Could a mailbox prevent death?

Apollo Beach, Florida Ray Romer's daughter was critically injured in a crash in Apollo Beach last week.

[resident]

I fell for the family,s and wish this had not happened, but I also feel that if the driver was obeying the posted 35 mph limit this would not have happened. More people are speeding thru our neighbor hoods with out care and endangering us and our children and pets. Again I feel for their loss.

[idontknowmyname]

Driving presents all sorts of hazards, especially if the driver neglects to stay on the road. Streets are lined with all sorts of hazards like trees, utility poles, houses, other vehicles, pets, small children, etc. You can't remove all of them. Perhaps Mr. Romer could concentrate on the real problem here, which is poor or reckless driving skills.

[chet]

What is the law on mailboxes legally constructed.

[Susan]

While I can understand Mr. Romer's concern, and the tragic consequences of the accident, I don't agree that "the only reason the car went out of control and flipped over causing her death is because the homeowner wanting to improve the aesthetic appeals to their house". I think the reason the car went out of control is because his daughter was driving too fast in a residential area. The story on the television said the car slid something like 500 feet. That would indicate excessive speed to me. I'm sorry for her friend's death, and I hope his daughter has a full recovery, but it is not the fault of the homeowner that she is dead. It is the resonsibility of the driver to obey traffic laws and to drive safely. Pretty soon, someone will want all trees, power poles, bridge supports, etc. removed from all roadways so that their kids have no obstacles to hit when they wreck their cars.

[AEP]

"The only reason that the car went out of control and flipped over causing her death is because the homeowner wanting to improve the aesthetic appeals to their house," he said.
What a clown...since when is a mailbox in control of a car, what was his daughter doing while the mailbox was controlling her car.

[judgmental cow]

Slowing down and paying attention would have likely prevented the passenger's death, as it would have likely prevented the accident from happening in the first place. A breakaway mailbox is just a bandaid that's being placed on a gaping wound. Mr. Romer, what you're trying to do is more than what most would do in your situation. I commend you, in spite of the fact that I think your efforts are misplaced.

[AEP]

"Brittany L. Romer, of 9410 Bullfrog Court, Gibsonton, was driving west on Apollo Beach Boulevard about 5:49 p.m. when the car went off the road on a curve east of Surfside Boulevard, deputies said. The car struck four posts, vaulted into the air and tumbled 291 feet before coming to rest upside down."

[Nancy]

I too feel sorry for the families affected by this tradegy but the mailbox nor the mailbox's owner is the reason for the accident. Telephone poles/Electric poles are secured too did he want those to be break away? Proper driving should be the focus.

[Susan]

I was off on the distance that the car traveled before coming to rest, but I still think that tumbling 291 feet after vaulting into the air indicates that she was traveling a lot faster than she should have been.

[just me]

it is very sad what happened, however it was not the fault of the mail box. If the mail box had not stopped the car, it sounds like the car would have continued until it hit a tree, house, another car, who knows. If she had hit the house.Would Dad be saying the house caused the accident. how many peopel a day passed this mail box and it never cuased a problem before... Dad is grieving a sad thing, but it it stil not the fault of the mail box.

[AEP]

A female Nick Bollea!

[Vincent]

"The only reason that the car went out of control and flipped over causing the death was because of a home owner wanted to aesthetic appeal to their house" Give us a break!

How fast was the 21 year old going in a residential community in her BMW to begin with? How fast do you have to go in order to flip a car into a mailbox causing the death another person anyway?

Perhaps if this child was driving within the speed limit, kept her distractions minimized and, in a car more suitable for her level of maturity, this would not have happened and her friend's death wouldn't be on her hands!

Illegally constructed mailbox? Give us a break! What's next? Break-away bridge supports and telephone poles?

Maybe we should do away with speed bumps and tables because they can cause your car to lose control! Or maybe it's speeding through a side street while juggling a cell-phone and cafe con leche while playing with the GPS and having a few laughs with the passenger who TRUSTED YOU WITH THEIR LIFE by getting in the passenger seat!

I'm sorry for the loss but, What ever happened to taking responsibility for your mistakes rather than trying to lay blame on others just so you can ease the burden!

Let the daughter buy her own car and pay for her own insurance and accept and deal with her own mistakes! Oh, and let HER buy everyone a new mailbox if it makes her feel safer.

[Michael]

Amen, Brother Vincent! I don't think I could've said it better myself!

[Tyson]

That guy Vincent did raise a few interesting points. What the hell is a kid doing driving a Beemer anyway? 291 feet and you want to blame the mailbox and the owner? Sounds like the father and the daughter have something in common. Neither wants to take responsibility for their screw ups!

[Mary]

If there is ever a reason to sue someone, this is it! Sue the driver and sue the father for buying the car for his daughter! 291 feet and they want to blame the mailbox? Blame the idiot behind the wheel and the one who put her behind the wheel. You know Daddy bought the car for his little girl! Good call there Daddy!

[Nick]

"Brittany" Romer in a BMW! Now how's that for a stereotype? Money may buy you a BMW and the finer things but, it doesn't make you any smarter! What a dumba$$!

[Amanda]

You all speak about how to drive. You all must be great drivers. No distractions are in your car.. You don't drive with the music on. You don't talk on your cell phone, type on your computers, text message your friends, eat or sip that latte. You all drive THE speed limit . You all are wonderful driver and all need a big award.

Next why is it so wrong for a parent to want to buy a car for their child. Did you have to buy your car and mad your parents didn't buy it for you? Parents want to give their kids nice things is that so wrong?

People are so cold hearted.

[AEP]

Where did it say her father bought the car for her?

[Brenda B]

I used to have a mailbox similar to the ones this man is advocating. I had to replace it 4 times one year, because of a few young teens who were bored and had a bat.

Now I have a nearly indestructible mailbox. It has been hit by baseball bats (until the kids moved on to a softer, more satisfying target), scraped by one moving truck, clipped by one SUV, and backed into by one City of Tampa utility truck in the 3 years since it was installed. The mailbox has a few scrapes and the paint require a few touch-ups, but it is otherwise intact.

I didn't even call and gripe at the city when their workers hit it (while I was watching) but didn't bother to stop and see what damage they'd caused.(Stuff happens, but their failure to make sure they hadn't caused much damage annoyed me, especially as my previous mailbox would have been beyond repair.)

I live on a short street. The speed limit is 25 mph. If someone is traveling fast enough that hitting my mailbox causes any significant bodily injury or death, s/he is violating traffic laws by a good bit.

No, I don't think I'll be changing to a less hardy mailbox.

I do sympathize, with the girl and the family of her passenger, really. It was a terrible way for her to learn just how dangerous a car can be. However, I am not responsible for any driver hitting an inanimate object that is placed exactly where the postal service wishes it to be, next to the roadway.

[judgmental cow]

Amanda, personally speaking, I'm a great driver with nary a single point or ticket on my sparkling clean record. I bought my first car with cash at 17, financed my first brand new car at 19, and have managed to maintain good credit so as to continue purchasing vehicles (among other things). I'm a mother of four children, so of course I have distractions. The distractions, however, do not monopolize my concentration. Where's my big reward?

The fact that this young lady was driving a BMW is irrelevant.