Casey~
G.L. @ May 17th 2008 10:33PM
A veteran airport worker,with headphones on,walked right into the propellor of a turboprop that was idling on a tarmac some years ago.(the pilots were idling the wrong engine) And a young woman in a convenience store, buying beer and playing music really loud on a personal C.D. player,walked out in front of a train as she left the store.
dan @ May 17th 2008 10:35PM
the chance of getting hit by a helicopter,ipod or not , are even slimmer than getting hit by lightning. duh tadah!!!
nichol @ May 17th 2008 10:46PM
um ok... so are we going to make it illegal for ppl who are ACTUALLY deaf to walk in town now? Come on ... give me a break... yeah he shouldn't have it up so loud... but who is he hurting besides himself? who cares if ppl want to be wreckless with their own lives... it's called choice and its what America was founded on.
Rachel @ May 17th 2008 10:48PM
I seriously doubt that the guy could have avoided a falling helicopter even if he hadn't been listening to his Mp3. Duh.
However I have insisted that my kids listen with one ear only when walking around town. I started this after I almost hit a kid who walked right out in front of my car while wearing his headphones. When he noticed my car the look on his face made it obvious that he had no idea I was there until it was too late. Good thing I drive like a grandma (so my kids say)
doc @ May 17th 2008 11:08PM
Melissa @ May 17th 2008 8:37PM
The dude must have had the volume up extremely hight to not hear a helicopter. It's awful someone died, but ya need to keep your head phone at level where you can still hear what is going on around you.
do you have any idea how stupid you are?
Alaine @ May 18th 2008 2:36AM
doc, Melissa was just expressing her opinion. No need to be so mean. Your lack of respect for other people's opinions exposes your lack of intelligence! You're in no position to be criticizing anyone else.
Tina @ May 17th 2008 11:09PM
It's unfortunate this guy died, but I honestly do NOT think that he was listening to JUST his MP3. I listen to mine all the time when I'm in the car with my mother, and she has music blasting, and I'm listening to my music, and if she calls my name I can STILL hear her. NO excuse for not hearing a helicopter...honestly.
BabyGirl @ May 17th 2008 11:09PM
I don't think the issue is whether or not people are wearing headphones or at what volume level they are listening. The issue is that people are getting more and more wrapped up in everything and simply NOT paying attention to what is going on around them. The kid that walked out in front of Rachel could just have easily been yapping on a cell phone or talking to a friend walking with him and he most likely still would have walked into the road without looking. I've noticed that teenagers nowadays either just don't care or they think that the world revolves around them or that nothing can hurt them or that even if something does happen that it won't be their fault. My nephew was taught to check before crossing, but since he turned 14 he has gotten such a horribly lacked attitude about his safety that it is frightening! Young children are also not being taught the things they should. My next door neighbor's little girl NEVER looks before running into the street after her ball or to go to her friend's house. Yes I live on a cul-de-sac, but that's not an excuse for ignoring safety- cars still travel on our road. The posted speed limit is 15, but you have to go much, much, much slower than that and always be watching for the kids. We have sidewalks but many of the teens insist on walking in the MIDDLE of the road! Yes we need to be more cautious and careful, but we also must express those needs to our children.
lin @ May 17th 2008 11:35PM
That's about as bad as the boy who was killed by a silent running green car. IT didnt make enough noise for him to hear it. ??????? Mk